The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-19 00:00:00

ATROCIOUS 11URDER IN KENTISH
TOWN:

On the afternoon of the 11th inst. a daring murder
was perpetrated in one of the most respectable and
secluded parts of Kentish-town. Mr. Samuels, the
husband of the unfortunate victim of this deliberate
crime, carries on business as a dairyman at No. 92,
Bartholomew-road, which at this spot is very quiet,
being surrounded by large houses, and faced by a
dead wall. Adjoining the shop is a small parlour,
which is used by Mr. Samuels and his family for do-
mestic purposes during business hours, and from the
door of this small room any one inside can comuiand
a good view of the shop and its entrance. It was at
the door of this apartment that Mrs. Samuels
received her death-blow from the hands of her
assassin. It appears that shortly before four o'clock
several:men were seen beingdriven down Bartholomew.
road in a small trap towards the dairy, but before
they reached it the horse was brought to a standstill.
There is a public-house situated a short distance off,
and it was supposed that the occupants were going
there for refreshments. No further notice was taken
of the men, whose actions gave no rise to suspicion.
It appears, although there is no witness to prove this,
that the men, instead of going to the public-house,
entered the premises of Mr. Samuels. It is conjec-
tured, judging from the position in which the body of
Mrs. Samuels was found, and the evidence of an
attempt having been made to remove an iron safe,
that on the men entering the shop one man took up.
his position at the door of the parlour, whilst another
crossed the counter to.the shelf where the safe, which
weighs nearly two hundredweight, was standing; that a
third man waited on the public side of the counter and
near the door, so that he could convey the safe, on re.
ceiving it across the counter from his confederate, into
the street and place it in the trap, and that then, if
unobserved, the party should make good their escape.
It is supposed that Mrs. Samuels, on seeing the men
enter, started to come into the shop from the parlour,
but was struck down by a blow on the head from a
crowbar or some other such instrument by the man
who had taken up his position at the door. There
was evidently no scuffle, for the only things that were
moved or out of place were two quart milk cans and
the iron safe. The milk cans had been carefully
placed on an adjoining bench, and the safe either
proved too heavy or the men were alarmed by some-
one approaching, for they dropped it in the doorway,
and there left it. Some minutes later a pedestrian,
in passing the shop, noticed this ponderous cash-box,
and his suspicions being aroused, he was induced to
enter the shop. There a shocking spectacle presented
itself to his gaze. Lying between the door of the
parlour and the end of the counter was the body of
Mrs. Samuels, with her head fearfully battered and
bathed in blood. Muchalarmed, the man left the shop
and went in search of assistance, and communicated
the fact to the police authorities at the Kentish-
town Police-station, who sent several officers and the
divisional police surgeon to the scene. Mr. Samuels,
who was out on business, was sent for, and on his
arrival home, at a quarter-past four o'clock, he found
his unfortunate wife, who was 58 years of age, in an
unconscious condition. The medical man ordered
the removal of Mrs. Samuels to the hospital, and, a
cab having been procured, she was conveyed to the
University College Hospital in Gower-street, where
she was examined by the house-surgeon. She was
found to be still unconscious, and was removed to one
of the wards, where she lingered until 25 minutes past
eight the same day, when she expired, never having
regained consciousness. The police authorities, from
a fear of defeating the ends of justice, were from the
first very reticent on the subject; but it was believed
that although the secret died with its victim, the
perpetrators of this cold-blooded murder would be
brought to justice. Much excitement prevailed in the
neighbourhood, and large numbers of persons visited
the shop, which, after the removal of the body to the
hospital, was closed.