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SHOCKING MURDER, <

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SHOCKING MURDER, < On Saturday morning, between five and s'x o'clock, ft messenger reached the Frome police station to ask for assistance to put out a fire in the village of Wool- Verton, five miles distant on the Rath road. Super- intendent Deggan, and some members of the Volun- teer Fire Brigade started as quickly as possible, but before reaching Woolverton they were informed the engines were not required, as the fire had been got under Superintendent Deggan, however, proceeded, and found that a most horrible murder had been committed. The building on which the fiie had b'o.en out wasamalthouse occupied by Mr E. F. oger. It was a thatched building and adjoined at Tight ancles the dwelling-house of Mr George Britten, who owned the property. The door of the malt home was only about five yards from the door of the -dwelling house, and was in fact within the front c' garden. Mr Britten went to live in the house about three months ago, with his family, consisting of his ".vife and one son, nine years of age. They kept no servant, although they were persons of independent means, and Mrs Britten's industrious habits were "well known to the neighbours. Mrs Britten was list seen alive on Thursday. On Friday the hus- band said she had cone from home. On Saturday her body was found frightfully burnt in Mr Mover's malthouse. These are the main facts. To fully understand the atrocity of the case, some explanation is needed. The door of the malthouse opens on what is called the 'couch.' or the place where the barley is spread after being wetted. Near to this is She kiln, and in a corner by the kiln was a quantity of icoke, hut no fire had been lit since May. On Friday afternoon Mr Moger and Mr D'Arcy, an excise) officer, visited the malthouses, and all was then right, and it was particularly noticed that a long board, used when malting was being done, Jay by the side of the couch wall. On Saturday morning, between four and five o clock, a young man named Rogers yas going to his work, when he noticed smoke issuing from the malthouse, and knowing that no lire should he there, he called his father, and an alarm was at once raised. Amongst the first to offer assistance was Mr Bntten. and he insisted that thp attempt to extinguish the fire should be made on the I side furthest from his house, and therefore furthest from the malthouse door. Mr Holdway, a farmer, however, broke opeo the door, iiid saw at a glance that the fire was in the 'couch.' A few buckets of water were sufficient to put out the flames, and when entrance was obtained the dead body of a female was found lying on a long hoard on the 'couch.' All the clothes had been burnt, the limbs were charred, scarce anything of humanity remained except the hair, which was but slightly burnt, Two prominent front teeth were also noticeable. The question went round as to who the poor woman could be. Some one suggested that she was a tramp, it being known that the malthouse was formerly sometimes frequented by tramps. Mr Holdway and others, however, dis- covered some resemblance to Mrs Britten, who had the peculiarity of possessing two rather prominent front teeth. Mr Britten asserted that it was not the body of his wife. When Superintendent Deggan arrived, he made a strict examination of the place, and beneath the body were found remnants of a fall' and of a bonnet, a pair of cotton and a pair of flannel stockings, partially burnJ, and also a man's Trousers. There were also embers of faggots, of which there were nonp, on the premises, and of coke, of which at four o'clock none was within several yards of the 'couch.' Besides the long board which in the afternoon lav at the side of the couch was r.ow over it, and the body laid upon it. Then came an examination of the body, and it was found that there were two more wounds on the head. Superintendent Deggan, to whom Mr Hold- way had communicated his suspicions, asked Mr Britten if it was the body of his wife. At first he replied it was not, but after repeated questioning he said, I'm afraid it is.' Further questioned, he said ilis wife had left him in bed on Friday morning with- out saying a word to him, but he knew that she was going to see her friends. Mr Deggan then charged him with the wilful murder of his'wife, and took him into custody. A post mortem examination of the body was made on Saturday afternoon by Messrs Parsons, and it was fully ascertained that the woman had been killed previous to the burning. LAST MOMENTS, OF THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN -In a letter from San Luis Potosi, published in the New Orleans Times of the 9th inst, the sub- joined particulars of the execution of the Em- peror Maximilian are given On the morning of June 19 Escobcdo's n troops mustered outside Queretaro at six o'clock in the morning, and vast crowds of the inhabitants of that city watched them. At seven precisely the bells began to toll and three carriages, each surrounded by a strong guard, were drawn towards the military force. In the first carriage was the Emperor, in the second Mir am on, in the last Mejia. There was an un- mistakable exhibition of feeling among the people' men w-pt and frequent sohs were h*arl • when' arrive near the place of execution, the first car- riage drew up, and the Emperor stepped to the ground. The civilians saluted him, and tokens of dissatisfaction were manifested. In an easy, grace- ful manner, and with an elastic step, the Emperor walked forward to the appointed spot then turn- ing, laced his executioners—not defiantly, but with a calm self-possession, which did not, however, obscure an expression of how he realised his aw- ful position. Speaking in a clear, firm voice, he said that when he was first waited upon at home by the ('e u'' t en from Mexico they came with credentials offering him the government of the country, and he refused. At a subsequent meeting the proposition was again presented. He then replied that if convinced the majority thought it was for their interest to place him at the head of the Government he might consent. Another de- putation came to him and brought additional testi- monials. Lpon advice from the Powers of Europe, who counselled him that there was no other course to pursue, he accepted the call. He denied that the court that tried him had a right to do so. His was a case of good faith. The nations of the world' had pledged their faith to him. He never would have done the act had it not been for the good of Mexico. In conclusion, he hoped his blood would "Stop the effusion of blood in the country. Mirr- mon spoke next, reading what he had to say from a paper. He declared he was no traitor, but died as be had lived, a conservative, and was satisfied to die for his country. He finished with the weds, 'Viva el Emperador Viva Mexico!' Mejia did not make any address, but spoke shortly concerning money affairs at Escobedo. All being in readiness, the Emperor called the sergeant to him, and taking from his pocket a handful of 20-dollat, pieces, gave them to be divided among his executioners, asking as a favour that they would aim at his heart. The volley was fired, and all three fell, Miramon and Mejia dead, but the Emperor not dead, though five bullets had pierced his breast. Two soldiers step- ped forward, and shot him as he lay, in his side. A sheet was thrown over the dead Emperor by the' doctor who was to embalm his body. Friends oi the deceased respectively took up the corpses, and the troops marched off; but thousands of the citi- zens lingered on the spot as though, says the writer of the letter, kel-t by a supernatural agency.' j

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