The Leeds Mercury of the 11 th contains the particulars,
as far as they were known at the end of last week, of a murder committed in Leeds- " The unfortunate victim of this crime is William Reynolds Rotherry about twenty years of age, a dealer in rags, who resided alone in a. house in lielbeck Lane. He left his house about noon on Thursday the 2d instant, and sold a quantity of' rims to Mr. John Kirk, in Meadow Lane, for which he received about U. 4s. He was afterwards seen at the Anchor Inn, Ilunslet, about nine o'clock the same night in company with it young man, with whom he left ; and from that time till Wednesday morning last nothing whatever was heard of him, when the body of a man, which afterwards proved to be that of the de- ceased, was discovered in the river Aire, near the Monkpits Suspension-bridge, by some girls who were going to work shortly before six o'clock. The body WS immediately taken out, conveyed to the Geldard Arms, Wortley Road, and searched; but nothing found upon it, excepting it few trilling articles, such as it box-key, a comb, Stc. &e. On examination of the person of the deceased, a frightful gash was discovered in the throat, of about two inches in depth and an inch and a half in width, which appeared to be caused by sonic .,harp instru- ment having been plunged into the part in it,perpendicular manner, and then worked across to the extent before described.'
At an inquiry before the Magistrates, on Friday last, the following facts were elicited— "About three o'clock on Tuesday morning, Mr. John Kitehing, a hair. dresser, had occasion to leave his bed in consequence of the illnesi of one of his children. The window of his bed-room commands a distinct view of the Suspension-bridge and the bank of the river; and whilst up, lie looked out and observed a man standing near the former place. lie did not stop to ob. serve him, but attended to the child. In the course of about two minutes he again looked out, and at the very moment saw a man on the bank of the river, (whom he took to be the same as he had observed on the bridge,) in the net of throwing what appeared to be a very heavy substance into the water, which occasioned a loud splash. The man afterwards stooped to the ground as if to take something up, and then ran off with great speed towards Leeds. Mr. Kitehing did not mention the circumstance to any person the following morn- ing, as he supposed the splash was occasioned by the throwing, in of a dog ; it being a common practice (lir young men to repair to the river early in the morning for the purpose of making their dogs swim. It is shorular, however, that the precise place 1$ hich Mr. Kitching, subsequently pointetront as the one where the substance was thrown in, was that where the body was discovered. $ut the circumstance which occasions the greatest surprise is the discovery of a large butcher's knife, quite new, and a towel, in a box in the house of the deceased. The weapon had evidently been very carefully washed ; but the handle exhibited strong marks of blood, and the blade appeared dimmed, though it was difficult to say from what cause. The towel was also marked with hlood, as though the knife had been NI iped upon it. The door ,vas found locked when the search took place, and the key has not been discovered. No part of the furniture or other effects appeared to have been disturbed. Where the poor man was deprived of his MC, whether in the house or at the water-side, is Snifter for conjecture. There is one feature in the case which would favour the supposition that death hail taken place before the body was thrown into the water, as, according to the evidence of one of the witnesses who saw him taken out, his right hand was in his pocket, so that no struggle can have talent place. Wherever the deed may have been perpetrated, it is 1111).4 probable t lett plunder was the object of the murderer, as the deceased had saved nearly 401., but where be kept it is not known. Such are the features of this extraordinary, case, as given in evidence at the inquest." James Taylor, a pig-dealer living at Tockenham, near Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, has been committed for trial for the murder of his wife. The wife had been unfaithful, and Taylor shot her in the back with the contents of a gun, which beim,- over-loaded, burst in his hands. She died instantly ; and Taylor, who had intended to kill himself with another discharge from the gun, made an attempt to cut his throat with a knife ; but he did little more than scratch it—not being able, as he said, to endure the pain. He exhibited perfect indifference both as to his crime and its probable consequences to himself. He made a full Confession, and said be should "be happy to be hanged."
The bodies of Elizabeth Varney and Ann Smith were discovered in the river Leans, near Leamington, on Wednesday week ; and from the evidence given at an inquest held at Leamington on the following day,
it appears that these women had committed suicide under extraordinary circumstances. Ann Smith was a girl of eighteen, who had " kept company" with a young man, and whose love-affair was supposed to be unhappy ; but her character was good. Elizabeth Varney, a young woman of twenty-one, had married a man who inlisted as a soldier : after which she formed an illicit connexion with another person. Both had been heard to declare they would commit suicide. The dresses found on their corpses were particularly neat. The following letter was found in Varney's bonnet.
" Leamington July the 1
" Mrs v y was my 11:111110 i brought myselfe to greere And shatne by Lovell one that near Lovelle me Su now my sorrau 1 ',lonely see mark well the words that will be said by g w i was hi-trade At rest with him i near could be until he had his will of toe to his fond tailse i dial give way And front the path of vutiew i tint o the oath he swore tit me that i his Lawful bride should be that if lie provt..1 title,. he did say might he not prosper nor yet helmev be o i did promes oat Sunday night to walk once more will' my hearts dedghte ore time human banks where the bilious roar,. thear we did part to meet no more Since he As proved falee i ham resolved A Wail-Yy grave this night to base ill plunge mywIlt. into the deepe Livienger my frinds 'wind,. to weep And titr A token that i rot Love theare shall be some A milk %% Ili! di,' And 0,er my watero tonibe shot 1Iy theare you will and my bode lie dear william cc lii this you see remem- ber how you slit,,! no. lariat ii vain. Worid falee man A due i &nand illyselfe for Love of you grant me one riveinir this .111 i crave six young girls pray le: me have, to bear me to my silent,: grave .111 di cat in wit, a comely shocr to take me to the tuna? below 0 All y.lia4 w..ahni wheal, you be take warning of my Allul death lake warning then wile you young of mew, at!11111(!lm Ilatren tongues.
" Departed this Life at ten o'ells-k this night July the 1 1840."
This had been sent by post to her father-
" Leamington. July 1,1840.
" Dear father And mother tills come: with a soraffnl heart to you And my brothers And to my Lovening Sister And to All that bclonges to me As ■'Oct will see when you read this Letter that I ham ne more iin this earth As be Lett me en sunday morning And i hate not seene him sin., and i could not think of coining home !Piney more And i did not Ithow wlmr, to go Anil to stop in Leantington t could not .1- i 11,00 n001000 hy every one a that i could not bear myself,. itt this world /limey 1.iiiiger se i have rote this to )011 that tea ntily feeble lay close home And you will i'aal hem At 24 tr.:lord Stride only to capes you w ill find at mrs will:his no 4 king t4trete .11.,1 taw Shift. thare An,i toy pinle froelt you will find in warwiel, StreetAt tura pea grocer A young woman that is than, As get it her name is Ann bicknell And silo will give you too sh11- liti4s or the frot.h 'c ct.iiucc' tier Aumd tny bonnet you will limbe it tars ineradellis so i might you All that i have to say to Anney one only gi% e liv kind Lave il) my brothers, And tII my sister but do not tel her of my death 110I yet my brother williant dont wetp tics parent: dear roe pair ene chili 1s tho you kid ile ether lint i kepi pat will linile ediniiirt in iny tiaingest brother taro, ell vane word fake men A dew idrowne Iny.ele for 1,0\ 'tilt is itt oht iironlei sun,11y night to wall once in r.• with my hearts delight ore the human banks %viler,. the belose roar there We did to part no more tny greet', i greater than i eau lwar i ham disregarded every wale i ham Like a dew cr that is tilt down And on me my LAC dos »own. " etne wen my dear father and mother w Ali A Aliening heart ill bid you Atlew tint in this world i shall not see you so i must cow.liole as i cannot do .11ntry more. " So i reinaill your undutiful daughter
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