Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an excl. used to express annoyance, pain or surprise.

1611		L. Barry Ram-Alley V i: Aye me accurst ; helpe, helpe, murther, murther, Curst be the day and houre that gaue me breath.
[1638		R. Brome Antipodes IV ii: O murther, murther].
1709		S. Centlivre Busy Body Act III: Egad, I’ll raise the Neighbourhood – Murder, Murder.
[1731		C. Coffey Devil to Pay II i: Oh, Murder! Murder! Sir John Loverdale will hang you for this; Murder! Murder!].
1767		‘Andrew Barton’ Disappointment I ii: Oh! Murder! Murder!
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 119: On this poor paris, without further / Delay, began to roar murther!
1793		W. Macready Irishman in London II i: Oh murther, murther!
1800		M. Edgeworth Castle Rackrent (1832) 72: ‘Oh, murder!’ says I, clapping my hands.
c.1815		J.K. Paulding Bucktails (1847) V vii: Och! murder – m – murder.
1825		J. Neal Brother Jonathan II 58: There we go! murder – murder – fire! fire! – there we go!
1838		Comic Almanack Aug. 144: Oh, murder! where’s my shirt?
1840		West Kent Guardian 4 July 6/3: Judy: Oh murdher a’ neckurs, dear.
1840		Bell’s Life in London 15 Mar. 15/2: Murder alive! What mares they must have!
1844		Leeds Times 22 June 6/1: Och, murther! by the powers!
c.1850		F.M. Whitcher Widow Bedott Papers (1883) 59: Murder! there’s the bell.
1856		Huddersfield Chron. 2 Aug. 3/3: ‘Oh, murther, murther, captain darlint,’ says I.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 109/2: Oh, murther, that iver I should have mi place bruken in at the dead hour iv the night.
1879		C.J. Kickham Knocknagow 227: ‘Oh, murther!’ he exclaimed.
1885		J.S. Borlase Blue Cap, the Bushranger 2/1: Murder! a convict escaping!
1898		J.D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 12: Oh, murther aloive!
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Sept. 14/4: [caption to cartoon of poor children watching rich ones pass] Luv me, murder! Wot a rummy sort of way these ’ere toffs DO dress.
1910		O. Johnson Varmint 142: ‘Down with the Gym bell! Murder!’ ‘Oh, Melancholy!’.
1915		Goodwin’s Wkly (Salt Lake City, UT) 16 Oct. 6/1: ‘Murder! don’t do that,’ said the fly-dick.
1924		H.L. Wilson Professor How Could You! 173: ‘Murder!’ was his only response.
1941		E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 106: Who should come but her old mother, / Saw me laying between her daughter’s thighs, / Clapped her hand and cried out, ‘Murder!’.
1958		R. Prather Scrambled Yeggs 105: She stood up and reached for the hem of her gown. ‘Murder!’ I yelped. ‘Sit down, woman. Want to start a riot?’.