Darlington & Richmond Herald. — 1874-05-09 (Darlington, Durham, England)

MILIDEA OF A SISTER IN THE. NORTH RIDING.  SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER.  On Wednesday, the quiet district to the west of the Melmerby and North%Horton Branch of the North-Eastern Railway was startled by the rumour of a murder under peculiarly horrible circumstances in one of its villages. The report proved too true. Farmers left their work and hinds their labou-, and the whole dis, rict seamed rife with alarm, that seemed to extend to the apple orchards, oak- shaded fields, and lilac. hidden lanes. The facts of the case, as gathered on the spot, are briefly these :  It appears that the deceased was a young woman, about 16 years of age, the daughter of a farm labourer, named John Jackson, resident at Carthorne, a village about six miles to the south of Bede,le, and a little more than that distance north from Ripon. An older brother of here, named William Jackson, about 30 years of age, enlisted some years ago in the army, and served in the 77th keiot in the East Indies. Recently, he left the regiment, and came to live with his father and mother at Carthorpe. He worked a little occasionally in gardens and elsewhere; but spent the chief part of his time and such money as he could obtain in drink. When under the influence of liquor, he was very quarrelsome and violent, and made himself cery obnoxious to the viilagers and to his relatives. At last the annoyance became so great that, on Monday night last, his father quietly but firmly told him he could not put up with his conduct any longer, and be must leave. He at once seized a small stool and threatened all who were present with it, throwing it violently on the floor, saying he would shed some one's blood before he went. His conduct was so threateningthat his parents deemed it unsafe to stay longer with him, and locked themselves in another room during the night. In the morning of Tuesday, the prisoner seemed quieter, and stated that he intended to leave that night for Ripon to seek work there as a wood leader. He went to Bedale in the morning. and got some drink there, but did not seem much affected when he returned to Carthorse in the afternoon. He. left after tea for Ripon, and as his sister, the deceased, had to go to Kirklington with a pair of eLoes, she accompanied him. They left home apparently on good terms. They were seen crossing the green at Kirklington a little past six, and entered the houte of Mr James Husthivaite, a shoemaker, where they stayed a short time. As they left, the brother said to his sister, "Come, Lizzie, let's go, you have to go back, and you won't like to go in the dark." Accordingly they left, but instead of retualing homewards, the deceased accompanied her brother by the church, and a little way along the Ripon road. Here they turned off by a footpath leading in another direction— through fields to Thornbrough. They were seen about seven o'clock by two men, Mr John Wells, a farmer, and Mr James Purvis. The brother was then smoking, end there was nothing to indicate anything but most friendly relations. Deceased seetnee in low spirits, ant walked beuind her brother, who looked rined to see if they were followed. Elizabeth Jackson was never seen alive again. In the evening her father and mother grew uneasy, and came to Kirkiington, called at the policeman's house, but finding him out, they returned home. At midnight, the father again left, and walked to Ripon, making anxious enquiries, but finding no trace of either. On Wednesday morning, when the birds were singing, and the herald of the summer was tuning its "wandering voice," a labourer named John Marshall was going to his work he was startled to Sac on the footpath in a field of Mr Hortter's deed body. He gave information to Police•constable John Hudson, who at once inspected the place. It was close to a stile, and by the side of a disused "mill race." The body was cold and rigid—tying on its back, the throat horribly and deeply cut. A pool of blood surrounded the ltead, her brown dress was spotted, and near there were clots on the stile, in the bed of the "stell," cud elsewhere. One hand of the deceased was 11,mly clenched, and the trampled ground aleo bore indications of a struggle. Except a mark above the wrist, like the impress of a thumb, there were no other marks of violence on the body. Re her pathetically, there was found in the pocket of the poor girl a letter from a lover, dated wily on Monday last, and enclosing a portrait. The ()Jar —that of a fair girl, in appearance womanly beyond her age, who had been rudely reft from blooming life was removed to the village, and the necessary legal steps taken. Medical examination showed that the wound was seven itches lung, and the tissues and windpipe were severed. The wound bad beau made by a sheep inst rument,and could ecercelyhave been self-ieflietet/. Late on Wednesday e'ght, Mr J. S. Walton,the district coroner, held au inquest, and after lies ring evidence disclosing the above facts, and a pipe clotted with blood fonni in the " stell" ha' lug been identified as that used on the previous day by the brother of the deceastel, the jury, after a short cousaltatioe, returned a verdict, throueh their foreman, Mr G. Deighton, of Wilful Murder against William Jackson. A warrant was issued against the accused, and a dilieent search commenced, but na to a late hour on Thursday there was no result; and a strong suspicion was entertained that the murderer had committed eaicide. No motive can be assigned for the hertid act, as till recently the deceased and the accused had been on most kindly terms, ha having frequently sent her Might presents etg his absence from home. It may be readily imagined what a consternation has fallen On a retired rural district at so horrid and unparalleled a crime in its midst. And the sympathy is great with the parents bereaved of a dear daughter, who came to her death, according to an intelligent jury's opinion, at the hands of her brother.  On Thurs lay, the site of the tragedy was mach visited. It is on a public footpath, by the side of a small stream. Though secluded from observation from the vilkage, the spot, charmed with nature's beauty, is quite visible from the high road, so that the wonder is that the straggle was unobserved and the deed unheard.