The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-26 00:00:00

MURDER IN NORFOLK.

DonlvreH, Friday Evening.

The details have come to hand of a shocking murder at
Elsing, near East Dereham, Norfolk. The occurrence has
excited the more interest from the fact that the victim was
an infirm old woman, partially blind, lame, and deaf, while
the perpetrator of the crime was her husband, an able-
bodied man in the full vigour of life. It appears that the
murdered woman's name is Charlotte Naylor, her husband
being James Naylor, an agricultural labourer, in full em-
ployment. There was a difference of about 30 years in their
ages, the murdered woman being 81 and her husband 51
years of age. The cottage ix which Naylor and his wife
lived is situated in a row, and the adjacent dwellings on
each side are occupied by two hrothers named Isbell.
During Sunday evening and Mcraday morning Naylor was
heard by these brothers making a great noise, such ejacu-
lations as " Oh, my Heavenly Father," "My blessed
Father," "blessed Jesus," &e., being distinguished. He
continued to conduct himself in a very. excited manner, but
on being remonstrated with by Mr. Matthews, a farmer in
the parish, he desisted. During the remainder of Monday
afternoon, he continued quiet; but when Charles Isbell
and his wife retired to rest they heard Mrs. Naylor speak-
ing to her husband, and asking him if he was going to bed,
and shortly afterwards a light was seen in ther bedroom,
and all seemed quiet for the night. After the lapse
of about an hour, however, Isbell and his wife were
awoke by strange noises proceeding from Naylor's
bedroom, and immediately afterwards they heard Mrs.
Naylor cry out, "Oh, James, don't hurt me." Then fol-
lowed a loud shriek, succeeded by a heavy rumbling noise,
as if something were being rolled or dragged downstairs ;
then came another shriek and then a dead silence. Isbell
and his wife continued to listen, and in a short time they
heard the tread of heavy footsteps in the room underneath
the chamber, and Naylor talking to himself and uttering
wild ejaculations, which he repeated during the entire
night. The suspicions of the neighbours being excited,
some of them forced an entrance into the house
in the morning, when a horrid spectacle presented itself.
At the foot of the stairs lay the poor old woman in her
night-dress, marks of fearful violence being apparent. Her
nightdress was in disorder. The bcdy itself was partially
doubled up, and the head and arms bore marks of the most
cruel savagery; while one leg was broken just above the
ankle. Marks of blood were evident on the person of the
deceased, and there was a small pool of blood where the
body lay. Upon further examination it was discovered that
across the bedroom and down the stairs there was a blood
track, clearly exhibiting the course in which the husband
had dragged his victim. On a post mortem examination
being made by Mr. G. Taylor, surgeon, of Mattishall, more
extensive injuries were discovered. Two ribs were broken
on one side and six on the other, injuring the pleura; while
severe contused wounds were apparent on the head and
temple. How these wounds were inflicted and whether any
weapon was used still remains a mystery. With regard to
the motive for the crime, it appears that the old woman had
secreted a small sum of money (£2 17s Gd), with which she
intended to pay her rent, and that she had a dispute and
struggle with her husband about it. When the prisoner was
apprehended, he ascribed the dreadful deed to a desire to
" obey his heavenly Father," and it is considered by some
that he is suffering from religious monomania.
The facts have been investigated this week before a co-
roner's jury, and Naylor has been committed for trial on a
charge of wilful murder at the ensuing Norwich assizes.