COUNTRY HOUSE TRAGEDY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 298, 18 December 1909, Page 6

COUNTRY HOUSE TRAGEDY.

THE STORES MURDER CASE

LONDON, Nov. 2. - A murder of singular brutality, involving many, elements of mystery, was .perpetrated late last night at a :marisibn near Dukinfield, Cheshire, known as Gorse Hall, occupied by Mr George Henry Storrs, a well-known contractor and mill-builder. The hall, a lonely mansion, standing in extensive grounds, overlooks the wild, •'moors of Yorks, and there is no house within half a mile of the spot, whilst, approaching it-from the nearest road, it is so screened by trees that the visitor does not get a glimpse of the, building until he is within 25 yards of it. The house is so large that. the whole of it is not occupied by Mr Storrs' family. At about 9.30 o'clock on Monday night, when all the family, and servants were in the house, one of the maids went into the kitchen and saw a man crouching behind the door. The girl did not know him. . Presenting at her what she thought was a revolver, though it subsequently proved to be only a-dummy, he shouted., ;"Speak^ i; and, I :shaiL shoot.", /.-The, maid rushed from the room, Tier, screams of terror and alarm arousing the'whole household, who immediately ran to the spot. ■, Mrs Storrs seized the supposed revolver, which, the man was waving in the air, and her husband grappled with him. A terrible struggle followed. The men fought desperately, and the stranger pulled out a knife, which he plunged with terrible force into the body of Mr Storrs, who dropped to the floor.

When the'two men closed, the ser- j vants and Mrs Storrs, terrified almost j

out of their wits, rushed from the house in search of assistance: Some of them proceeded to the Stalybndge Central €lub, which is opposite the drive to Gorse Hall, and was at the time filled with members awaiting the results of: the municipal; elections. They responded to the cries or the frightened women, and went ott at once to the-hall. By that time, however, it was-too late for anything to be done- for Mr StorrS; who was lying dead -on the floor of the entrance hall. His assailant had disappeared. By means of the; telephone m the house the police were summoned from Dukinfieia: and Stalybridge, and doctors were also sent for. A number of officers, soon arrived, and carried .the body into the dining-room, where two doctors made a careful examination of it in the presence of the chief constables of Stalybridge and Dukmfiekl. There were numerous wounds on the neck, back, face, and shoulders, some of them being frightful gashes. The dummy revolver, which was- utterly useless as a weapon, was- handed" to the police. Officers made a diligent search of the extensive' and well-Wvooded grounds, but were unable to discover any trace of the murderer, who had apparently left the house by breaking through a window, marks of blood and pieces of glavSS being discovered. : Many theories are being advanced to account for the tragedy. The idea of robbery is entirely rejected, for, if that had been the murderer's intention, it is certain that he would not have approached the premises so early lin the evening. It is thought that the deed is the work of some person who bore a grudge against Mr Storrs, and a remarkable incident some time ago lends color to that theory. About two months since Mr Storrs and the members of the family had a startling experience. They were in the diningroom, when the report of a revolver shot was followed by the smashing of glass. Simultaneously a face appeared at the window, a man stood there revolver in hand, and terrified everyone by exclaiming, "Hands up, or I^fire.' r Mr Stoors quickly ran'to the 3oor, only to find that the man had vanished into the darkness of the night. Since that episode the police have kept a close watch on Gorse Hall, but all efforts to elucidate the mystery met with no success. The strangest part of the proceedings was that; although a revolver was' undoubtedly, -fired, ho pellets or wad could,be found, and the only vpqnclusibri that the police came to w4s tn'at: blank ghot was usedr ■

; The- : Storrs family ' is' kncftvibi throughout; the whole of Lancashire and Cheshire. Mr Storrs ■, who wa& 52----years of age, was the.senior member of the* firm of Messrs Storrs Brothers, builders and contractors, who have built many cotton factories in •Lancashire. The deceased gentleman was also a familiar figure on the Manchester and Liverpool Cotton Exchanges, arid owner of the Aqueduct Mills, Stalybridge. He was a churchman and Liberal Unionist, though he took little active'part in politics. [We have had cable news recently, to the effect that the murdered man's cousin, Cornelius Howard, has been arrested on the charge of committing the crime, and has been sent for trial' at the next assizes.]