The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

By Capt. Symmes, who arrived at Boston last Week we have the following Advices. viz.

HORRID MURDER.

LONDON. July 25.

Extract of a Letter from Gloucester, July 20.

THE most shocking instance of savage barbarity ever heard of in these countries was perpetrated, on Thursday evening last, near Lydney, in this county.—Miss Mary Jones, youngest daughter of William Jones, Esq; of Nass, and Miss Gough, a young Lady of Monmouth, who was upon a visit at Nass, were inhumanly murdered in a meadow near Lydney Church, as they were returning from Lydney to Nass.—The young Ladies after tea, took a walk to Lydney, where they were detained by the rain till near ten o'clock, at which time they set out for Nass, about two miles distant, without any attendant. The family at Nass, surprised the Ladies did not return, sent a servant with a lantern to meet them, who found Miss Jones lying dead across the path in the meadow, with the back part of her skull beat to pieces, and Miss Gough in a ditch near the same place, most shockingly bruised. It is impossible to describe the distraction into which the family was thrown. The whole country being soon alarmed, every man was summoned to go in pursuit of the murderer.

William Morgan, a young man of Lydney, a Sawyer by trade, was the only person absent. He was in bed when one of his neighbours called him up, & told him what had passed. As soon as he came down, some blood being observed upon the knee of his breeches, he was directly charged with the fact, which he without hesitation confessed. On Saturday evening he was brought to our Castle and gives this account of the horrid deed.—He says, he had been playing at fives on Thursday evening, and had lost all his money; but had engaged to play for six pence the next night. Whilst he was thinking how to get the money, these two young Ladies passed him, and it came into his mind that he might easily rob them of their money as they went home. He accordingly followed them, and it being nearly dark, passed by them. Miss Jones said, Good night to you Will. Finding that he was known, he determined to murder them, and taking a little circuit in the meadow, came behind them, and with a stake struck Miss Jones upon the head, which brought her to the ground; he then gave her another blow, and left her dead on the spot. Miss Gough, who had run a few yards, he followed, and struck in the same manner. She screamed out, upon which he repeated his blows 'till she was, to all appearance, lifeless. He supposes in struggling she had fallen into the ditch, as he did not throw her there. He then knelt down and took off Miss Jones's pockets, but left her watch, and in kneeling down his breeches were stained with the blood. Just as he had taken off the pockets, he saw the servant coming up with a lantern, and ran off. He says, as he passed through Lydney Church-Yard, he heard a terrible noise in the church, which threw him into such a panic, that if a pool of water had been near he should have drowned himself; however, he continued on his way home, and went to bed. When he was first apprehended, and questioned, whether any other was concerned with him, the villain charged an innocent man as his accomplice, but afterwards recanted. He appears to have been an ignorant idle, dissolute fellow,—says, he did not intend doing the Ladies any injury, if Miss Jones had not discovered she knew him.—Miss Gough, upon being carried into a house shewed some signs of life; and, by the means of Mr. Jones, of Newnham, and Mr. Hawker, of Chepstow, the Surgeons who were called in, she revived so far as to speak some incoherent words, and was not dead yesterday, but lay in a delirious state. This melancholy event has affected the whole country. These unfortunate young Ladies were distinguished by their amiable and excellent qualities.