The Sun. — 1861-07-22 (London, England)

FRIGHTFUL NU.RDER.  On Friday afternoon, between one and two o'clock, a frightful and evidently premeditated murder was committed at New Barns, a hamlet within the parish of Town Melling, Kent. From inquiries made upon the spot we are enabled to give the particulars of the sad occurrence. About 17 years since a farm labourer named John Atkins married at Brenchley, in this county, a very respectable young woman, the daughter of a sawyer named Walker, living with her parents at Mile Oak. The husband shortly after the marriage behaved very strangely, and was exceedingly jealous of his wife, but, so far as we can learn, without the slightest cause. They moved about from place to place solely in consequence of the jealousy of the husband; and some three or four months since they-came to reside in one of three cottages on the estate of Mr. James Graham, New Barns, Atkins being employed on the estate of that gentleman. Here the husband appears to have behaved most brutally, from time to time, to his unfortunate wife. His fellow-workmen, knowing his foible, were constantly in the habit of what is familiarly termed " chaffing" Atkins, who would go home and beat his wife and turn her out of doors. Mrs. Atkins was the mother of 13 children, of whom only three are surviving. She was confined with her last child about nine or ten weeks since, tut fortunately the infant did not live. Three weeks ago the man had been plagued by the other workmen, and he went home and ill-used his wife, tearing successively no fewer than three dresses from her person, and at length turned her out of doors-and threw a quantity of water over her. As usual, she sought refuge with her neighbours. On Friday afternoon Atkins was in his cottage con• versing with his wife and a neighbour. He seemed in a jocular mood, and playfully pinched his wife's cheek, with the observation, " You know you have! You are a bad woman." The neighbour went into her own house and upstairs to dress ; at the same time the only inmate of Atkins's cottage (excepting himself and wife), their youngest child, a girl, was upstairs putting on her shoes. Hearing her mother scream out, the child ran down, when she saw her father holding his wife by one hand, and in the other brandishing a pocketknife. The girl at once ran to the neighbonr'shouse and called for assistance, but could not get in, the door being fastened. The unfortunate woman the 1)1 was next seen to rush from her house to the ofdoo.eeir(hig neighbour, to which she clung. She was In the profusely from the throat. The husbandbreutaolor. followed her and dragged her fromhthourd a woman meantime Mrs. Smith, the neig b nearly 70 years of age, beingthe evident intention much 'frightened', came out of her cottage, way if she interfered laTeitoliasosistance, but the husbandof going to Mrs. Atkins' assistance, face, threatening ort distance down the brandished the kniaf to serve her in the same opposite the cottages, closely enable throu h • g a gap in were lane,M r s Atkinsand managed staggeredel tdo ospcpr husband. Here the parties struggling together, and here was consummated. Atkins then, the pursued dg eby into thea fi pur the fearful cram© seen by unfortunate woman in the leaving the wipe upfield, not turned to his cotta e quite dead, of ...rg , took his wife's returned to the door a little boy where and wen the blood. He NI .9. Ridley% cottage, ndeavoured to be e then went indoors, locking the door after him. The alum, however, had been given and the house was I'