The Virginian

MURDER.

A man by the name of Gilbert was arrested yesterday, and brought before the police magistrate, charged with the murder of Maria Gilbert, his wife. He offered to make confession to the officer; but his examination was deferred until to-day.

A number of witnesses came forward and gave their testimony, the substance of which is as follows.

Several weeks since the deceased came to the boardinghouse of Mrs. Wall, in Water street, near Catharine street; the account she gave of herself was, that she had run away from her husband, who was a painter, and lived in Troy. She had remained a considerable time with Mrs. Wall, when her husband arrived, and came to see her, which he repeated frequently, never however, without a violent quarrel between them. It would appear that he was urging her to return to Troy, and that she refused to comply with his request.

Within a few days their differences had become more serious. Yesterday he came to Mrs. W's when several persons were there: his wife was sitting upon the lap of another man, when he looked into the door said, "Maria come here.'--She went into the passage to him; no words of altercation were heard; but a piercing scream from her immediately caused those in the room to rush into the passage, where Mrs. Gilbert was found lifeless upon the floor; the knife with which her husband had stabbed her, lay by her. Gilbert was walking to and fro in a wild and hurried manner. He said to those who addressed him: "I have killed her and am willing to die for it."

The weapon had been well directed, as it pierced the heart of the deceased, and caused instantaneous death. It was a butcher knife, ground to a point and sharpened with evident design to make its work effectual, as even the back had been ground to a very keen edge.

An inquest was to have been held this morning: the verdict is not yet known.

Mrs. Gilbert was a native of this city, aged about 30; she had been married five years, but had no children. All the witnesses agreed in the belief that Gilbert was perfectly sober, and in his senses, when he committed this horrible act.