Liverpool Mercury, Friday, June 11, 1824
Singular Discovery.
As some labourers were digging peat, on that part of Pilling
Moss contiguous to the road leading to Garstang, on Wednesday se'nnight at the
depth of six feet from the surface, a piece of coarse woollen cloth, of a
yellow Colour, was discovered, in which were contained the remains, of a human
Skull, with a great abundance of hair, of a most beautiful auburn, and two
strings of large black glass beads together with a part of the first vertebrae of
the neck.
The hair was plaited and of great length; in many parts,
about three inches from the extremities of the braids, it was cut off by some heavy
cutting instrument, as the ends were exactly level, not a hair projecting, which
could not have been the case had it been cut by scissors: a large piece of hardened
moss, rendered so by previous exposure to the air, and bearing evident marks of
having been dug with a spade, was found lying in immediate contact above the cloth,
though the moss above was as solid as any other part.
A short distance from the spot stands a house, which, not
many years ago, was ,a receptacle where females from various parts were secretly
conveyed, for the purpose of concealment, under circumstances which may easily
be surmised. And is it possible for this to be a part of one of the unfortunate
wretches seduced hither and sacrificed for the purpose of effectual
concealment?
In all probability; upwords of twenty years have elapsed since
the circumstance has taken place, and there can be little doubt of a murder having
been perpetrated, and that the head and the body have been separately disposed of,
in order the more effectually to escape detection--I have enclosed a small
portion of hair, which may be examined by any who choose.
The above is a hasty statement, though correct, as I proceeded personally to
the spot, and examined the whole with accuracy.—Correspondent of the Preston
Chronicle.
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