The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-28 00:00:00

ANOTHER DREADFUL TRAGEDY.

Another of those fearful atrocities, which, unfortunately,
have been too prevalent of late, has occurred near Croy-
don, and has occasioned the most intense excitement. A
day or two since. a retired part of the suburbs of Croydon,
called White Horse Road, which leads to Croydon Corn.
mon, was the scene of one of the most diabolical attempts
at murder, and which will, in all human probability, prove
fatal. The place indicated is a very lonely spot, there
being but three houses there, and no others within fifty
yards. Both in front and back of the premises there are
nothing but fields, and by the side a small brook crosses
the road. The first intimation the police had of the
dreadful affair was that a female, residing in one of the
three cottages, had been murdered by a man named
Bright, alias Edward Staines, who has for some time past
been engaged as a labourer on the highway. Sergeant
Hearne, 13 P, a very active officer, who is stationed
at Croydon, immediately proceeded to the spot,
and from enquiries which he then made, the
following details have been collected :—On Thurs-
day last, at the County Court here, a plaint was
heard of Pitcher v. Antler, for alleged false imprisonment
and breach of contract, in which Bright was to some
extent interested, in consequence of which he stayed in
the town until between ten and eleven o'clock, some two
hours after the case was concluded. He then returned to
the house of the injured woman, Mrs. Belton, who, it
appears, let lodgings, and Bright had apartments in her
house. When he reached home, she was in bed. He
knocked at the door, and the unfortunate woman came
down for the purpose of letting him in .s What transpired
on the occasion is at present unknown, as the unhappy
woman has never spoken coherently since the night of the
transaction. It appears quite clear, however, that the
neighbours heard terrific shrieks in the house soon after
his arrival. After a short lapse of time, Bright came to
the door, where several neighbours were standing, and in
reply to what was the matter, said, " Come in here and
see what's done. She's dead ! She's dead ! She
will never rise more." At the same time pointing
to the body of MRs. Belton, who was lying on the
floor in a large pool of blood, which was flowing pro-
fusely from her head. She was quite insensible, and was
only attired in her night clothes. One of the neighbours
immediately started to Croydon for a surgeon, but both
partners of the firm called upon, refused to go and see the
woman. He then met Sergeant Herne, who accompanied
him back to the house, in order, if possible, to secure the
assassin, but by the time they arrived at the cottage
Bright had escaped, notwithstanding several persons
were present at the time. Finding Bright had, decamped,
and the woman lying insensible in a large pool of blood, he
went for Mr. Cooper, the divisional surgeon, who immedi-
ately came. Upon making an examination he found that
her skull on one side had been quite battered in, and from
what subsequently transpired it is certain the deed was
done by a wood-chopping axe, such a weapon being dis-
covered on the floor covered with blood and matted
hair. It was a roost formidable weapon, the iron
part of it alone weighing upwards of 4 lbS. Immedi-
ate pursuit was made after Bright, but up to this time
he has not been apprehended. He is a married man,
but has been for some time separated from his wife. The
unfortunate victim of his brutality is described by the
police as being a most respectable person. She is 42
years of age. At tho time of the assault her husband was
at Canterbury, and her son in London, both of whom
were telegraphed to by the police authorities, and apprised
of the shocking catastrophe. They both immediately
returned home, when, from the sight of the condition of
Mrs. Belton, their feelings can be more readily imagined
than described. There is not the slightest chance, we
regret to say, of the unfortunate woman ever recovering;
but what the object of the assassin could have been in
committing so Iprbarous an outrage cannot at present be
ascertained. The police, under the direction of Mr.
superintendent Lund, are most active in their endeavours
to apprehend the a:,saf;sia. hey have sucoeccieci in
tracing him to a particular spot, but froni prudential
reasons we cannot at present indicate it.