Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1879-03-07 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

BORRIBLE MURDER NEAR ILMINSTER. The charred remains of an old man named Samuel Churchill, aged 83, were found on Tuesday afternoon on the floor of his cottage at Kn svle St Giles, and the circumstances under which the discovery was made lead to the belief that the man has been foully murdered. Churchill has lived in the pariah for many Tears peat, and, with his wife and mother-in-law, inhabited an isolated cottage, which was his own property. About 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning Churchill's wife called in a neighbour and told him that her husband bad fallen into the fire. An alarm was raised and one or two neighbours going kit° the cottage found the poor old man lying in front of the fire terribly burnt, and quite dead. Owing to cries of murder having been heard in the cottage several hours previously, the villagers suspected foul play, and sent for the police. About three o'clock in the afternoon Mr. Superintendent Gerity and Dr. Mun ien, of Ilminster, arrived, and an examination of the body was made. The back of the skull was entirely gone, having been burnt away. The right shoulder WAS nearly burut through, and when the body was ineved the right arm was hanging only by a hit of skin. There were some marks of deep cuts upon the back of the head, and two fingers of the left hand were bleeding, marks of cuts extending both across the head and on the fingers. The cuts on the bead were nearly obliterated by the fire, and it is conjectured that an attempt WAS made to burn the body. Large spots of blood were on the flor, and were distinctly braceable from the firei lace to the door, and about the kitchen. Tht police searched the house, and discovered a bill-hook stained with blood. The wife was afterwards apprehended and taken to the police station at Ilminster. Stains of Mood were found upon her dress. She was charged with the murder of her husband, but she denied it, saying" she Dever injured the man." She is 50 years of age, was her husband's second wife, and deceased was her second huaband. The man possessed some property. The mother-in-law lived in the house; but abs is nearly 90 years of age and bedridden.  The wife 1> ing the junior by nestrly 30 years we fear It is beyond dispute that their marriage life was not a happy one. It would appear from the drops of blood found near the fireplace tha:-, the poor old man tram first struck with the bill-hook, not so severely as to cause death, as there were marks of his baying proceeded fe an the fireplace to the door. Here he seems to have c' led "Murder," but that being at uncommon, no notice was taken. He would appear then to have staggered round the room and again to the fireplace, and sustained many blows, there being several cots on the head, but the back part was burnt. He might have fsllen on the fire, and his assailant finding the old man nearly dead, fled from the house. When the wife ultimately gave the alarm be had been dead several hours, and was quite cold. Yesterday (Weduesday) afternoon the Deputy. Chief Constable of Sum, net ( \fr. Bisgood) sod Mr. superintendent Gerity we e investigating the affair; and last evening sufficient evidence was forthcoming bo eonnect the woman with the tragedy.