THE MUSEUM.

LAMENTABLE CASE OF WILLIAM SHAW.

WILLIAM SHAW was an upholsterer in Edinburgh, in the year 1721. He had a daughter named Catharine. She encouraged the addresses of one John Lawson, a jeweller, towards whom William Shaw declared the most insuperable objections, alleging him to be a profligate young man, addicted to every kind of dissipation. He was forbidden the house; but Catharine continuing to see him clandestinely, the father, on discovery, kept her closely confined.

William Shaw had, for some time, pressed his daughter to receive the addresses of a son of Alexander Robertson, a friend and neighbor: and one evening, being very urgent with her thereon, she peremptorily refused, declaring she preferred death to being young Robertson's wife. The father grew enraged, and the daughter more positive; so that the most passionate expressions arose on both sides, and the words, "barbarity, cruelty, and death," were frequently pronounced by the daughter. At length he left her, locking the door after him.

The greatest part of the buildings at Edinburgh are formed on the plan of the chambers in our inns of court; so that many families inhabit rooms on the same floor, having all one common staircase. William Shaw dwelt in one of these, and a single partition only divided his apartment from that of James Morrison, a watch case maker. This man had indistinctly overheard the conversation and quarrel between Catharine Shaw and her father, but was particularly struck with the repetition of the above words, she having pronounced them loudly and emphatically. For some little time after the father was gone out, all was silent, but presently Morrison heard several groans from the daughter. Alarmed, he ran to some of his neighbors under the same roof. These entering Morrison's

room, and listening attentively, not only heard the groans, but distinctly heard Catharine Shaw, two or three times, faintly exclaim-"Cruel father, thou art the cause of my death!" Struck with this, they flew to the door of Shaw's apartment; they knocked- -no answer was given. The knocking was still repeated-still no answer. Suspicions had before arisen against the father; they were now confirmed a constable was procured, an entrance forced; Catharine was found weltering in her blood, and the fatal knife by her side! She was alive, but speechless: but on questioning her as to owing her death to her father, was just able to make a motion with her head, apparently in the affirmative, and expired.

Just at the critical moment, William Shaw returns and enters the room. All eyes are on him! He sees his neighbors and a constable in his apartment, and seems much disordered thereat; but at the sight of his daughter he turns pale, trembles, and is ready to sink. The first surprise, and the succeeding horror, leave but little doubt of his guilt in the breasts of the beholders; and even that little is done away, on the constable discovering that the shirt of William Shaw is bloody.

He was instantly hurried before a magistrate, and upon the depositions of all the parties, committed to prison on suspicion. He was shortly after brought to trial, when, in his defence, he acknowledged the having confined his daughter to prevent her intercourse with Lawson; that he had frequently insisted on her marrying of Robertson; and that he had quarrelled with her on the subject the evening she was found murdered, as the witness Morrison had deposed; but he averred, that he left his daughter unarmed, and untouched; and that the blood found upon his shirt was there in consequence of his having bled himself some days before, and the bandage becoming untied. These assertions did not weigh a feather with the jury, when opposed to the strong circumstantial evidence of the daughter's expressions of " barbarity, cruelty, death," and of "cruel father, thou art the cause of my death,"-together with that apparently affirmative motion with her head, and of the blood so seemingly providentially discovered on the father's shirt. On these several concurring circumstances, William

Shaw was found guilty, was executed, and hung in chains at Leith Walk, in November, 1721.

Was there a person in Edinburgh who believed the father guiltless? No, not one! notwithstanding his latest words at the gallows were, "I am innocent of my daughter's murder." But in August, 1722, as a man who had become the possessor of the late William Shaw's apartments, was rummaging by chance in the chamber where Catharine Shaw died, he accidently perceived a paper fallen into a cavity on one side of the chimney. It was folded as a letter, which, on opening, contained the following:

"Barbarous father, your cruelty in having put it out of my power ever to join my fate to that of the only man I could love, and tyrannically insisting upon my marrying one whom I always hated, has made me form a resolution to put an end to an existence which is become a burthen to me. I doubt not I shall find mercy in another world; for sure no benevolent being can require that I should any longer live in torment to myself in this! My death I lay to your charge; when you read this, consider yourself as the inhuman wretch that plunged the murderous knife into the bosom of the unhappy

CATHARINE SHAW."

This letter being shown, the hand writing was recognized and avowed to be Catharine Shaw's, by many of her relations and friends. It became the public talk; and the magistracy of Edinburgh, on a scrutiny, being convinced of its authenticity, they ordered the body of William Shaw to be taken from the gibbet, and given to his family for interment; and, as the only reparation to his memory, and the honor of his surviving relations, they caused a pair of colors to be waved over his grave, in token of his innocence.

SINGULAR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

MAHOMET EFFENDI, Dey of Algiers, about the middle of the eighteenth century, was reckoned the most able, and

likewise the most equitable of those princes who have for many years governed the Algerines. His promotion to sovereign power was involuntary; for he, no doubt, dreaded the fate of his predecessors, of whom no less than twentythree perished by violent deaths. He was compelled, nevertheless, by the Janissaries, to accept of a dignity, which, notwithstanding his justice and sagacity, proved as fatal to himself as to former princes; for he, also, a short time. after his advancement, fell by assassination. The follow ing instance of his justice, in which, however, his procedure was somewhat summary, was also, and certainly with as much reason, accounted an instance of his sagacity. Slaves among the Algerines are permitted, either by shopkeeping or otherwise, and on paying their masters a certain sum, to earn a little money for themselves. This they very frequently employ in purchasing their freedom. Ă slave, named Almoullah, kept an oil shop; and found his gains increase so very fast, that he soon accumulated seventy sequins, amounting to about thirty pounds sterling. Other fifty sequins would have procured him his freedom. Fearing, however, as he was reckoned wealthy, that he might be robbed, and have no redress, he gave his money in trust to a Moor, who lived in his neighborhood; and in whose friendship, as well as integrity, he had the utmost confidence. His profits soon afterwards became so considerable, that he found himself in possession of the fifty sequins he so earnestly wished for. He thus anticipated, with secret rapture, his delivery from bondage and return to his native land. Repairing, therefore, to his Moorish friend, he said to him, "How much beholden am I, worthy Hadgi, to your goodness, in having taken charge of my little earnings! I now intend, as I have wherewithal to procure my liberty, to make the best bargain I can with my master, and return to my friends and kindred. I will, therefore, relieve you of the charge you so kindly undertook." Hadgi beheld him, or pretended to behold him, with a look of astonishment; he affected to believe him mad; and denied his having any knowledge whatever of the transaction he alluded to. Almoullah nevertheless insisted peremptorily on having his money restored to him. After much altercation, the Moor, apprehending that he could not otherwise

secure the possession of what he had so unjustly retained, ran to the palace of Mahomet, whom he found administering justice; and raising his voice, entreated that he would punish a slave for aspersing his "untainted character." But Almoullah, conscious of his integrity, had undauntedly followed him; and obtaining leave of the dey, he told his story, with circumstantial firmness, and then prostrated himself on the carpet at the foot of the throne. Mahomet, having heard him, beckoned to a chiaoux, or minister of justice; "Go," said he, "to the house of Hadgi, search it narrowly, and bring hither all the money you find in it." The chiaoux bowed, obeyed, and soon after returned. The dey having then ordered a new earthen pot with clean water poured into it, and a charcoal fire to be placed before him, he put the pot on the fire, and when the water boiled, he threw in the money. Soon after, having taken it out, and letting the water stand till it cooled, he found on the surface a thick greasy scum. This convincing him. that the money belonged to the oil man, he instantly restored it to him: and at the same time, gave a sign to the chiaoux, who, dragging away the self-condemned and convicted Moor, fixed his head, without loss of time, on the wall of the city.

MYSTERIOUS EXECUTION OF A VEILED LADY.

AN occurrence of a most remarkable and enigmatical nature, took place in Germany, about the year 1774; the circumstance is related thus:-It is well known that the boureau, or public executioner of the city of Strasburgh, although that place had formed a part of the French monarchy ever since the reign of Louis XIVth, yet was frequently employed, during a great part of the last century, to execute the functions of his office on the other side of the Rhine, in Swabia, in the territories of Baden, and in the Brisgau, all of which countries constitute a portion of Germany. Some persons who arrived at Strasburgh about the period alluded to, having repaired, as it is said, to the house of the executioner during the night demanded that he