The Sun. — 1839-02-16 (London, England)

LATE MURDER AT OTTER DEN, KENT.  APPREHENSION OF THE SUPPOSED  MURDERER. Yesterday morning, and also during the previous evening, an unusual degree of excitement prevailed throughout Somers' Town, owing to the fact of the supposed murderer of Mrs. Hannah Giles, of Otterden, Kent, having been apprehended and locked up in the S division stationhouse, situate in Phcanix-street. It will be remembered that the sanguinary deed was effected in the evening of the fd instant, at a short distance from the dwelling of the unfortunate female who was discovered lying dead on a heagtof soo: by the roadside, with a bulletwound in her left breast, and her throat cut in a most horrible manner from ear to ear. The sheath of a razor and a pocket pistol were found beside her, and, from inquiries subsequently made, it appeared that the weapon last alluded to had been sold by a blacksmith to a young man named Samuel Seeger, a shoemaker, between whom and the deceased an intimacy had formerly existed. Seeger, who suddenly absented himself from Otterden on the discovery of the murder was at once suspected to be the guilty party, and a:description of his person was accordingly advcrtized in the hue and Cry, with the offer cf a handsome reward for his apprehension. Harley, an active constable of the district in which the crime was perpetrated, and who has been unceasing in his exertions to secure Scagar, at length succeeded in his object, and on Wednesday evening took him into custody, at Coleshill, near Birmingham, to which place he travelled on foot, intending to obtain work on the Railway; ho seemed greatly agitated, and at first said that his name was Rogers, but afterwards admitted it to be Seeger; he denied all knowledge of the murder, and was locked up in the gaol for the night, in the course of which he made a desperate attempt to strangle himielf with his leather boot-laces. On the following morning he was brought up by the train to Euston-square, and conveyed by the constable to the station-house, in Phcenix-street, before referred to, where he was constantly watched, until, to prevent any further attempt upon his life, he was yesterday morning, at ten o'clock conveyed away in a cab, handcuffed, accompanied by Harley, his captor, who, without loss, of time took him off to Kent, by the Faversham coach. A considerable crowd of persons assembled round the station to witness his departure. The account voluntarily given by him respecting the pistol was, that he hid it behind• a hay-rick in the vicinity of Otterden. in consequence of his mother having threatened to throw it into the fire, and that he knew not by whom it could have been taken from the spot mentioned. His age is about 30, and his height 5 feet 5 inches ; he was dressed in a shooting jacket, black waistcoat, and drab corded trowsers, and his countenance by no means belikened a sanguinary disposition.  We have received from a friend in Leith, a notification which indicates a belief that there will speedily be a vacancy in the representation of the burghs. As there is no immediate chance of such a circumstance occurring, it appears to us quite unnecessary to enter on any subject which it would be of no practical use to discuss, except in the prospect of a speedy election.—Scots•nan.  •