The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-04-14
AN ENGLISH TRAGEDY.
CRIME THAT HAS GREATLY
EXCITED THAT COUNTRY.
Rector's Daughter Turns Murdore.s-
Lares Her Victim to Church aud K;lis
Him nefore Picture Of christ - No
Provocatiou.

A murder under uncommon and
amazing circumstances has just been
committed in the beautiful Kentlsh
town OF Biddenden. England. by the
middle aged. austere maiden daughter
OF the old rector OF the parish church.
She was narrow minded and Allied
with religious zeal. She had been
superintendent Of the sunday school
and church organlst. and IA vigorous
in the church work "a rector's
daughter could be. Her morals were
irreproachable. and n she erred at all
II was on the side OF severity.
Two years ago one OF the teachers
in this Sunday school. who was also a
local newspaper correspondent, boot
maker and insurance agent, had been
charged with misconduct with little
girl In the school. Nothing came OF
the charge. and It appears to have
been due to the idle gossip that pre-
walls In small towns. The teacher
against whom the charge was brought
was named John whitley. and the
person most wrought up over the af-
air was the rector's daughter, Bertha
d'spaen Heggertson Peterson. There
had been some little disagreement be-
tween the two before for some OF the
church people thought whitley, who
had been teacher In the school for
more than twenty years. should be
superintendent OF the Sunday school
instead OF Miss Peterson. When the
charge was brought against whitley
the rector's daughter SGT herself "a
investigate. She concluded that h,
was guilty and publicly said 80. anc
after a time the man withdrew from
the Sunday school. although the sym
patty OF the townspeople were NOR,
OF less with him
Bertha Peterson was not exactly
popular in Biddenden. The towns
folk thought her too cold and marrow
and domineerlng. II was for this rea
son. perhaps. that story got abou
that she was starving her father. thu
Rev William Peterson, for whom sh'
kept house since the day her mothe
fell into IRE and was burned 4
death. Al any rate. while Bertha wa
TO church one Sunday. the old recto
was taken from his bed and carries
to home for the aged. where he wa
more comfortable than his daughter
mlnisterings had made him.
After her father was taken away
Miss Peterson left the rectory. whicl
has been vacant ever since, moved 1
town few miles distant and hnall
became a nurse In home for inebrl
ates. Nothing more was heard froI
her In Biddenden. aud she and hi
auarreis had been forgotten. when III
suddenly appeared In the town recen
ly and expressed a Wish TO make
public acknowledgment that she ha
wronged John whitley. She wrol
TO several officers OF the church. ash
ing them TO see her after the churc
service the following Sunday. and /
hear her retraet what she had sal
about whitley few years befor'
She also wrote this letter to whitley
~ have had very much on my min
what took place between you and m
in the spring OF 81. Are you willln
TO forget ~ II so. what amends d
you think you should ask OF met
was wrong In the attitude took.
believe you were very badly treate
in any case. Il was not for me I
Judge. WIN you come into the infan
school room after church tomorro,
morning and look at picture az
giving TO the schools and shake hand
and | have also asked Mr.. Raven. MI
Plnyon. Mr.. Layence and Miss Thlr
kell to come. aud they viii then no
that / retract what | said about you
! want to give Gi Is. to the Forester