Year: 1867

The Buckhurst Hill murder, in England,
supplies us with a new instance OF the extra
ordinary workings of the feminine heart
Matilda Griggs was girl Of humble station :
and had contracted an intimacy of an illicit
character with a young matchmaker nahed
Watkins. In time a child was born, and the
attachment remaining uuImpaired the couple
were to be shortly married On the 23d OF
April last, Watkins Travelled. as usual, from
his bus SIS in London. and took a walk with
his sweetheart. Whether he heard some


thing that fired him with jealousy, or wheth-
er be had meditaied the act beforehand, has
never been explained but he suddenly turn
ell and attacked the woman. With dagger,
and piece of lead slung on a string, he, IN
a fury Of rage, covered her with wounds
He struck her first upon the skull with the


lead, and when the string broke he drew
the dagger, made out Of an old bayOnet, and


plunged it not less than thirteen times into
her body. The man was, indeed, so beside
himself with passion that be delivered blow
after blow without noticing that the brass
sheath was still upon the weapon the
sheath was actually lett sticking in the worst
and deepest wound Of all the many that he
inflicted. The poor creature sank to the
ground covered with blood, and then, ac-
eording to his own account, he left her
. hallooing on the grass, and had good
mind to 20 back, but thought she could not
halloo long" After running some distance.
Watkins seemed to have stopped and tried
to take poison: but the acid burned his
mouth, and he - did not swallow enough"
All this occurred about nine oc ock at ight,
and next morning, at half past five, the
criminal appeared at the Police station and
gave himself up, declaring what be had
done, and giving every particular about it
But meantime, instead Of dying, the poor
girl, his victim, bad actually recovered suffi-
eiently to find her way home The night
was chilly, and the cold, with her long
swoOn ensuing upon her injuries, had stop.
ped the flow Of blood Stll her wounds
were SO severe that, more than once, the
surgeon who was summoned supposed her
to be dead and for many days it was not
thought that she could recover. especially as
the lung had been pierced. Her deposition
was taken as that Of a moribund person. and
the prisoner was brought to her bedside.
where a few words OF recognition passed
between them but despite the rain of blows
which she had suffered. and despite dan
gerous reaction brought on by the noise of
the crowd that gathered under the window
Of her sick room. she did recover. Accord


ing to Juvenal, the most natural thing for
Matilda Grggs would have been to pursue
with lawful detestati1n the cruel wretch by
whom she had been mangled. Was that
the womans idea? Not in the least. She
was no sooner well enough to mOye-thanks
10 her marvellous constitution, the chilly
night the fainting fit, and the extra skill
and care on the part Of the surgeons-be.
fore she concealed herself, and vas not forth


coming when the trial was called in June.
1t was alleged that she was hardly strong
enough TO appear, and the hearing was post
poned till Wednesday, 81 instant; but
again there was no proSecutrix, and the
prisoners advocate did not pretend to con-
ceal that she was keeping out Of the way
from love Of her would be murderer When
the trial was over, a letter was put in, which
is by far too striking piece OF human "a
ture to be ABR waited or altered in any
word Ny dear fred" she had written.
" | hope yuu don't think it unkind at nv
staying away from the trial it is for your
good do 50 and | am waiting anxiously IN
the hope Of bearing that You are free and |
AN looking for the time when we shall he
united and happy once again for without you
| cannot be happy although | am quite well
III b'dV an the dSl Is IorgOt.-ffom your
own, tilley Griygs, this note come enclosed
to frend in london who will couse it to be
gujvn to you. T. G." This note, dated
Berlin, June, 1867, was put in to mitigate
sentence; bat the Judge said it was the law,
and not the CO vict's sweetheart which
ought to be satisfied and he Condemned
Watkins to peaaI sergitude for twenty years ;
nor was the ds9m too heavy for deed that
was inur,Iaraus in rs motive and character
though, happily, the result was not fatal.