The Sun. — 1850-03-20 (London, England)

TRAGEDY AT CLAYTON-ON-THE HEIGHTS. HALIFAX, MARCH 19.—The beautiful and secluded little village of Clayton was on Saturday the scene of a dreadful tragedy, in consequence of a young man recently married having shot his wife through the left breast and blown out his own brains. The subjects of the present tragical occurrence are two young people, named Abraham and Elizabeth Jessop, each about 25 years of age, and the cause of it an unhappy and ill-assorted marriage, leading to a separation, which the wife's friends had unwisely attempted to render permanent, instead of seeking a reconciliation. The main supports of the village are some extensive stone quarries in the neighbourhood ; and Jessop, who had come to reside there from Brighouse, was a smith, and was principally employed in sharpening the delvers' tools. He had paid his addresses to the girl for some twelve or eighteen months, and about three monthsago they were married. Jessop had not a cottage furnished to take his wife to, and they took up their residence along with the wife's mother and sister. Almost immediately afterwards quarrels with his wife and her friends led to his being turned out of the mother's house, and a consequent separation. He had attempted in vain a reconciliation; and the unhappy man seems to have sought an interview on Saturday evening last, with a view to putting a period to all future strife and heartburning about the matter by murdering his wife, and afterwards destroying himself. After fortifying himself by taking several glasses of ardent spirits, he entered the house where she resided about half-past three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and found her in the presence of her mother and sister. He asked her to accompany him to the door for the purpose of a private conversation, but she declined, observing that she had no secrets which her mother might not hear. lie then attempted to induce his wife to give him an audience in another room, telling her she might relate what passed afterwards to her mother if she thought, fit. This she also refused, and he then took from one of his coat pockets a pistol, and hastily advancing towards her, discharged it with the muzzle almost close to her person. The ball took effect in the left breast, but missed the heart, piercing the breast in the direction of the left arm, and emerging immediately under the arm. Before any attempt at interference could be made, he then drew a second pistol, and placing it under his right ear, discharged the contents through his bead. The unfortunate wife ran to the door and sank upon the causeway, in a state of insensibility. She was afterwards carried to bed by her mother and some neighbours who lent assistance, and surgical aid being procured and the wounds stanched, she still survives. It is feared, however, that the ball has passed through a portion of the lungs, and that she cannot ultimately, recover. The wound which Jessop inflicted on himself was of a more immediately mortal character. He fell at once upon the floor, and expired in a pool of blood—his skull being fearfully shattered. The body was removed to the Black Horse public•house in Clayton.