The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1852-02-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

HORTICULTURE.  MURDERS IN SURREY, SUSSEX, SOMERSETSHIRE, AND MONMOUTHSHIRE.  MURDER OF A CHILD BY ITS STEPFATHER.—An atrocious crime has just been brought to light, at Aldbury, near Guildford, in Surrey, which has created a strong sensation 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 authorities 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 cirreceive such protection as they require against sudden cumstances. Keene, however, denied the facts, and perchanges 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 unforThis 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