The news from Ireland grows worse and worse. The murder
of Mr. Herbert was scarcely reported, with its ghastly subse- quent incident, the stabbing of all the lambs upon his lawn, when it was known that Mrs. Smythe, a lady of position, abso- lutely innocent alike of landlordism and of politics, had been shot dead by murderers, who meant to kill Mr. Smythe, a large landlord in Westmeath, but fired a regular fusillade into the carriage, without caring whom they killed. Mr. Smythe, who was not unpopular, and had no quarrel with his tenants, was driving home from church on Sunday morning, in company with his brother's wife, Mrs. Smythe, and Lady Harriet Monek, when three men with blackened faces stepped out of a wood, and fired either once or twice— accounts differ—point-blank into the carriage. Mrs. Smythe fell forwards dead, with half her head shot away. No infor- mation as to the murderers has been obtained, and the neigh- bours deny that any such persons have been seen. The crime has created throughout England and Scotland a feeling of horror, and will seriously affect the course both of opinion and of the Government.
