The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-08 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT CHATHAM.

The investigation into the circumstances connected
with the murder of Mrs. Catherine Bacon was resumed on
Tuesday morning, by Mr. Thomas Hill, the coroner for
the district
Mr. Robert Atkinson, assistant-surgeon to the Ist Regi-
ment, deposed to the nature of the wounds inflicted on de-
ceased ; they were chiefly on the head, and probably
resulted from blows with such an instrument as the heavy
hatchet produced. The state of the brain was the cause of
death. The wounds oa deceased could not have been in-
flicted by herself ; but the wound in the throat of the girl
Laws might have been self inflicted. While a portion of
the girl's drum was being unfastened a piece of newspaper,
saturated with blow!, fell from her bosom. On examining
that paper he found it contained a brooch and a ring, which
he banded to the superintendent constable. The dress of
the girl did not indicate that she had been in a struggle.
A dress belonging to the girl, and found in her bedroom,
was here produced; it was stained with blood at the sleeves
cad other parts.
Hannah Baggett went with milk to Mrs. Bacon's house
ea
the Monday morning, at exactly ten minutes past eight.
Laws answered her, looking as usual.
Henry Farmer, at half-past 9, on Monday, went to Mrs.
Bacon's. After knocking and ringing several times he
heard some one come along the passage, and the door was
opened by the servant girl, who had her throat cut. He
was frightened, and ran away.
Samuel Smith, railway porter, who was called to the
house by the lest witness, deposed to finding the girl with
her throat cut. Afterwards, went up stairs, and found the
dead body of deceased just inside the door of herabedroeu.
He got assistance, and on feeling the body found that it IRO
nearly cold. Witness and deceased's son went down fate
the kitchen and the cellar. There was mush blood oa Me
floor, and a knife, with which the girl's throat was cut, was
lying on the table. It was covered with blood. In the
washhouse there was a sprinkling of blood from the kitchen',
to the back door. Oa going into the cellar found a pail
containing blood and water. There was also some blood
en the ground, between the pail and a chopping-block, and
the axe that bad been produced was lying close by.
Mr. Matthew Bacon, son of deceased, found the body
of his mother lying in the bedroom. Deceased's face bad
been washed with bloody water, as it was not clean,
but was besmeared with blood. The hair was
put back, and also washed where the wounds were.
After having described the blood in the kitchen and the
footate; s, he said that there was a kettle containing some
worm water in the cellar near the pail, which also contained
lukewarm water, in which was some blood. There was •
flannel in the pail, on which was some coagulated blood.
Asked Laws who had washed his mother's fsce. She did
not reply, but, or his repeating the question in a louder
voice, said " I did." Ile went into the girl's bedroom and
found a bunch of four keys, which deceased always carried
in her pocket, as they lacked up other keys of places where
money was kept.
The Superintendent produced the paper which fell from
Laws' bosons, contaiaing the ring and brooch ; also a purse
containing 41s. 6(1. in silver, some books, clothes, &c.
Mr. Baton continued—Could swear that the ring and
brooch, and also the purse, were his mother's property. He
had seen his mother wear • dress and shawl like those pro-
duced They were torn to ribands, and besmeared with
blood. The front of false hair he could swear belonged to
his mother.
Superintendent Emerson tracked drops of blood to the
water-closet from the back door. On reaching the water-
closet he found the dress, shawl, and front of false hair pre-
duced, which had been forced down the closet. They were
bloody. He dug the purse produced, containing 41s. 6d.,
out of a basket of sand in the cellar. The different coins
were besmeared with blood. From the general appearance of
the house he was decidedly of opinion that no struggle bad
taken place. The dress and mantle he found down the
closet had every appearance of having been torn violently
off the body.
A statement of the girl Laws was put in, in which she
represented that two dustmen came to the house. One
detained her in the back kitchen, while the other knocked
her mistress dead in the cellar with the chopper. While
the man bad hold of her she bit his hand till her teeth met.
He then drew a knife across her throat. Both herself and
her mistress screamed very loud.
Susannah Clarke and Mary Croucher, servants at the
houses on either side of deceased's house, deposed that they
were in the kitchens of their respective houses from an
early hour until after the discovery of the murder, but
they did not hear any noise, such as screaming or calling
for help, on that morning. The partition was thin, and
they could hear the clock strike in deceased's kitchen.
The Coroner having summed up, the jury, after delibera-
tion, returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against Elizabeth
Laws."

MARKETS.

-4-

COTTON.LITERPOOL, FEB. 7.—The market closed
heavily, and prices of all descriptions are unchanged. The
sales reach 6,000 bales ; comprising-400 Pernam and
Maranhani, 60 0. .to 6 ; 300 Egyptian, 61c1. to 921; and
500 Surat, at 310. to Vid. per lb.

POTATOES.—The following were the prices of potatoes i
yesterday at the market established at the King's-cross
Railway Terminus : Bedfordshire regents, 120 s. to 1,..0e.
per ton ; Scotch reds, 809. to 100 s. per ton; Scotch
regents, 935. to 110 s. per ton ; York regents, 1051. to
1201. per ton. ; Lincolnshire regents, 0.55. to 110 s. per ton.
Supplies not so large, trade dull, owing to large water
arrivals. Total weight received this week, 1,026 toss.

CORN.—Boevots, FEB. 7.—With a fair rupply of wheat
at market today we have had a moderate demand at a
little over last week's prices ; red, 691. to 70s. ; white, 765. ;
Scarcely any enquiry for beans and peas.
Brooms-on-Tau, FHB. 7 —The supply of grain to
this day's market from the growers was small. Wheat met
• good demand at an advance of le. to 2s. per qr. on last
week's currency. Beaus unaltered. Oats Is. per qr. lower.
In ether articles no change.

CATTLE.—RODIFORD, Fla. 7.—We had bat a short
supply of stock at market to-day, and prices came as last
week. Beef, 3r. 44. to 41. 84. Mottos, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 10d.
Veal, 4s. 6d. to 65. 6d. Pork, 31. 4d. to 4s. Bd.

Last evening an interesting meeting of the So-
ciety of Arts was held, at which Mr. Thomas D:ekens laid
..before the society • number of useful and curious observa-
tions upon the silk worm and its products. A large number
of gentlemen connected with the silk trade were present,
and a very animated discussion took place. We have a re-
port of the proceedings in reserve.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following
atimbers of the college, having undergone the necessary
examinations, were admitted licentiates in midwifery, at
the meeting of the board on the 6th inst.:—Messrs.
Frederick Ernest Webb, Maida Vale, diploma of member-
ship dated April 21, 1854; John Fletcher Fleteher,Weston-
street, Mary's, Spaldieg, April 28, 1854; William Wood-
ward, Ledhury, Herefordshire, Deo. 18, 1854 ; John
Tomlinson Tomlinson, Manchester, Dee. 18, 1854; Herberd
Sessions Barrett, Kingston Bagpinse, Berkshire, Dec. 22,
1854; John Swift Walker, Sheerness, Oct. 7, 1853; Wm
Langford, Brixton, Jan. 26, 1855; Wm. Whytehead
Boulton, Beverley, Yorkshire, Dec. 16, 1864 ; and Even
Rowland, Liangedho, Cardiganshire, May 19, 1854
CITY DISPENSARY.—This admirable charity, which
was founded so far back as the year 1789, for the purpose of
giving medical and surgical relief to the sick poor of the
metropolis, held its GOth anniversary yesterslay evening, at
the London Coffee House, Ludgate-hill, when about 60 gen-
tlemen sat down to en abundant and well-appoint:d dinner.
The usefulness of the charity, as compared with the annual
revenue, may be estimated from the fact, that during the
last year no lees than 12,980 persons received medical or
i surgical relief, of whom 11,760 were discharged cured, 63
died, 51 were discharged for irregularity, and 1,106 remain
undcr treatment. It is satisfactory to be able to add that
the City Dispensary has suffered no diminution in its re-
ceipts frem the temporary depression in commercial affairs;
but has, mainly through the exertions of Mr. Thomas Lott,
the secretary. fully maintained its average prosperity. The
Lord Mayor, who presided, briefly. noticed the above facts,
in proposing the toast of the evening, "Prosperity to the
City Dispensary ;" and subsequently the treasurer handed
in his lists, when the total amount of inscriptions for the
year was announced at something above 1601. A musical
party, under the direction of Mr. G. F. Taylor, sang several
popular songs and glees in the course of the evening,
amongst which those of Miss Marion Taylor and Mr. E.
Williams were particularly noticed. Mr. Harker officiated
as toastmaster. The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex
were among the company.

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