Alexandria Gazette

Clifton, (Bristol). Sept. 29th.—A circumstance occurred yesterday, which has thrown our beautiful village into a state of the utmost excitement. It may not be generally known, that at nearly the summit of a cliff rising 300 feet above the surface of the river Avon, and which is commonly called St. Vincent's rock, there is a hole or nearly circular aperture extending 20 or 30 yards inward, and to which an under-ground passage has lately been excavated by the proprietor of the Clifton Observatory. About noon yesterday, an elderly gentleman accompanied by a young and lovely female, appeared at the door of the observatory, and requested to be admitted to the "Giant's Hole," as this cave is so generally called. While one of the attendants went for a torch with which to light them through the passage, the doorkeeper, observing that the gentleman seemed in a state of great excitement muttering to herself in a low tone of voice, asked if he was not well, hinting that it might be better he should rest himself ere he ventured into the close air of the cavern. This intimation was either not heard or not heeded; but the lady said, "I am much obliged to you for your attention, but my husband is subject to these fits of absence." The torch-bearer, having performed his office, left them leaning over the balustrade at the outer entrance of the cave, enjoying the view of the picturesque landscape on each side of them, and of the river rolling at their feet.—What remains of this catastrophe can only be told by the people who were walking under the rocks at the time.—They state that they saw a lady and gentleman leaning over the guard balustrade: the gentleman soon turned round, and was distinctly perceived using violent gestures to the lady, who, terrified, sank to the ground, clinging to the railing; they then saw him attempt to lift her up by the waist when she resisted, still holding fast to the iron rails, and uttering the most piercing screams. He at last succeeded in lifting her up to the top of the railing; the people at the Observatory, hearing the cries, hastened to the scene, but not in time to save the victim; he no sooner heard their footsteps than with a jerk, he hurled her into the depths below; for a moment he steadfastly regarded the body of the unfortunate lady as it whirled round in the air and fell upon the ground a disfigured mass, and then with a spring, and a demoniacal laugh at those who were on the point of seizing him, he cleared the barrier betwixt him and eternity; but a just providence ordained that he should suffer acutely for his double crime; he fell upon a pointed pinnacle of a rock, and there impaled and writhing, the wretched man hung for nearly a minute; gradually his hold relaxed, his joints stiffened, and he fell heavily about ten yards from the body of his wife. Those that ran to the lady when she fell, only heard her repeat these words—“My God, I am innocent."
On inquiry it has been ascertained that they arrived at the Gloucester Hotel the night before, from London; but all attempts to discover the name or address of the parties have proved abortive.