Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1881-05-20 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

BRUTAL MURDER.  A shocking murder has been eltami'ed at Eltham Kent, by a man named Hunt, a native of Crewkerne, aged 31, residing at 1, Bathurst-place, Eitham, employed as a labourer at the sewer works at Prickend, Chiselhurst West, a short distance from Camden House, late the residence of the Empress Eugenie. On Saturday afternoon after receiving his wages, he was met at Chisel. burst 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 over a dog he had, she accusing him of loving the dog more than he did her. This appears to have aroused his ant.rer, and he 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 he ivy boot kicked her at the back of the head, behind the ear, with such force that she 4lied in a few minutes. A man pa sing at the time gave information of what had occurred to a police-sergeant who was on patrol duty along the road, and who galloped to the spot where the woman was lying lifeless. took Hunt, who was staiding by, into custody, and conveyed him to the residence of Police-sergeant Thomas Hawkins, who resi les at Brentwood Cottages, near the Beehive. Leaving him in the custody of that officer, he rode with all speed into Eltham for Dr. Ford, who resides next the policestation, and returned to the spot where the woman was lying. The dodtor, 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 die I must suffer for," which he repeated several times, adding "I'd sooner be hung than 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 wa3 'told by the Sergeant he had better ask ft* c..ne police station. He was taken by Sergeant. Liawkins to the police station, and on Inspecter. rrYl.ce proceeding to fill up the charge-sheet reking pun Ms name, .he said "I have .e no name; I enipted for a soldier ~„112--,,01 my name for a shilling. Is it right st)tift -aaad?" The inspector told him he had better kit down +mad remain quiet until the doctor arrived. He shortly alierwards- said "Can I go and see that woman ; you knew that I should like to see her. I should not care of! got 15 years if she is living." A post 77*rtem 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. The prisoner was charged at the Woolwich police-court on Monday afternoon with the murder. The medical evidence showed that death resulted from effusion of blood on the brain, and prisoner was remanded till Wednesday.