"A younger sister of the deceased appears to have formed a matrimonial
engagement with George Manners, Esq., of Beckfield. It was strongly
opposed by Mr. Lascelles, and the objection (which at the time appeared
unreasonable) may have been founded on a more intimate knowledge of the
suitor's character than was then possessed by others. The match was
broken off, and all intercourse was suspended till the night of the
murder, when Mr. Manners gained admittance to the hall in the absence of
Mr. Lascelles, and was for some hours alone in the young lady's company.
They were found together a little before nine o'clock by Mr. Lascelles,
and a violent scene ensued, in the course of which the young lady left
the apartment. (Miss Lascelles has been ill ever since the unhappy
event, and is so still. Her deposition was taken in writing at the
hall.) From the young lady's evidence it appears, first, that the
passions of both were strongly excited, and she admits having felt
sufficient apprehension to induce her to twice warn Mr. Manners to
self-control. Secondly, that Mr. Manners avowed himself prepared to defy
Mr. Lascelles' authority in the matter of the marriage; and thirdly, the
two sentences of their final conversation that she overheard (both Mr.
Manners') were what can hardly be interpreted otherwise than as a
threat, that 'their next meeting should be a different one,' and that
then '_he would not ask for Mr. Lascelles' hand, but take it_.' The
diabolical character of determined and premeditated vindictiveness thus
given to an otherwise unaccountable outrage upon his victim, goes far to
take away the feeling of pity which we should otherwise have felt for
the murderer, regarding him as under the maddening influences of
disappointed love and temporary passion. Perhaps, however, the most
fatally conclusive evidence against Mr. Manners lies in the time that
elapsed between his leaving the hall and being found in the park by the
murdered body. He left the house at a quarter past nine--he was found by