The Virginia Gazette

On Wednesday night, between the hours of eleven and twelve, the neighbourhood of Catharine-street, Covent Garden, was alarmed by the most piercing shrieks and cries of murder, which issued from the first floor window of the house of Mr. N. an attorney. The neighbourhood and passengers being alarmed and entrance obtained, Mrs. N. was discovered in a most bloody condition, with a long wound cut by a pen knife, which reached from the right ear almost to the corner of the mouth, and of a very dangerous nature, with several other cuts and stabs on her arms. The wound on her cheek, Mrs. N. declared, was given her by her husband who was then present, and that he attempted to cut her throat, which she prevented, and thereby received the other cuts on her arms. When she called out murder from the window, she was nearly upon the point of throwing herself out for safety. Mr. Mason, surgeon, of Russell-street, was sent for, who expostulated with N. on his cruelty and dastardly attack on a woman, and as frequently N. uttered his regret, that he had not killed her, and declared he should go to the gallows with pleasure if he had, at the same time repeating some lines from the Beggar's Opera. Mr. Ingham humanely had Mrs. N. conducted to his own house for safety, where she was dressed, and lay all night. The dining room was one continued scene of blood, and the stone below the dining-room window all of a gore. In short, mere accident saved Mrs. N's. life, for the penknife with which the savage stabbed her, struck on the jaw bone just above the neck so forcibly, that it bent by the blow. He was taken out of the house by a constable, and secured for the night at a neighbouring tavern. The reason of this cruelty we hear, was on account of Mrs. N's. having received some money out of the country, for which she had not accounted to her husband, and also for going to Colman's theatre the same evening.