The Sun. — 1847-03-31 (London, England)

MURDER IN CAITHNESS. I This district has this week been thrown into a state of gre it exciteire.nt, by the commission or one of those diabol'tal crimes which are rortanatcly i F extremely rare oce irrence in this county, and, indeed, in the north- of Sec)!land. Isabella Gunn, an old woman, apparently about sixty years of age, living in the Achow of Swiney, in the parish of Latheron, has been made the victim of a most atrocious, yet evidently deliberate murder. Her residence is at the end of the Free School of Achow, , situated about two hundred yards from any other dwelhng. On the mornirg of Sabbath a school is taught, / and it is customary on that, as on other mornings;•tee'llir-' for some of the children to go to her room fotvdS 4441-4 fuel to kindle the fire. Accordingly on the morning of Sabbath last one of the scholars went for th st purpose, and was surprised to find no reply given to the customary salutation. Another of his school-mates speedily followed, and discovered the body of the unfortunate creature lying under a quantity of straw which had been spread over her. She was dead ! The alarm was immediately raised, and forthwith a number of the neighbours wereassembled. They found that the crime of murder had been that morning committed upon the lonely woman, and judged that it could not have been of very: late occurrence, as the body was yet warm. The foul deed had evidently been committed by means of strangling, as a piece of rope was found round the neck of the deceased. Immediately on the fact being known to the authorities, Sheriff Gregg, and Mr. Henderson, procurator- ' fiscal, proceeded to the place, and commenced a judicial investigation into the circumstances connected with the diabolical deed. The body was examined by two medical gentlemen, who found certain parts of the neck and face of a livid colour, evidently the result of strangling. There were also marks of violence on other parts of the face, one in particular on the chin, where, to all appearance, an iron instrument had been applied. Oa one of the hands there was also a blue mark. Several small sums of money, amounting, in all, to upwards of two ' pounds, were found on different parts of the deceased's person, and lying between the body and the chest. According to a statement said to have been made by her to some neighbours on Saturday, she had occasion to leave her hut for a short time, in the dusk of Friday evening, and on her return she discovered that some one bad obtained admission during her absence. On entering, she observed, according to our information, a man in her bed turning over the bedclothes, for the evident purpose of obtaining booty. So soon as he observed he was detected, he threw reinaall shawl over his face, and made his escape as fast as possible, throwing away the shawl when he found himself beyond the reach of recognition. No other object can appear to have dictated the commission of this foul murder, than to lay hold of the reputed money of the deceased. In this, the perpetrator cannot have been more than partially successful, from the small sums on her person. Some papers belonging to her were also found in an adjoining field. It would appear that a shawl was also found round the deceased's neck, being placed between the rope and the neck. Of course, there are a great many other circumstances which have come to light, during the progress of the investigation, both from the examination of witnesses anti otherwise, but, for obvious reasons, in the present state of the precognition, it would be injudicious to record them. It is sufficient to say, that a young man has been apprehended and lodged in jail, under suspicion of being connected with the murder.—John O'Groat Journal.  Lord and Lady John Russell are expected to remain in town during the holidays, owing to the delicate state of her Ladyship's health. We are happy to add, that Lady John Russell has much improved within the last fortnight.  THE Fox CLun.—The second meeting of the Fox Club this year was held on Monday evening at Brooks's, and among the distinguished noblemen and gentlemen who dined on the occasion were the Earl of Camperdown, Lord Stafford, Mr. Stepenson, Lord Marcus Hill, Sir Robert Adair, Lord Duncan, Colonel Keppel, Lord Ciemorne, Mr. Wilbraham, Lord Sudeley, Mr. Denison, Dr. Lushington, Lord Acheson, Mr. Langston, and the Hon. G. Byng.