The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-24 00:00:00

APPALLING MURDER.

SEVENOAKS, SUNDAT.Yesterday Mr. C. C.
Carttar, the Coroner for West Kent, impanelled a
jury at Halstead, a small village, midway of this town
and Farnborough, for the purpose of investigating
the circumstances connected with a murder, disco-
vered at that place on the morning of Wednesday
last.
Early on the morning of the day above named, a
labourer in the employ of Mr. Newinton, of Brook-
farm, Halstead, was proceeding across sotne fields 50
or 60 yards from the main road to this town, to his
work, when he discovered the body of a female lying
by the side of a hedge near to a ditch. Perceiving
that the unfortunate creature was dead, he immedi-
ately gave the alarm, and several persons hastened to
the spot. The first sight of the corpse too clearly
showed the horrible character of her death. To ap-
pearance the woman seemed to have been about forty
years of age, her clothes indicating that she had been
" hopping." Her head, face, neck, and shoulders ex-
hibited one mass of bruises, the blood from which had
completely saturated her clothing, and here and there
on the ground were pools of blood, which, coupled with
the strong fact that the turf and ground about the
spot were trodden down, bore a conclusive
proof that the wretched creature had had a deadly
encounter with one or more parties. Close to her feet
was found a bundle, which was found to contain a
handkerchief, a man's shirt (dirty), a black-handled
table-knife, worn down at the blade, and a tobacco-
box. Several medical gentlemen were then called, to
examine as to the cause of the unfortunate woman's
death. Apparently life had not been extinct more
than twenty-four hours, and from the circumstance
of her fingers being stained, it is supposed that she
was returning from hop-picking when she met with
her horrible fate. On a careful examination being
made of the body, it was clear that the poor creature
had been brutally and savagely murdered. The dread-
fulswbhioel
(at,
rhtdbsp, r. uafl face,islnmetts aswnntae:ancns dake
ne,sl
flint-stones,
aicadnewnedr
dnah
sttehihnot
oehnuaaskvl
tdynweosbrkhcsi
ike,cc
ehkhhdsaaaddl
dfmrbooaeowmes
violenttnn t covedhnihcfiaeki
drc.tsneeabdui
elbfliee theby
sharp
kicked about the head and face and afterwards
strangled, by something being twisted round her
throat.

The Coroner and jury decided on adjourning the
inquiry, for the twofold purpose of enabling the police
to effect the identification of the murdereil woman,
and the capture of the party or parties who perpe
trated the brutal crime.
The proceedings were accordingly adjourned.

PARISH or ST. CLEMENT DANES.—INCREASE OE
THE LOCAL TAXATION.—Last evening a crowded public
vestry meeting of the inhabitants of this parish was
held in the ♦estry room, in order to sign the rate fur
the relief of the poor for the third quarter, to
receive the report of the committee appointed at the
last vestry meeting to inquire into the increase of the
local taxation, and to consider and decide what should
be done relative thereto—Mr. Churchwarden Jaquet in
the chair. The rate of 9d. in the pound having been
signed without opposition, the Vestry Clerk read the
report of the committee. It traced the increase in the
taxation mainly to the metropolitan improvements,
which had driven persons from districts formerly densely
populated into this parish. It recommended as a re-
medy that a universal system of rating should bo
adopted in preference to the present unequal system,
but it advised that no step should be taken at this time,
Mr. Buller having given notice for a Bill on the subject.
Mr. Smith (overseer) moved, and Mr. W. Raimondiz
seconded the adoption of the report. Mr. Faulkner and
Mr. Williams opposed its reception, and complained that
no account was given of the parochial charities. The
latter moved, as an atnendmeet, that a debtor and cre-
ditor account of the local taxation of the parish should
he laid before the parishioners. Mr. Gannon vindicated
the report, and strongly supported the proposition for a
universal system of rating. After some further discus-
sion the report was adopted, and the meeting shortly
after separated.
OPENING OF THE SOUTH WALES TRAINING COD-
LEGE.—On Tuesday next the opening this college at
Carmarthen will take place. We are glad to learn that
this event is to be celebrated in a manner at onco becom-
ing and worthy of a great aational institution, such as
this college is destined to be. The Lord Bishop of St.
David's, ever at hand to promote every laudable and be •
neficent work, will preach on the occasion. A procession
will afterwards be formed, and the proceedings are ex-
pected to be not only interesting, but such as will give
an impetus to the great question of the day,—education.
—Cambrian.