The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-05 00:00:00

DOUBLE MURDER NEAR DOTER.

On Sunday the town of Dover was thrown into a state
of the greatest excitement owing to the perpetration of
one of the most horrible crimes that has been committed
in this neighbourhood for many years past. During the
morning intelligence was received that the bodies of two
young women had been found, stabbed in several places,
and lying in a hollow near the high road between Dover
and Folkestane, about four miles from this plite, both
having evidently been brutally murdered a short time
previous. On inquiry it was ascertained that the poor
creatures were sisters, and that they both belonged to
Dover, and from an investigation since made, it ap-
pears that their name is Back, and that they are the
daughters of hard-working people living at Albion-
place, in Dover, the father being employed as a labourer
upon the harbour, and the mother helping to gain a
subsistence by taking in washing. The eldest of the
girls was rather more than 18 years of age, and was
named Caroline ; and the youngest, Maria, was about
16. It is supposed, beyond all reasonable probability of
doubt that this appalling crime has been committed by
a private in the 2d Regiment of British Swiss Legion, a
Neapolitan by birth, and known in the regiment in
which he belongs as Dedea Redaniez; for during the stay
of the 2d Regiment in Dover, this individual contracted
an intimacy with the elder of the unfortunate girls, and
it appears that, at the time the legion was encamped at
Aldershot, he carried on a correspondence with her.
She, it appears, returned the affection he had expressed
for her, and some pledges of their mutual regard had
passed between them, including a likeness of Redaniez
which was in the possession of the unfortunate young
woman. On Saturday evening last, it would seem, Re-
daniez came from Shorncliffe, where the Swiss Legion
is butted, upon a visit to the girl Caroline, whom he saw
at her father's house in Albion-place. While there_ he
asked her to return with him to Shorncliffe, for the pur-
pose of visiting a sister of his, who, he told her, was
staying at the camp ; and after some hesitation it was
proposed that they should set out for Shorncliffe, which
is about 10 miles distant from Dover, at three o'clock
on the following morning. The poor girl, it seems, fell
readily into the trap which was laid for her, and begged
her mother to allow her to go. The mother refused for
some time, it seems ; but at last she gave her consent
upon the understanding that the younger sister, Maria,
should accompany them. No objection was raised; and
Redaniez left, saying he should call for the sisters at the
time at which it was arranged to start. During his con-
versation with the girl Caroline, however, it transpired
that he was labouring under jealousy, and that he was
impressed that another serjeaut in the legion had been
corresponding with her, and that she had received those
advances favourably. The girl denied that anything of
the sort had taken plase ; but failed, it would seem, to
remove the Neapolitan's apprehensions, for before leav-
ing the house he asked for his likeness. On getting
possession of it he threw it in the fire ; but onlbeing re-
monstrated with upon this strange behaviour, be
smilingly observed that he intended giving her a
better one, and by this manner lulled any forebodings
that might naturally have arisen in consequence. At
three o'clock on Sunday morning the poor girls left
home for the last time in company with Redaniez, who
was seen proceeding with 'them upon the road to the
camp by a police-officer named Herd who was upon
duty, and whose attention was rather particularly called
to the soldier from the fact of his having, some time be-
fore, been in custody for assaulting another member of
the force. This policeman is therefore certain of his
identity, and as the description Herd gives of him cor-
responds. exactly with 'the description afforded by the
girls' parents, there is no doubt whatever that the sisters
left Dover in this man's company. They were subse-
quently men in the eoldier's company about five o'clock,