The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1873-01-11 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE BELFAST MURDER.  The Northern Whit, gives the fooowing deemiption of the cottage railed The Croft," in which lived Miss Kerr and her servant at the time of their murder  " This picturesque cottage on the Victoria-road, inside the walls of which the dreadful murder was perpetrated, is no doubt the chief place of interest in connexion with the tragedy. The Victoria-road commences at the end of the town in High street, and is a junction from the Bangor-road. It is narrow, winding, and ascending, and at the top, near the residence of the late Miss Kerr—the murdered lady—it commands a beautiful view of Belfast Lough and the Antrim coast. The cottage is built of brick, and is designedly irregular in form, A tiny flower-plot, a few yards in width, separates it from the road. Ivy and jessamine climb half-way up the walls, and at the east end flowers are in bloom both summer and winter. Surrounding the dwelling there are several flower plots, and behind there is a large garden, where the deceased took pride in cultivating the plants. Each room in the dwelling contain suites of furniture of the best description, and valuab:e pictures decorate the walls. Nothing seemed to have been left undone by Miss Kerr to provide for her personal comfort, and 'The Croft' had the reputation of being not only one of the nicest structures in the neighbourhood, but one complete, in every respect, in its internal furnishing and adornment. The house since the interment of the bodies has remained closed ; but the little window in front, which the milk. girl looked through to ascertain the cause of the delay of the opening of the door, and through which she saw the body of the servant lying on the hall floor near the dour, was eagerly scanned by the visitors, as was also the window in the end gable looking into the room where the murde[ers are believed to have caroused and slept after the commission of the horrible deed, and also the window in the tear looking into the kitchen, into which they dragged the body of Miss Kerr, and terminated her existence by blows, after which they place I her in the scullery, and rolled her up in the blanket and quilt in the extraordinary manner that has already been described."  THE LAST HOURS OF FORTUNE! The Rheinischtr Kurier cf the let iostan& says : the Gaming Rooms of Wiesbsden were not re-opened to-day, se that the crowd of playen who, up to the last resorted to them, were met by closed doors and compelled to turn back. In this way has been brought to an end one of our specialities, the continuance of which we could no longer expect, although of late years people had come to be less harsh in their condemnation of gaming since it had been contrasted with recent mercantile speculations. Now, so far as Germany IS concerned, gaming has become a thing of the past, and the inhabitants of Wiesbaden will not be judged severely If they recollect that it was in a great measure to the gaming tables that they owe the gigantic growth of their town. Its prosperity has been so extraordinary, and during the last few jean has to much exceeded the anticipations of its inhabitants, that they have good reason to suppose that even without the gaming tables it will remain as before a watering place of the first rank. Indeed, when its resources and advantages are contrasted with those of other watering-places of similar pretensions. we think we may safely say that it has no competition to dread. The closing of the gaming bank will prow severely for a time on many families and many occupations and there should be no seltdenption on this point, but we can assert that our town anticipates the future with confidence, and we accordingly hail the new year In the hope that Vs inbaden will continue to flourish and spread, as heretofore, its long rows of streets further and further among the green fields of it, picturesque neighbourhood_ The last two concerts of the year In the Great Ilan were more numerously attended than they were even in the height of the summer. The orchestral piece by lien Keler ben, 'The Lest !lours of Fortune,' and 'The Goddess of Fortune,' a polka by the same composer, prepared especially for the close of the bank, had an enthusiastic reception, and an encore was demanded. At the close the director, Herr Kele'. Inn, was several times called for, and three cheers were given for him and his band.