MURDER OF A YOUNG LADY BY HER LOVER.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 113, 19 November 1858, Page 3

MURDER OF A YOUNG LADY BY HER LOVER.

The quiet and secluded village of Darley, near Ripley, on the line of the Leeds Northern Railway, was on Monday the scene of unusual excitement, in consequence of the discovery of the murder, by her lover, of a. young person named Mary Jane Scaife, under circumstances of great barbarity and cruelty. The deceased, who was. about 22 years of age, was the daughter of Mr.. Thomas Scaife, a respectable farmer, residing at Darley, and her murderer is the son of Mr. Thomas Atkinson, flax-spinner, a gentleman of some local position, and possessing considerable property. The parents of both reside within a short distance of each other, and the deceased and murderer had been companions from childhood, the affection of children extending itself to that of love as they grew to manhood and womanhood, and each learning to look upon each other as a future partner for life. Unfortunately, the father of Atkinson and the mother of the deceased did not approve the match, and about a year ago, after more, perhaps, than the usual crosses in love, the connexion was broken off, the deceased.accepting the addresses of a young man named Gill. The new love, however, did hot prove permanent, and after a few months Miss Scaife broke off the courtship with Gill, and permitted the renewal of that with her old lover. The attentions of the latter were continued as before their interruption twelve months previously, but on Tuesday last, on the occasion of a gala at Brewerly Park, Atkinson saw Miss Scaife in conversation with Gill, and this circumstance appears to have excited a strong feeling of jealousy, and a day or two after he met one of Miss Scaife's brothers,' to whom he complained of her conduct. Whether his passion at that time suggested the fearful crime he afterwards perpetrated is uncertain, but nothing occurred to excite any suspicion, and the two met as usual. On Sunday night they attended Hatwith chapel in company, and on returning they were seen to. go up Stump-lane, apparently on very good terms. This was about nine o'clock. Shortly afterwards Atkinson returned home and went to bed. .'■■:'';■..■ , The absence, of the deceased created no uneasiness at home, as she had been in the habit of staying with her ancle, Mr. Dowries, farmer. At daybreak next morning, Atkinson's brother, who slept in the same room, noticed blood on the shirt of the former, and asked how it had come there, when he was horrified on being told that he had murdered Mary Jane Scaife the previous night. The father was immediately called up and the family roused. In the meantime, however, a man known by the name of Potter Dick, while going along Stump-lane, about 5 o'clock, found the deceased laid in the ditch with her throat cut, and quite dead. The deceased, when found, was laid on her back, and she presented a most fearful spectacle. Her head was nearly severed from her body, her dress and face were saturated with clotted blood, her eyes protruded from the sockets with the most ghastly expression, and the ground was covered with evidences of the fearful struggle which had taken place. The parasol of the deceased was broken to pieces, and her prayer-book was found by her side. The body was removed to the New Inn, and Atkinson, being the last person seen in her company, was taken into custody, when he admitted the murder^ stating that he had cut her throat with a knife, which he had secreted in Mr. Myers' wall, and declaring that it was his father and her mother who had caused it all by opposing their marriage. The knife (an ordinary claspknife) was afterwards found as stated, the prisoner taking the police officer to the wall and pointing out where he had placed it. At the spot where the murdered body was found is a small embankment, consisting of the mud taken from the adjoining ditch, and it is supposed that Atkinson had thrown his victim upon it, and then cut her throat. ■■■•■- As we have previously stated, the ground shews that a violent struggle ensued, the deceased, though only a weakly person, being with difficulty overpowered. The prisoner was in the first instance removed to Pately-bridge, and afterwards to Ripon, where he was charged with the wilful murder of Mary Jane Scaife. He is a good-look-ing young man, and appeared to be overpowered by his feelings. Previous to the charge being made he gave utterance to several matters connected with this melancholy affair, among which " I have been very happy ever since I left Patelybridge ; I have committed a great crime, but I am quite content; I can go freely to the gallows; I can forgive the vilest of the vile ; I am guilty; I left her about half-past 9 o'clock last night." Tho prisoner was committed for trial.— Leeds Mercury, August 4.

With reference to the export trade of.this.coun? try with our Australian colonies, the official re* turns of the Board of Trade furnish some interesting particulars for the past six months. There has been - a continual decrease during the half year of articles transmitted from our shores; to Australasia, which is a point of importance,s inasmuch as we know there was a glut of every description of merchandise in;the different dependencies, and it was apprehended that if the supplies continued to be poured in there would be derangement in commercial matters; therefore a decrease, as shown in these official statements, is a source of congratulation and benefit to the colonies and those interested in trade with them. The total amount of exports for the six.months ending June 20,1857, was £3,670,028; while for the corresponding period of this year the aggregate value was £3,290,995, which necessarily shows a falling off to the extent of £379,033. . The decrease was chiefly in leather goods, beer, ale, and spirits. The greatest amount exported-was .in,'metals, wrought and. unwrought, which amounted in value to £670,467 ; leather and saddlery arc set down at £401,806 ,• beer, ale, and spirits at ,£363,757; cotton goods at £288^520, stationery at £121,151, silk,goods at £82,992, linens at £74,879, earthenware at £50,182, oils at £19,869;, and soaps at £7i7B.—ffome News.