The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-31 00:00:00

MURDER AT CHATHAM.

CHATHAM, Moaday.—A dreadful murder has been
committed at a house situate in Ordnance-terrace, and
occupied by Mies Catherine Bacon, a widow lady of in-
dependent means, and in her 79th year. A greengrocer's
assistant, who called this morning at the house fen
orders, was answered by the servant, a girl about 16
years of age. She made some inarticulate expressions,
and, perceiving that the blood was pouring from her
throat, he ran off for assistance. Several persons soon
arrived, and on entering the house a large pool of blood
was found in the passage. The servant was found lying
on the sofa in the back parlour, apparently in a dying
state. Spots of blood were found all the way up two
flights of stairs, and in a bedroom at the top was dis-
covered the body of Mrs. Bacon, dressed, and lying on
the floor quite dead, from blows on the head which had
evidently been inflicted by some heavy cutting instru-
ment. From the tracks of the blood, it was clear that
the murder had been committed in the lower part of the
premises, and the body afterwards deposited where it
was discovered. In the kitchen below everything was
found in good order, but in the coal-cellar adjoining a
large peel of blood was discovered, and close by as axe,
which was found to have pieces of hair, blood, and brains
clinging to it. The wound in the servant's throat was
found to be less severe than was supposed. She has
only been in the service of the deceased a few weeks, and
declines to give her name. When asked who had com-
mitted the murder, she faintly replied, "Two dustmen
came into the house and did it, and afterwards escaped
by the back way." This statement she repeated at
intervals ; but Mr. Homan, a gentleman residing
next door, and who was from seven o'clock Len. until
the murder was discovered in a part of his premises
commanding n complete view of Mrs. Bacon's house,
asserts that no one either entered or left the house all
the tine he was there. So the matter rests at present.
It is stated that while the nurses at Fort Pitt Hospital
were undressing the servant, a piece of rag which fell
from her bosom was found to contain some rings belong-
ing to deceased.
TIIISDAY.—A coroner's jury assembled at ten o'clock
this morning, 30th inst., at the York Tavern, Ordnance.
place. Thomas Hills, Esq., the coroner, with the jury,
repaired to tie house in which the murder was com-
mitted, aad took a view of the premises of the murdered
lady. The body was lying on the floor of her bed-room,
half-dressed. Nothing further has transpired since to
lead to the conclusion as to who was the murderer.
The unfortunate girl still lies in the hospital ward at
Fort Pitt, and every care is taken of her by the medical
officers. A constable is placed in the ward to watch
the girl, and to hear if she says anything. During
the night she attempted to tear open the wound
in her neck, but was fortunately prevented by the
constable. She expresses a wish to die. Her age is
about 1G years. It is the opinion of the medical gentle-
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pczoonpii7eistsyiono.f
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lady, has been found pledged at different pawnbrokers
the town. The inquest stands adjourned until Tues-
day next. The girl's prente reside at Strood.

Punic Petitiors (House of Commons),
was
PUBLIC PErirroN.s..—Thethird report from the Select
yesterday issued. It meludes a petition from the
ancient vestry and 67 inhabitants of Berwick-on-Tweed,
Committee on t
praying
• for the establishment of a bishopric of Northum•
berland ; 15 petitions, signed by 234 persons, for the
repeal of the stamp duty on newspapers ; 26 petition:,
signed by 26 persons, for an alteration of the mileage
duty on stage carriages ; a petition from 26 freeholders
of Croydon, Surrey, for an alteration in the law of Inc.
cession to real estates ; and 14 petitions, signed by
27,637 persons, against the stoppage of wags' for fines
(chiefly from the county of Leicester),