Vance, John, Mrs.

Terrible Tragedy at Georgetown.
One of the most horrible cases of crime occurred at Georgetown, on Wednesday, 11th inst., the following particulars of which we extract from the Toronto Telelgraph:-
"John Vance, a blacksmith here, at the request of his wife called on Dr. McConnell a short time ago for the purpose of getting medicine to procure an abortion. The doctor gave him a prescription which was made up by a druggist in the town. The medicine, however, failed to produce the desired result. Vance went again to the doctor, told him of the failure of the medicine, and requested him to come with him to his wife. The doctor lives in Cheltenham, and while driving from that place to here, they drank so many times that the doctor became considerably under the influence of liquor. On arriving here they went to a druggist and procured some medicine, after which they went to Vance's house. Mrs. Vance was preparing supper when they arrived. She was in excellent health, but for some unknown reason she was opposed to having any more children, and it was at her request, according to her husband's statement, that he consulted the doctor, and asked him to produce an abortion. She was the mother of three children, and had been married for several years. A few minutes after reaching the house the doctor and Mrs. Vance went into her bedroom. What occurred there is so awful, so horrible, that it can scarcely be told; yet, fearful as the facts are, they cannot be concealed. A few minutes after they had entered the room the woman called to her husband for help, and moaned aloud with pain. Vance ran in, and found his wife dying, Dr. McConnel having, with a fiendishness unparalled in the annals of crime, with his own hand, not even using the instruments, torn the unfortunate woman's womb and intestines from her. In less than half an hour she died. These are the simple facts. The neighbors being called in and having informed the authorities, McConnel was arrested, and to-day Coroner Dr. Wright held an inquest.
Dr. Starr, who held a port mortem examination of the body, made a statement that the organs were all in a sound and healthy condition, but that the womb and intestinnes were entirely removed, he found them in a basin in the house; it was clear that they had been torn from their position by force, thus causing the death of the woman.
After hearing other evidence the jury returned a verdict of "Manslaughter" against J. McConnel, who was then committed to Milton Jail by the Coroner."
Dr. McConnel has, we believe, made a statement of the affair, in a great measure exonerating himself. By instructions of the County Attorney an information was laid by the Reeve of Georgetown against Vance, who has been arrested and is now in jail. As the matter will be fully investigated by a criminal court we forbear in the meantime any comments which might prejudice the case.