Star.
London, England, 1830-03-01 00:00:00

APPALLING MATRICIDE AND SUICIDE.

We deeply regret to state that during the present week this county
has again been the scene of a most revolting occurrence, embodying
two of the greatest of human offences—matricide and suicide. The
victims were a respectable old widow lady named iVorrill, upwards
of seventy years of age, residing at Hoddesdon, and her daughter,
Mrs. John Kimpton, also an inmate of the same house. The fright.. i
ful details of the melancholy circumstance will be found in the sub-
joined accounts of the inquests to which they have given rise :
On Tuesday morning, about nine o'clock, the body of a female
was found in the New iver, at Cheshunt, which apparently had
been but a short time In the water, but she was not known by the ,
persons who discovered her. A white handkerchief was tied over
her face and bonnet, so that she could not be seen. Information of
the circumstance was given immediately to the Coroner, and on
Wednesday morning Mr. Longmore and a respectable jury assem-
bled at the Coach and Hones, Cheshunt, to inquire into the facts of
the case. Upon searching the pockets of the deceased, an old pocket.
book, a bodkin-case, two keys, a pair of spectacles, and Hid. in
money were found, and on examination of the contents of the pocket-
book, it appeared that the body was that of Mrs. Mary Worrill, a
widow lady, residing at Hoddesdon, 72 years of ago. A messenger
was despatched to the residence of the deceased, and the female ser-
vant soon afterwards attended, and being sworn, stated that she had
lived with the deceased and her daughter, Mary Hatton Kimpton,
the wite of John Jenkins Kimpton, about six months; that the de-
ceased had been for some time, and confined up stairs, so ill as
to be unable to go but of the house.
On Monday evening, between six and seven o'clock, at which
time it was dark, and rained, Mrs. Kimpton said to witness, upon
her return from an errand into the town, that herself and mother
were obliged to go up the London road to meet a person, who was
afraid to come to the house, to receive some money of him. They
were both dressed, as the witness thought, in their worst clothes,
and appeared to her to be in disguise. Witness let them out at the
door, and Mrs. Kimpton desired her to take care of the house,
and not let any one in; and if any thing happened to them to
drown the cat. This observation, the witness stated, excited sur-
prise in her mind, and she said to Mrs. Kimpton that she hoped
nothing was the matter. Mrs. Worrill said to her daughter, that
she thought it would be the death of her going out in such a night,
and Mrs. Kimpton desired her to wrap herself up warm. At the
time she went out she had a white handkerchief round her neck, and
had her muff. Witness further stated that she was much surprised
that they did not return home, and sat up till four o'clock, but
thought they might have gone to London and would return in the
g. The whole of the following day, however, passed, and
she heard nothing of them, but yet she did not mentioni the circum-
stance, and heard nothing of either of them till sent for by the
Coroner. She stated that the deceased and her daughter had been
in much trouble lately about the daughter's husband, and they had
become reduced in their circumstances; that the daughter was very
low and dejected the whole of the Monday. Witness identified the
body, and all the thingaTound in the pocket of Mrs. Worrill ; and
the handkerchief, which was tied completely over her face, u being
the same she had round her neck when she went out. The muff
was found some distance from the body.
The Coroner summed up the facts, and, in the absence of any
evidence to show bow the deceased came into the water, the Jury
returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."

Upon its being known that the daughter was also missing, some
gentlemen at Hoddesdon commenced dragging the New River from
Brozbourne Church, in search of the body; and when they got to
Wormley, a distance of two miles and a half, the drag stopped
against something, which proved to be the body of Mrs. Xpton.
It was immediately conveyed to the White Horse,Wormley, and at
four o'clock the Coroner, and another Jury, proceeded to hold an
inquest upon it. The same evidence was given as upon the case of
the mother, and the Jury returned a verdict of " Found Drowned."
Nothing was found upon the deceased to elucidate the dreadful
tragedy, and it was generally supposed that they had both agreed to
commit suicide, in consequence of their domestic troubles, but there
were circumstances which induced an opinion that the daughter bad
first drowned her mother, and afterwards herself. It appeared, how-
ever, that the daughter was an only child, and that she and her mo-
ther lived together most affectionately, and this fact seemed to rebut
the idea that the daughter had drowned her mother.
Since the Inquests were held, two scraps of paper have been found
in the Louie, in the daughter's handwriting, which confirm the
dreadful impression that she did drown her mother and herself ; and
' we are informed that, from the position of the arms of the daughter
when found, it would seem that she pushed against her mother, and
wilt in the water with her. An umbrella has also since been found
(which, the servant states, the mother had with her), near the iron
bridge, in the path leading from Hoddesdon to Brozbourne Church,
along which side the New River runs without any fencing against
the path, so that it is conjectured that the daughter induced her
mother to leave her house, upon a supposition that she was to re-
ceive a sum of mono ,_to tie the white handkerchief over her head
and face to prevent her taking cold,—thus binding her eyes, and
•putAting her into the river. The body of the mother had oated
nearly seven miles, and that of the daughter two. We are enabled
to subjoin copies of the scraps of paper above alluded to, which lead
us to the opinion that the daughter's mind was in a state of aberra-
ration at the time of the melancholy occurrence.
" 1 beguiled my beloved parent out to die with me, for I found
had and made me, without knowing it --- Let all be
sold to pay Mothers debts, and a grave large enough for me and my
mother. I long .. M.H.K.
My father waits for us.
I beguiled my Mother. I shall because I found
the .. out he denied our Marriage' tho' 1 gave ten pounds
to have it private. The man died a year after. To Cahn Cheffins
--After all paid keep the rest. Pray kill my Cat easy. Angels
wait us together"--.—Hertford Mercury, Feb. 27.

A certain young vocalist at Covent-garden Theatre is
stutliing the beautiful Scottish ballad of "Whistle and I'll come to
rhee my Lud," to be accompanied by a side drum, agreeably to an-
cient custom, and a roulade of haqd.claps, when sung in public.
Mr. JAmss PERRY, of Morning Chronicle Whig
memory. gave the Parliament the name of Collective Wisdoms of
the Nation. This appears not to have been enough for the de-
scendant of "John with the bright sword," who, if reports be cor.
rest, has given the House of Commons, as some people all it, the
name of the " noblest assembly of free men its the whisk world ;"
and, it is reported, that at this re-baptising, the House almost
stunned itself with its own cheers. Noblest or noblest not, how-
ever, this House appears to have done nothing to relieve the distress
of the people ; for after two or three miserable attempts in this
way, out have come the Ministers with their list q/ savings,
amounting in the whole to £1,300,000 and though this is all that
is to be saved out of nearly £60,000,000, including the expense of
collecting the taxes, the NOBLEST ASSEMBLY seemed to be
surprised that so much could be saved !—The Register.

Transportation would have been a little too much of a
good thing; and, therefore, I did not say aye till the word banish-
ment was introduced, for which punishment I did not care a single
straw. The whip were most infernally enraged, If rage can be
infernal in human breasts, when Bums got up with the Register
in his hand, and answered this Te SCARLETT by reading what I
had said about the bill. When the bill went back to the Lords,
Jourt, LORD ELDON, who was then Chancellor, observed, in his
usual kind manner, " The bill, is spoiled ; but it's better than
nothing." It is curious that, en I arrived at Liverpool, there
came on lioard the ship, as I before Mated, two young gentle!,
men front the consignees, oar whom baring becu-nusoduced to
me by the Captain, the Wildly EAPTaiN CODS, whcm I always
remember with the most friendly sentiments ; this gentleman said,
" lam sorry to see you here, Mr. CODDETT for the
" are met; and you may depend upon it that they sill prepare
something for you." .1 Very likely (said I,) but they have got
" Peel's lii/lupon their back, and -that will encumber their move.
" mews, and make them more gentle, I imagine. If that gentle-
man beaiitte, helm, I dare say, frequently called to mind what 1,
said to jiart in die cabin that day. The truth Is, I had read of the
Blanchitsr affair'of the ldtbor 441.4itist; I hid teed Szamoutn's
letter or thanks to the Yeomanry Cavalry s tint .I',lnd aho mad
Pastes Dill, anti' was sore that that would tah,e 021 buckram out
of the gentleman. I knew well. that Iliad nothing to'do but hi
hold them to that bill, if possible ; for I knew that that bill would
, bring the nation to its senses, and my foes upon their knees.—Rep.

DIED.

On the 25th inst. Henry Stevenson, Esq. of 63, Park.street,
Grosvenor-square, aged 27 years.
In Tipperary, at the advanced age of fla years, Samuel Evans.
M. D.
At Drishane, Castle-Townsend, Mary, second daughter of the
late John Newenham, Esq. of Maryborough, county of Cork.
At Mallow, Mary, second daughter of Major Howl!.
At Castleisland, at a very advanced age, the Rev. Maurice Fit:
Gerald, for upwards of half a century Boman Catholic Clergyman
of that district.
James Anderson, L L. D. late of Hammersmith, aged 76.
At Iformacus Manse, the Rev. George Bell, minister o'
that par.
Tuesday, aftera few hours illness, Mrs. Gill, wife of Cartsin
Gill, Barrack Master at Rathkeale.
Tuesday, at aleelick, near Limerick, after a long and painful
illness Norcott N'Esterre. Esq. formerly of the 18th dragoons.
Lately, at Nantenan Glebe, Miss Charity Crcker, daughter ci
the late ter. Richard Croker, of Croom Castle, in this county.
In Jamaica, after only three days illness, Licut.-Col. Durnfotd.
commanding the artillery there.
At the house of his lather, Herbert, youngest son cf W. Drt
Esq. of Gower-street, Bedfo-square, after a severe indisrositia:
of seven years.
At the advanced age of 100 years, Mrs. Henrietta Farquharson.
relict of Walter Gilchrist, late merchant in Edinburgh, mother o:
John Borthwick, Gilchrist, L L. D.
At Kilbrack, near Doneraile, William Stawell, Esq. aged
years. He was the senior magistrate of the county of Cork, and
the last: of the Lawyers Corps.of Volunteers of 1782, in whith
bold at oneperiod therank of Captain Commandant.
AtPstosi Estate, St. Thomas's. in the East, Jamaica, Mr. Win.
Gray, aged 21, eldest son of the deceased John Gray, Esq. ty.
Wllliamsfield, Dumfries-shire.