The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-05-21 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

SHOCKING AFFAIR AT ELTHAIT.  On Saturday evening the inhabitants of the quiet village of Eltham, Kent, were in a state of excitement—second only to that caused by the murder of the girl Jane Maria Clousen, ten years ago, in Kidbrooke Lane—by the report that a man had brutally murdered his wife, and was in custody at Eltham Police-station. From what can be gathered, it appears that a man named John Hunt, aged 31, residing at 1, Bathurst Place, Eltham, was employed as a labourer at the sewer works at Prickend, Chisle• hurst West, a short distance from Camden House, late the residence of the Empress Eugenie. Oz Saturday afternoon, after receiving his wages, he was met at Chislehurst by his wife, Sarah Jane Hunt, aged 32, and they appear to have drunk at several public-houses together. After leaving the Gordon Arms beerhouse, Chapel Lane, they started for home ; and on the way, when between the Bee Hive public-house and Pope Street Railway Station, on the Dartford loop line, they quarrelled 01-er a dog he had, she accusing him of loving the dog more than he did her. This appears to have aroused his anger, and be attempted to strike her, upon which she ran away on to a piece of waste land by the side of the road. He followed and caught her, pulled her to the ground by the hair of her head, and with his heavy boot kicked her at , the back of the head, behind the ear, with such force that she died in a few minutes. A man passing at the time gave information of what had occurred to Police Sergeant Wade, 262 A reserve, who was on patrol duty along the road, and who galloped to the spot where the woman was lying lifeless, and took Hunt, who was standing by, into custody, and conveyed him to the residence of Police Sergeant Thomas Hawkins, 19 R, who resides at 13, Brentwood Cottages, near The Beehive, leaving him in custody of that officer, and rode with all speed into Eltham for Dr. Ford, who resides next the police station, and returned to the spot where the the woman was lying. The doctor, upon examining ,her, pronounced life to be extinct, and, by his directions, . the body was conveyed to the house of Hunt to await an inquest. After being taken into custody, the prisoner said to Wade, "What I have done I must suffer for," which the prisoner repeated several times, adding, "I'd sooner be hung than be walking about. If she's dead I'll give in that I killed her. We have had many a thousand quarrels before, not half so bad as this." He afterwards asked, " Is she dead ?" and receiving a reply in the affirmative, said, "Can I see her" and was told by the sergeant he had better ask at the police station. He was taken by Sergeant Hawkins to the police station, and on Inspector Pry-ke proceeding to fill up the charge-sheet, and asking him his name, he said, "I have got no name; I enlisted for a soldier once, and sold my name for a shilling. Is it right she is dead?" The inspector told him he had better sit down and remain quiet until the doctor arrived. He shortly afterwards said, "Can I go and see that woman; you know I should like to see her. I .should not care if I got 15 years if she is living." The charge-sheet having been filled up he was conveyed to a cell. A. post-mortem examination of the body was made on Sunday morning by Dr. Ford. Hunt is a Somerset man, and comes from Crewkerne, and had only been a short time employed at the sewer works at Prickend. The murdered woman was a widow when he married her, and there are no children. of the marriage, but the 'deceased has a daughter, aged 13 years, residing at Crewkerne.