UNNATURAL MURDER. O sacred hunger of pernicious gold, DRYDEN.. THIS lady had two surviving brothers (out of six), Sir John Dinely Goodere, Bart. and Samuel Goodere, Captain of his Majesty's ship the Ruby. A disagreement, from what cause it is now difficult to trace, arose between the two brothers, which induced Sir John to cut off the entail of his estates, (except seven hundred per year, which he could not assign,) and settle them on his sister's family. This, of course, widened the breach; and the brothers in consequence had not spoken to each other for several years. Matters were in this train (January 1741,) when the two brothers arrived by accident at Bristol; Sir John upon a party of pleasure, and Samuel as commander of his ship (the Ruby,) then lying in King's-road; when the latter hearing that Sir John was to dine at Mr. Jarrit Smith's, a respectable at * Mrs. Foote, who became possessed of a large fortupe by the above melancholy occurrence, and was mother to the celebrated Sam. Foote, Esq. torney, on College-green, Bristol, on the Sunday following, he earnestly requested of that gentleman to admit him as a guest on the same day, in order to reconcile himself to his brother; saying, at the same time, "that the difference had subsisted too long for their mutual happiness and peace of mind." Mr. Smith readily acceded to this proposal, and on the day appointed, introduced the two brothers to each other, who were soon seemingly reconciled upon the most friendly and cordial terms. Mr. Smith seeing this, left them for near an hour, in order to afford them a better opportunity of unbosoming themselves with more freedom upon family affairs; and on his return, was happy to see, not only every shade of difference done away, but an exchange of the most warm and fraternal affection. In this manner they parted about six o'clock in the evening, the captain taking his leave first, but promising to renew his visits while Sir Jolin remained in that neighbourhood. But, alas! all this, on the part of Captain Goodere, was only the prelude to one of the basest and most savage transactions that modern times can instance. Scarcely had Sir John left Mr. Smith's house, when passing by College-green coffee-house, a body of ruffians (some belonging to the Ruby man of war, and others to the Vernon privateer,) with Captain Goodere at their head, suddenly seized upon him, and hurried him away with the utmost violence to a boat attending in the river, and from thence on board the Ruby; the captain assisting all this while, and covering his brother with a cloak, in order to deaden the cries of murder, which he repeatedly vociferated during this unnatural assault. When they had got him into the purser's cabin, the captain, by promises of reward and promotion, prevailed upon two of the ruffians (Matthew Mahony and Charles White,) to strangle him. Poor Sir John begged hard for his life," pleaded his near relationship, his age, his innocence, and his willingness to do every thing agreeable to his brother's inclinations," but all in vain! The captain told the crew "that he was a desperate madman, and must be made away with;" he accordingly cut the cord which tied his escrutoir to the floor of the cabin, and passing it himself round his brother's neck, desired the two ruffians to do their duty, while he stood centinel at the door, with a drawn sword in his hand, to prevent any body passing that way. Owing to the awkwardness arising from their compunction and the struggles of Sir John, they were above half an hour in accomplishing this horrid murder. At last, when it was over, the captain very deliberately walked into the cabin with a lighted candle in his hand, and after feeling and surveying his brother's dead body for some time, exclaimed, 66 Aye, this will do, his business is now done!" The next day, the circumstance of a gentleman being hurried over College-green in a violent manner by some ruffians, and the cries of murder being repeatedly heard, induced Mr. Smith to make some farther enquiry; when finding the description of the gentleman exactly answer to the person of Sir John Dinely Goodere, &c. he had strong suspicion of some foul play having been shewn him by his brother; not, as he afterwards said, "that he could suppose any thing like murder in the case, but for some sinister purpose of forcing him into pecuniary arrangements." Under this suspicion, he applied to the mayor of Bristol for a warrant to search the Ruby, which was accordingly granted, and there Sir John was found strangled in the purser's cabin, and the captain already secured by the first-lieutenant and two of the men, who had overheard all the particular conferences relative to the murder. His two associates, White and Mahony, were soon after taken; when the verdict of the coroner declaring them all guilty of wilful murder, they were tried at the ensuing assizes at Bristol, on the 26th of March, 1741, before Henry Coombe, Esq. mayor, and Sir Michael Foster, recorder, when being convicted, on the fullest and clearest evidence, they soon after suffered the sentence of the law. STANDING STONES OF STENNIS*. "Inexorably calm, with silent pace, Here Time hath pass'd.—What ruin marks his way! On our way to Stronness, we stopped at the Lake of Stennis (or Stenhouse), to view some truly curious and interesting remains of antiquity, called As a comparison between this monument of Druidism and that of Stonehenge, may not be uninteresting, we insert the following short description of the latter:-Stonehenge, the most conspicuous temple for Druidical worship now remaining in Britain, consists of two circular and two oval ranges of rough stones, having one common centre. The outer circle is 108 feet in diameter, and when perfect, consisted of thirty. upright stones, many of which are lying on the ground, some whole and others broken. The upright stones are from eighteen to twenty feet high, from six to seven feet broad, and about three feet thick, placed about three feet from each other. At the top they are joined by imposts, with tenons fixed to mortices, for keeping them in due positions. The upright stones are wrought with a chisel, and tapered towards the top, but the imposts are plain, having no sort of decoration. The inner circle is about eight feet from the outer one, and consisted originally of forty stones, many of which are fallen. Between these two circles is a walk of about 300 feet in circumference, and from which the temple being viewed, it has a most surprising and awful effect on the spectator. |