The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-02-10 00:00:00

HORTICULTURE.

MURDERS IN SURREY, SUSSEX, SOMER-
SETSHIRE, AND MONMOUTHSHIRE.

MURDER OF A CHILD BY ITS STEPFATHER.—An atro-
cious crime has just been brought to light, at Aldbury,
near Guildford, in Surrey, which has created a strong sen-
sation in that part of the country. A man named John
Keene, formerly an engine-cleaner in the service of the
South-Eastern Railway Company, at Shalford Station,
was married some time ago to a native of Aldbury, who
had previously had an illegitimate child by another man.
After their marriage, in February, 1851, it appears from
the confession of the wife, they were one day walking
over Guildford Downs, towards Aldbury, when Keene
beat the child severely with a stick, and on the mother
the storms of Winter are well-nigh past, and Spring is at remonstrating he knocked her down and greatly ill-used
hand, ready to scatter the g ms of Flora's unfailing store her. On reaching a neighbouring wood he took the child
over the earth. If we could divest our minds of the too in his arms, and deliberately carried it to a well, called
great familiarity which their plentiful distribution occa- Warren Well, and threw it in. The mother heard her
sions, we should be compelled to arknowledee that few murdered infant knock against the sides and fall into the
flowers have been introduced into the garden which will water. He then threatened to knock out her brains if she
surpass the daisa and pale. faced primrose in beauty. Yet said a word. The poor creature kept the dreadful secret
there are very many denizens of oar gardens which are till a few days ago, when she disclosed it to her mother,
both beautiful and interesting, and unfold their blossoms who in the agony of her mind revealed it to one of her
even earlier than the primrose ; hut owing' to their beau- sons, who promptly made it known to the police authori-
ties being little known to the general cultivator, they are ties at Guildford. The murderer and his wife were then
many of them only found in rare collections made by ho- apprehended, and the well having been indicated where
tanists and others. We thick there are few things would the body of the child would be found, search was trade.
please better than a small house for winter and spring and the skeleton, lying on its back, with one foot across a
flowering plants. built in such a manner that the whole small beam, was discovered. On trying to lift it, it fell
might he moveable at pleasure, and the sashes either to pieces. The well is about 187 feet deep. The bones
stored away or made available for some other purposes, were gathered up, put into a basket, and produced at the
In such a house we would have a bot'der, in which all the coroner's inquest, which was held on Tuesday last, when
winter and spring flowers might he cultivated, and would the wife made an ample confession of all the horrible cir-
receive such protection as they require against sudden cumstances. Keene, however, denied the facts, and per-
changes of weather, which di:fl_aires their beauty, and sisted that the child had been sent to reside with an uncle
perhaps is one great cause why they are not cultivated. of his in London, where it had died of fever. The unfor-
This border should surround the whole interior of the tunate infant—a boy—was at the time of the murder about
house, except of course rite .',-,arway. In the centre a two years and a-half old. The mother is stated to be
stand could be placed for winter flowering heaths, cry- about 22, and Keene about 21 years old. The inquest on
santhemums, Chinese primroses, hyacinths, and other the body stands adjourned till this day (Tuesday) week.
bulbs, which would make a great display from November MURDER, BY POISON, OF A HUSBAND BY HIS WIFE.—
to the end of April. In the border might be introduced Yesterday week, an inquiry, before one of the coroners
all the varieties of primrose—the double, lilac, yellow, for the county of Sussex, took place at Chiddingly, a
crimson, white, &c. ; varieties of the cowslip, aurieula, i small village, eight or nine miles from Lewes, concerning
crocus, squill, ornithogallum, heptoica, gages, daffodil or the death of William French, an agricultural labourer,
narcissus, hyacinthus, tanscari, snowdrop, lachenalia, who died from the effects of arsenic. The deceased was
leucojum, and a great numher of -pecies and varieties 35 years of age, and had been married nine years. He
'
besides ; there might also, if convenient, he small hushes had generally enjoyed sound health, but a day or two pre-
of Forsythia viridissima, Weiglia roses, Daphne indica, viously to the 7th of January lie was suddenly taken ill,
D. cneorum, Jasminum nndifl trum, and others, nor for- and on that day died. From the subsequent conduct of
getting the graceful Garry,. elliptica, and a few roses— the widow, and from some rumours which arose in the
Helleborus niger, or the Christmas rose ; and the fragrant neighbourhood, the Superintendent of County Police
coltr,foot might also be introduced. Thus we might have deemed it requisite to institute a searching inquiry into
nearly through the whole of the dreary months of winter the circumstances attending the death ; and cocnmunica-
and spring a small spot in which a great variety of very flouts having been made to the Coroner on the subject, an
beautiful flowers would bloom in perfection, without any official investigation before a jury was made, when it ap-
expensive heating apparatus. peared that Sarah French, the wife of the deceased, had
MISCELLANEA. about twelve months ago become acquainted with a
New Camellias.--In the Nouvelle leonographie des young man named James Hackman, who was at that time
Camellias the following varieties are figured and des-
courting her sister. She became attached to him, and
cribed —C. Magdalena A beautiful variety, of great
told him on several occasions that she was very fond of
: :
him, was in the habit of kissing him, and asked him if he
elegance, and with ranunculus-formed flowers, about
three inches in diameter. The petals are large, roundly would marry her in case her husband was dead ; telling
bilobed, very convex, of a bright cherry-red celaur, veined ' him at the same time that she expected a little money--
distinctly, and marked in the centre with contiguous about £lOO. About a month before Christmas last she
hands of white. The petal tinged with a pure white co-
gave him a ring, saying that when they were married she
lour at the margins. The foliage is good, and of a bright would expect him to give her one. On Christmas Eve,
'
green. This is a very desirable variety, and was origi-
Hackman was at French s house, ayhen the deceas, d was
- at home. lie (the husband) ate onion pie for his supper,
let coloured variety, distinguished by its handsome imbri.
nally obtained from Italy.—C. Zavonia : A very rich scar-
of which no one else tasted, arid next day lie complained

Last week, an old correspondent requested us to refresh
his memory respecting the selection and culture of spring
flowers. The subject is one of such eeneral interest, that
we feel certain any information on this point will be
equally acceptable to the majority of our readers. Few
persons exist who have not felt in some decree that sen-
sation of pleasure with which we greet the first primrose
or daisy which the early spring brings into bloom. Like
" the bow set in the cloud," they rive a sure promise of
brighter days. They comfort us with the assurance that

cited flowers, which place it in the first rank in this class. of pain in the bowels, and was seized with vomiting. A
The petals are somewhat small, ovate roundish, slightly few days afterwards he grew much worse, but no one was
notched at the apex, much smaller and closer at the made acquainted with his illness till after he was actually
centre. where they are larger arid more irregular in out-
dead, when a neighbour was called in and informed that
line. The habit appears to be robust, the foliage dense lie had been seized suddenly. Conclusive evidence was,
however, adduced, proving that Mrs. French, a day or two
and handsome. The origin of this variety is supposed to
before Christmas, had procured a quantity of arsenic from
be Italy.—C. General Washington : A very distinct ra-
the shop of a veterinary surgeon, on her stating that it
riery, with large flowers of about four to five inches in
was to poison mice; and the body of the deceased having
diameter. The colour is pure white, with faint yellow.
been disinterred, and subjected to examination by Mr.
Here and there are large rose bands, or sometimes half-
Alfred S. Taylor, the eminent professor of chemistry at
rose and half-white. The exterior petals are very large, Guy's Hospital, arsenic was found in the stomach in suffi-
round notched, convex ; the others become gradually
cient quantities to cause death. It was also admitted by
smaller, concave, raised, and form a large rose-like heart..
Hackman that he visited Mrs. French the day after her
The leaves are deep glossy green, somewhat large, pointed
husband's death, when she again told him that she loved
at the apex, and serrated. This variety was raised from
him, and asked him to marry her, and to love tier little
seed, and obtained from America.—C. Mirenda Roses : boy. About a week after that time an illicit intercourse
A fine variety, with rich rose coloured flowers, of about
commenced between the parties, which had been four inches in diameter, composed of large petals. Those
nued down to the period of her apprehension. A verdict
conti-
at the exterior are convex ; others raised nearly concave,
of Wilful Murder was returned against Sarah, otherwise
and closely placed at the centre, so as to form a small
heart. The leaves are of the usual form and colour; the Sarah Ann French, and she was on Tuesday last com-
mitted for trial at the next Sussex assizes.
habit vigorous. It has been some years in cultivation,
and was raised in Belgium.
SUSPECTED MURDER OF A WESLEYAN MINISTER.—
Anomatheea Cruenta.—The great worth and excellence On Saturday week the Rev. James Evans, a well-known
of this little bulb are not sufficiently known or valued. conference minister of the Wesleyan connexion, was
In my opinion, there is nothing better for small beds, or found dead, at about two o'clock in the morning, in theroad leading from Blackford to Banwell, Somersetshire,
for planting near the edges of large ones or borders. It 'by a man named Chilcott, who carries butter, eggs, and
will answer exceedingly well under the following treat-
other dairy produce to Bristol market. The attention of
ment :—The first week in March, the bulbs should be !
'
potted in equal parts of loam, dung, and leaf-mould, Chilcott was first attracted by seeing a horse and cart,
i drawn into a little opening on the side of the road, but
with a good mixture of sand, putting four bulbs in a pot, I without a driver ; and looking about, he discovered on the
and placing them in a pit with the other bedding plants,
I other side of the road, in a dry ditch, the body of a man,
until the season arrives for turning out, when they should I respectably dressed, with his clothes covered with mud.
be planted in a bed of similar compost, without disturb- 1
On further search, he discovered various footmarks in the
grow vigorously, and flower profusely from June to No-
ing the roots. They will then, with ordinary attention,
road, as if a struggle had taken place. Chilcott was after-
j wards joined b anotherson, James P, vember. If bloom is all that is required, the seed-pods
who found a macintosh er
a few named
yards off. An alarmuddy was should be cut out as the blossoms fall, as that will greatly then given, and some labourers recognised the body as
strengthen the succession flower-buds. Should increase that of the Rev. Mr. Evans, who, it appeared, had lately
of stock be required, seed may be easily saved, and bulbs
visited the house of Mr. Hardwick, a local preacher in
raised : they are also readily increased by offsets. The
multitude of beautiful scarlet and crimson blossoms the neighbourhood. No wounds were perceptible on the
makes this plant worthy the attention of the flower- body ; but from the appearance of the road it seemed
most evident that a severe and prolonged struggle had
al-
gardener. The bulbs should be taken up before frost sets taken place ; and the whip, which lay in the middle of the
in, putted in silver-sand, and securely laid by for winter.
—.T. M'Ardell, Exeter. I road, had been trampled on, while the hat of the deceased
was found a considerable distance off. A searching inves-
tigation into the circumstances has been instituted.
SUSPECTED MURDER OF A CHILD BY ITS MOTHER.—
The dead body of a child was discovered at the beginning
of the past week in a ditch at Alvington, near Chepstow,
Monmouthshire, which had obviously come by its death
unfairly. A young Irishwoman, named Peggy Barley, is
the mother ; and she, on being apprehended as the sus-
pected murderess, gave such confused and contradictory
accounts as to the loss of the infant, which was but two
months old, that a verdict of Wilful Murder has been re-
turned against her by a coroner's jury.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK

In the early Vinery, whenever a favourable opportunity
offers, a moderate amount of ventilation should be cau-
tiously administered ; the admitted air should be let in at
a distance from the tender shoots of the vines.—ln the
Conservatory and Greenhouse observe the same directions
we gave in our last.—Flower Garden : Where hardy an-
nuals are used for bedding, a portion may besown on a south
border,where, if necessary, they can be sheltered with aspare
frame-light, but only such sorts should be sown as bear the
operation of transplanting well ; these are Nemophilas,
Collinsias, Eschscholtzias, Clarkias, and others of similar
character.—Kitchen Garden: Sow a good crop of early
peas and beans. We saw a fine pea at Mr. Cuthbert's,
Clayton-square—one of the large-wrinkled kind, of re-
markable sweetness; it is said to be dwarf very early, and
an immense bearer ; it is highly recommended by the
southern gardeners.

MISCELLAYEOUS NEWS.

Herapath of Saturday says—" Owing to certain slips
from the late wet weather, the Great Northern will not be
opened before May, if then."

It is proposed_ to extend the municipal borough of
Salford by adding the townships of Broughton and
Pendleton.

We understand that it is the intention of the govern-
ment to make an increase to the Royal Artillery of 1,000
men.—United Service Gazette.

A poulterer at Louth, Lincolnshire, is said to have re-
ceived £1,500 for the poultry which he sent up to the
Christmas market in London.
Dover Castle was threatened with a fire on Friday from
an accident in the canteen, but an hour's labour from the
military extinguished the flames.
Sir J. Pakington has given notice in the Commons. that
on this day week he will move for a committee of the
whole house on the Sugar Duties.
The public will be admitted, gratis, to view the House
of Lords every Saturday during the session, by tickets, to
be obtained at the Lord Great Chamberlain's office.

A Brighton mackerel boat, shot her nets one night
during the past week, and succeeded in catching upwards
of 7,000 fine fish, whic'h fached above £9O.

A co, ic*ondent of a daily paper says, " Within the
last few days the French government have dispatched to
London a posse of its police-agents to watch (surveiller)
their proscribed fellow-countrymen.
The Hon. Mrs. Law, widow of the late Recorder of
London, made her public profession of the Roman Catho-
lic faith, after the vespers at St. John's Romisla Chapel,
Islington, on Monday evening last.
The Queen's speech on Tuesday last was transmitted
by the Submarine telegraph to Paris with such rapidity,
that a complete copy thus forwarded was in the hands of
the President at half-past six o'clock the same evening
Every useful or necessaryarticle is cheapest; walkin gis the
most wholesome exercise, water the best drink, and plain
food the most nourishing and healthy diet ; even in know-
ledge, the most useful is the easiest acquired.
A gentleman of Lynn who purchased a lot of books
about 17 or 18 years ago at a sale at Sandringham Hall,
discovered a few days ago between the leaves of one of
them two £lO notes.

It is curious that Shakspeare, though giving us Greeks,
Roman, Indians, Moors, Egyptians, Germans, French-
men, Italians, English, Welsh, and Scotchmen, in no
instance throughout his plays introduces an Irishman.
A Jamaica journal publishes the appalling and almost
incredible account, that in the last year 40,000 persons
were carried off by the fatal ravages of cholera in that
island.

Mr. Stephenson has surveyed the line of the Cairo
Railway, The two branches of the Nile are to be crossed
by a pontoon bridge. The Pasha has given orders for
18,000 labourers to be put upon the works.
The Messrs. Blackwood announce that the pen of Mr.
Alison is engaged upon a History of Europe from the
Fall of Napoleon in 1815, to the Re-establishment of
Military Government in France in 1851.
To replace the Hottentot corps, which behaved so ill,
orders have gone out to the Cape for the formation of a
mounted corps of 400 Europeans, by volunteers of 40
men from each regiment.—United Service Gazette.
On Wednesday week a coble, manned by six fishermen,
put off with a pilot for a schooner lying in Scarborough
roads, when a sea capsized her, and all on board perished
within sight of the pierhead.
About ninety members of the Stock Exchange have sig-
nified their intention of belonging to the proposed Rifle
Club ; it is to be armed with double-barelled rifles, of
the value of ten guineas each.

The very rare signature of William Harvey, the dis-
coverer of the circulation of the blood, was sold last week
at Puttick and Simpson's for £4. The name was attached
to a bill of medicines for the household of King Charles
the First.-44thenreum.
A certain number of Dominicans, wearing a long white
dress covered with a black cloak, have been seen walking
in the streets of London. The strangeness of their
costume attracted general notice. It is to this order that
the Abbe Lacordaire belongs.
On Saturday week the Crystal Palace !passed from the
hands of the Royal Commissioners to the contractors, and
was on 'Monday opened to the public by tickets obtained on
application. Shortly this small impediment will be done
away with. Such articles that still remain, and are not
required for the purpose of a national museum, will be
sold, and the proceeds added to the surplus already GA-
istent.