Richmond Enquirer

HORRID MURDER!

A coroner's inquest was held in Bond-street, F. P. at the house of Mr. John Hamilton, on Friday night between 9 and 10 o'clock, by Lambert Thompson, esq. over the body of Miss Ann Hamilton, aged about 15 years. The verdict of the jury was that "she came to her death by a pistol ball shot at her by Jos. Thompson, first mate of the hermaphrodite brig Leopard, the ball entering her head behind the right ear, and penetrating into the brain."

As far as the circumstances of this distressing affair have come to our knowledge, it appears that the father of the young lady, about seven o'clock in the evening, came home--he passed through the parlour in which Thompson and the young lady were sitting. A short time afterwards, while the father and mother were above stairs, they heard their daughter cry out "My God! Thompson is going to shoot me!" Alarmed at the expression, they were in the act of descending the stairs, when the report of a pistol was heard--and the mother, who came down first, received her daughter in her arms at the bottom. She was found shot in the head as stated in the verdict above, and instantly expired--Before the father could pass by his wife and daughter, Thompson had raised another pistol to his own (Thompson's) head, and discharged it. He instantly fell on the floor, but from the after report of the surgeon who extracted the ball from his head, we learn that the deed was not followed by the mortal consequences intended.

Thompson was soon placed in the watch house, and on Saturday morning committed to jail.

The cause which led to the commission of this dreadful act we understand to be briefly this--Thompson, who boarded in the house had evinced an affection for the young lady, which was not, it is said, reciprocated on her part; and under the supposition that she was more favourably disposed towards another, he determined to destroy both her life and his own. Since the murder he has maintained an obstinate silence on all questions put to him.

[Balt. Amer.