Broadside containing two reports, entitled 'Suicide and Murder!'

Transcription

SUICIDE

AND

MURDER!

A particular account of the unfortunate Miss Eliza-
beth Wilson, a female of seduction.

ELIZABETH WILSON, a respectable farmer's daughter, near
Kirkaldy, in the county of Fife, being of a beautiful appearance,
she was courted by several young gentlemen of respectability, who
used every means in their power to make her comply, but her
mind revolted at the idea of such proceedings. She lately formed
a correspondence with a uobleman from the North, far above her
station in life, who held out many false promises, till at last she
complied to his wishes. He kept her for sometime, and afterwards
left her in poverty. Being in this wretched situation, she took the
fatal resolution of putting an end to her life by poison, but before
taking it; she wrote three letters, two of which follow:

'Dear Sir, The life that you have made so miserable is now
'near an end ; I wish not to upbraid you, but wish every pro-
sperity towards you.                            E. W.'

'Dear Sister....I let you know that the time is come which will
'put an end to all my sufferings; and before you receive this, I
'will be no more.                                                            E. W.'

She then swallowed the poison, and soon died in the greatest
agony, about 3 o'clock on Friday morning.

The above letters were found at her lodgings shortly after she
had taken the fatal draught, one of which, by desire of her friends,
was kept secret. This lamentable occurrence ought to be a warn-
ing to young women from the delusion of persons above their rank.

Execution at Derby on Monday last.

AT the last   Assizes held here, JANET COOPER, aged 34, was
indicted for the murder of her step daughter, a girl of seven years
of age, by locking her up in a cellar for six days and nights, with-
out provisions, by which means the poor girl had died in the most
deplorable situation, after having eat some of the straw on which
she was lying. The evidence clearly proved that she was the per-
petrator of this dreadful and unparalleled atrocity. The Jury, with-
out any hesitation, found her guilty.    The Judge then proceeded
for to pass the sentence of Death, and directed that she should be
executed or Monday first, and that her body should be given for
dissection. He most earnestly exhorted her to make preparations
for another world, and remarked, 'that she was one of the most
cruel and wicked women that ever had come under his observa-
tion;' he also said, 'that the sentence should be put in execution,
for a certainty, she should be made a public example, if ever one
was.'   She conducted herself with firmness during her trial, but
afterwards showed some symptoms of despair, and seemed to re-
flect on former base and wicked conduct.    She never confessed
till the night before her Execution, when she fully acknowledged
that she had committed the murder, and that her sentence was
just. The chaplain of the jail paid every attention to her during
her imprisonment, to whose exhortations she paid great attention,
but seemed afraid to meet the awful fate which she was doomed
to suffer. The night before her execution, she was waited on by
three clergymen, who commenced prayer, in which she joined with
fervency ; she was also visited by some of her relatives, a few
days previous to her execution, the parting scene was very affecting
to every person present.

Shortly after 12 o'clock, she melancholy ascended the scaffold,
where a most fervent prayer was given by the Rev. Mr Thomson;
a portion of a hymn being also sung, the unfortunate culprit made
an attempt to address the crowd, but their yells against her were
so tremendous, that she failed. She had two children of her own,
the youngest of which she requested for to see before she departed
this life; it was brought by order of the Sheriff, and the scene was
very affecting. The child being taken from her, she prayed very
earnestly for a few minutes, when she dropt the signal and was
launched into eternity. After hanging nearly an hour, her body
was out down, and given to the Surgeons for dissection.,

Printed by W, Robertson ....Price Ond Penny.

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