The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-10-08 (London, England)

THE AUMEEDO TESTIMONIAL FUND.—The proposal to establish a testimonial fund for Colonel 111`Murdo on his retirement from the post of Inspector General of Volunteers, which it is understood will take place at the close Of the present year, and also in consideration of the serious loss he sustained by the recent destruction of his residence by fire, has not met with that ready response amongst the volunteers which its promoters anticipated. At the outset the movement resulted in a cliqueism, two committees having started with profefssedly the !lame object in view. Advertisements have appeared from linie to time in the daily papers, one, dated from FleetI.Areet, publishing a committee, and another, signed by 1. A. Irvine, who we believe is an officer of the Ist Surrey Rifles, stating that no other bankers are authorised to receive subscriptions but Messrs, Smith, Payne, and miths. This disagreement at the outset has thrown a ilitraPer npan the movement. Moreover, so far as Col. `Murdo is personally concenaed, we are informed that uk e has expressed his determination not to wept anw iNtimonial whatever,—Obstrrer.  FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY NEAR WINDSOR  On Sunday afternoon the inhabitants of the quiet and picturesque little village of Old Windsor were horrified by the discovery of a fearful crime—involving the deaths of four persons—which had just been committed in the house of a man named John Cook, a barber, at Old Windsor Green. It seems that a man went to Cook's house on Sunday afternoon for the purpose of being shaved; but, on knocking, could not obtain any answer. This attracted the attention of the ne4ghbours, who then recollected that they had not seen or heard anything of Cook or his family during the morning. The assistance of a police-constable was at once ob. tamed, and on the house being entered and the various rooms searched, the evidences of a frightful and coldblooded murder were revealed. In the front room the bodies of three little girls, aged respectively about four, SIX, or seven years—children of the man Cook, who had it is believed, poisoned the little innocents with sulphuric acid or vitriol, diluted with tea—were discovered undressed and laid out. These from the appearance of the bodies had been dead several days, probably a week. In the front room upstairs—a bedroom—Cook himself was found with his throat cut in two large gashes; he was still alive and undressed. Lying by his side, with her throat cut, was a little girl, his daughter, eight years of age, also alive. Proceeding to the upstairs back room the party found the eldest daughter, a girl twelve years of age, who had been poisoned with the sulphuric acid, but was still living; while in the down-stairs back room was discovered a pail containing blood, over which Cook had evidently held his head while attempting to commit sucide.  The discovery of the murder was made about three o'clock, and a messenger was immediately despatched to Windsor, for the assistance of Dr. E. Pearl, High-street, who shortly hurried over to Old Windsor, and did all that medical science could administer for the surviving Sufferers. The girl whose throat had been cut was removed to the Windsor Infirmary, and is or was still alive. The eldest girl, who was poisoned, remains at Old Windsor, and was also living. Cook, who was about thirty-eight, expired about seven o'clock on Sunday.eyenMg... . _  Although- the three youngest children would appear to have been murdered nearly a week back, it seems that Cook did not attempt to take away the lives of the two eldest children till about Friday, while the murderer himself was seen out in the village, as it is understood, on Saturday, so that it would appear that Cook had hesitated till the last moment before he attempted to commit suicide. The razor with which the miserable man cut his own throat and that of his child, together with a vessel containing a mixture of vitriol, tea, and treacle, the remainder of the poison which had destroyed the three youngest children have been found. No motive has as yet been ascertained for the commission of the murder. The house bore signs of poverty, though food—bread and butter—was found. A subscription had, it is understood, been raised in Cook's behalf, which, it is stated, was not exhausted. Several county court orders and a "notice to quit" were, however, discovered, and this, coupled probably with the death of the unfortunate man's wife, which occurred in Tuly, may have affected his mind.  ETRE MARRIAGE OF MISS SLIDELL with M. Erlangeri was celebrated at Paris, on Tuesday morning, withl great pomp, at the Church of St. Pierre, in the Rue Chaillot. The witnesses for M. Erlanger were M. Mocquard, the Emperor's private secretary, and the Marquis de Beaumont; Mr. Mason, the Confederate! representative in London, and Mr. Corbyn, a well-known American resident in Paris, and who is allied by marriage with several French families, were the witnesses° for Miss Slidell.  !RIGHTFUL DEATH ON THE GeEAT