Alston Herald, and East Cumberland Advertiser. — 1880-08-21 (Alston, Cumbria, England)

DREADFUL MURDER NEAR BISHOP AUCKLAND.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER. A shocking murder Was committed on Wednesday morning at Evenwood, a minim-,' village about six miles south-west of Bishop Auckland. and near to the Auckland and Barnard Castle Branch of the North-Eastern Railway. The murderer is a young man named William Brovrulees, ,22 years of age, who served his ,apprenticeship as a shoemaker with Robert Coates of Swan Row, Evenwood, and his itictim was a woman named Elizabeth Holmes, 25 years of age. The father and mother of the girl formerly kept the Cross Keys Inn, at South Church, and afterwards lived et Canny Hill. near. Bishop Auckland. The mother, who is now a widow, at present lives in Brougham Place, Bishop Auckland. The victim, who is very stout and of short stature, only being about five feet two in height, anti weighing something like 12 stones, was a farm servant with Mr Ralph Vart of Buck Heads, Evenwood, and recently has been working daily in the fields. She has been living with her twin sister, who is the wife of James Mills, a miner. Bmwnlecs had been paying his addresses to the woman since she went to Evenwood, but, it is said, without much success. Up to Saturday he had been in Lunedale hay making, but had Commenced working at his own trade on Monday with Robt. Shaw at Bullerknowle. He was of dissolute habits, mid was said to be very violent when in drink. As already stated, his love for the unfortunate young woman was not returned. and she had more than once told hint that she did not want anything to do with him. On Tuesday night he went to see her at her sister's house, and she then spoke to him at the door, and sent him away. Yesterday morning she left the house to go to her work about a quarter before eight o'clock, taking with her a hoe, to be used in hoeing turnips, and her dinner in a satchel. After she had gone about half a mile along the footpath across the fields, and within two fields of where she was to work, she appears to have been accosted by her lover, who had left home about seven o'clock, and, it is said, had taken his shoemaker's knife with him. Later on in the day a young man named William Teesdale, who had been at West Auckland seeking work, was passing along the footpath to Cockfield when he saw the man and the woman lying across the path on their faces, as he thought, fast asleep; but when he got near he saw they were lying in a pool of blood. He gave an alarm, and some women working in a field close by ran to tho spot, and found the woman dead and the man more dead than alive, their throats beinicut in a dreadful manner. Further assistance was obtained, and the man was taken to Mr lifaughan's Drovers' Inn, where he was attended by Dr Todd of Evenwood, and his brother from West Auckland. It was found that his throat was cut in three places, and on Wednesday nigilt he was still alive, but faint hopes are entertained of his recovery. The unfortunate woman had been dead some time, her throat being cut from ear to ear, and the windpipe completely severed. There were signs of a struggle on the spot, and about fourteen yards distant her hat, shawl, satchel, and hoe were found by P. C. Elliott. The knife has not yet been found. Supt. Banks, of Bishop Auckland, with P. O. Thorn were soon on the spot making an investigation. The scene was visited by.numbers of people during the day.  Her Majesty the Queen has consented to place a stained glass window in St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmunds, in mammy of one of her Royal ancestors who is interred there.  A