The Sun. — 1828-07-22 (London, England)

MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE.  A very strong sensation has been this week cleated in Blackburn, by the death of a young \woman named Ann Morris, who was drowned in the Leeds and Liverpool canal, near that place, under circumstance:, which induced a very general suspicion that site had been murdered by a soldier named James Hughes. The deceased, a very fine young woman, about 18 years of age, worked in Messrs. Feilden, Throp, and Townley 's factory, was at a wedding party held on Tuesday evening, at the Castle inn, in Blackburn, and remained there until about three o'clock i►► the morning. There was a dance on the occasion, and Hughes, who is a bugle-player in the 67th Regiment of Foot, was present, and played on his. bugle for the dancers ; having, we believe, obtained the permission of his commanding officer to do so. It is not known that the deceased and he were previously acquainted, nor was he observed to speak to her on the occasion. About three o'clock the deceased left the Castle Inn, in company with two other young women, and went towards her lodgings. Before the two women left the deceased, they had all agreed, that, as it was late, they would not go to bed, but would merely change their clothes, and they I:ll:irkeett 0 the civil power. would then be ready for the commencement of wolk in the factory ; and the two having agreed to fall on the deceased when they had put on their working dresses, went to her lodgings, but it appeared she had not changed her clothes, and they found her crying in the yard. They inquired into the cause of her grief, but she did not return any satisfactory answer. All three then went out together to have a walk before they went to the factory ; and as they passed through the street they met James Hughes, the bugleman, who spoke to the deceased, and after some conversatien, walked with her into the field:, leaving the other two, who saw no more of het. The deceased and the soldier were afterwards see►► by two or three persons proceeding towards the canal, the soldier having his arm round her neck or her waist. They saw the soldier put his arm round her neck, whilst she appeared to be struggling to get away, and escaped from him once or twice, on which he followed her and again put his arm round her neck. One of the men called out to him to let the woman alone; but, from the distance which intervened, it is probable that he was not heard, for neither the soldier nor the woman looked toward, him. The men then resumed their journey towards redf t forwardh e two into jacket, menhowsmtorh,al vdtepahi wrapped :ye Pawrrsianannh. ~,,c1 principally (a)nf fl ,Yti course Blackburn, and for a minute or two did not look towards the place where they had seen the soldier and the woman ; but when they had proceeded a short distance, one of them turned his head, and he then saw the woman floating in the canal, and the soldier apparently leaving the margin of the water. The man immediately apprised his companion, and they both saw the soldier pass under one of the rails which fence off the towing-path, and without making any alarm, or calling for assistance, run down the the first within it, and . (bworhnic;h and are r e called s ph oe t: aonvda. reached srbre bugle otvgtheil d 1 Ddeauiprr canal.eseceta theer ds 1 1 towards'attention t,%he.eleirytlitobanottnitldhC of bank,adjoining ".h fikehl d . is s H considerably th e then Nven t)fieu,:enhvdteagetrrpeorduutalhnpl pulled Ndbo‘a,Ofir jolt., letiffeet aqueduct that passes over the river Darwen, and great speed along the turnpike-road towards Blackfhhoeirmt himself f last to time.cap just soon enough to woman, w er. Of course h© was immediately deliveredcieirqcuuemststwanacses heldNv h uponiwhich the certainlyb o body i Capt. Ilarpour, his comhBsre;earslnrtveiedl nnihendreeindsrvioent day, and resumed yesterday, when, we believe, the above facts were proved in evidence; as were also deal to exonerate the prisoner from oi tended dM 7ae dgnoe:d" the serious charge made ' against him, and to render it not it improbable th l at tle young woman had committed suicide. somAtel  At seven o'clock last evening, the jury returned verd►ct of " Wilful murder against the soldier," who was committed to Lancaster Castle to take his t rial.—Alanchcatcr Guardian.  There are few examples, we believe, in the memory of man, of a storm of wind and rain such as that just past. On Saturday morning early the rain came on, and continued pouring copiously, and without intermission, till Monday afternoon. And this inundation or phanomenon, as it may be called, has not been confined, it seem,,, to the west of Scotland—a coast proverbial for wetne.. ...Air Advertiser.