Year: 1878

A BOLD CRIME IN THE OPEN COUNTRY.


SLIGHT TRACKS OF TIE PERPETRAToRs-THE MUIR


DERED PEER QUARRELsOME AND HEADsTRoNG.


IFRoN AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE


LONDON, April 6.-The murder of Lord
Ler his clerk and the driver OF the vehicle In which
both were proceeding Journey, comes upon those
Engshmen who had imagined that Ireland had entered
upon a new phase I'm its great shock. For
cooness OF design and the completeness with which 1t
was executed has scarcely been surpassed by
any the worst OF the agraran outrages which puz
zled the Government some years ago. The circum-
stances are necessarily somewhat ncompeely set orth
for the murdererst there must have been more
than oue-were careful TO dispose Of everyone who
would in the slightest degree prove dangerous evidence
against them in future. The wild northwest corner OF
Ireland in which the murder was committed seems IN
some respects TO offer a sort OF weird suitability 70
the commission OF such offence 1t was IN the neigh
borhood Of the coast The only evidence which has come
TO hand points to the men who committed 1t having
come from Murray Bay, whence they made their
escape.


The facts OF the case are olerably simple though from
the absence of any eyewitness, they are necessarily
somewhat matter OF inference. Lord Leitrn left his
house. Manor Vaughan, in the County Of Donegal about
O'Clock on Tuesday morning. He was accompanied by
his clerk and valet. The Earl and the clerk took their
seats on what is known in Ireland post whilst the
servant rode behind. The three on their way 70
place called Milford, aud when passing cottage, from
which, 1t il said Lord Leitrim had recently eyicted
widow two shots were fired from out OF wood. There
seems TO have been something OF struggle for whenthe
valet came up he found the driver still alive though his
master the ground with his face downwards and
with his head cut and bruised, and the clerk was dead
There TO believe that the murderers desired To
leave chance behind them Of the recovery OF their
victim, and the finding of broken gunstock by the SIDE
murdered Earl and the battered condition OF MS
head left the conclusion that there must have Dee
an assault the BODY after the shots were hred
revolver which the deceased Peer always carried was
missing him when the valet came up Inc drlyer
does appear however TO have been IN state 10 give
any further information and long before the servant
came upon the scene the who had committed tDe
deed had made OIL They however, LEFT Dehlhd them
some traces IN the shape OF two hats, gun ana psto
besides the broken gunsoek which was found near the
bodies. The only clue which has been iurnlshed as
to the assassins is that strange boat WIN tuIee
men In IL was in the bay and two men are IN Gus


Oy on the charge but the sparsey populated character
of the district would hardly AFFORD much nope hat JUS
tice will be DONE This is the first time LORD eltilin
seems 10 have shot Anew years ago his hie was
attempted a similar manner, but ne not only mahageu
| To escape but to ca pture the wOu.dbe assassin


| Ieltrim never POPULAR lnOugh ne was NOT
mn Oppressive landlord He was publicly known as bit
| ing been once or twice guilty OF some very
| strange yagaries in political life He was
| ostensbly Liberal In politics, and before
| hls succession 10 the Peerage he represented
Ierim In the Liberal interest, AS landlord, however
| he seems To have been man with whom his tenants
could get well long they submitted 10 bis
WILL which was at all times too consderate OF the
wishes his interiors. HIS opposition 10 the Land Act
proving unayaing he set 10 work to turn out the ten
anry who had acquired rights under its obnoxious pro
Visions good deal litigation, IN. the course OF
which Lord Leltrim got the worst OF It, ensued Ihe