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

APPALLING MURDER.

SEVENOAKS, SUNDAY.—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, llalstead, was proceeding across some 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 cf 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-
earance the woman seemed to have been about forty j
years of age, her clothes indicating that she had been
" hopping. Her head, face, neck, and shoulders ex- j
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-
fulhihooenuasvl shoulders, whichrksi,e
kh
kicks
ad l
fmr oo
ms
beent covered
inflicted t
bh
thick-nailedye
azanedvidwenhtenthaktnoshckeehdaddoawvniolehnatdscbueffiene
sharpwithhb oe oa tdb.
fuaflaii
cslnmeett
sntaeon.ndke
,aacanendr
da
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 murdered woman,
and the capture of the party or parties who perpe
trated the brutal crime.
The proceedings were accordingly adjourned.

PARISH OF Sr. CLEMENT DANES.—INCREISE OP
THE LOCAL TAXATION.—Last evening a crowded public
vestry meeting of the inhabitants of this parish was
held in the vestry room, in order to sign the rate for
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 amendment, that a debtor and cre-
ditor account of the local taxation of the parish should
be 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.
()FAXING OF THE SOUTH WALES TRAINING COL-
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 once becom-
ing and worthy of a great national 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
to be not only interesting, will afterwards be formed, and the proceedings are ex-
pected but such as will giro
ian mpvtus to the great question of the day,—education.
—Cambrian.