The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1893-05-27 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MYSTERY.  A tragedy:', has been discovered at Rochford (a small market town four miles from Southend), where the body of a dressmaker, named Emma Hunt, aged 38, has been found in a brook with her throat cut. It seems that at a quarter to five on Saturday evening a young labourer, named Alfred Hazell, was walking through a meadow at Roch ford known as "The Wilderness," and when about 300 yards from the church he saw the body of a woman lying in a small brook, which runs across the path way and which is traversed by foot-passengers by means of stepping-stones. He lifted the woman, who was still living, out of the water, when he was horrified to discover that she had a deep gash in her throat, a wound on the right hand, and several bruises on the face. He called for assistance, and two railway porters came. Inspector Chase, of the Essex Constabulary, was then sent for, but before his arrival the woman expired. The body was at once removed to the mortuary at Rochford, and examined by Dr. James, medical officer at the infirmary, who expressed the opinion that the injuries could not have been self-inflicted, as the woman had a somewhat extensive bruise on the back of her right hand, and there were indications of a struggle having taken place, an umbrella belonging to the deceased having been broken at the handle. Near to where the body was found, however, the brook deepens considerably, and the weapon might have been thrown in and washed away. The police thus far have only been able to disoover that one man, in addition to the youth Hazen, was in the neighbourhood at the time of the;occurrence. Superintendent Hawtree, of the Essex Constabulary, stationed at Sorthend, has stated that he believed that the case was one of suicide. He stated that on a search being made at the house in which t.,e woman lived, a letter, written in pencil, the contents of which he could not make public before the inquest, was found. It was written by the deceased, and showed that at the time of writing her mind must have been unhinged. He further stated that she has a son aged fifteen, who is an apprentice at Messrs. Harris's, the Ron Marche, Southend. Mrs. Hunt visited her son a  few days ago, and seemed much affected before parting. She told him that when he came home on Sunday morning he would find a black suit of clothes waiting for him, and that he would require them. On Sunday a new black suit of clothes, tied up in a parcel, was found at Mrs. Hunt's residence at North-s:reet, Rochford. For some time, the superintendent added, Mrs. Hunt had acted in a strange manner, and a witness would be called at the inquest who would prove that he saw Mrs. Hurt running round a pond in a frenzied condition a fortnight ago. The bruise on the hand might, the superintendent supposed, have been caused by the woman falling on one of the stepping-stones, as when found the hands were clenched and raised near to the throat. A fall on one of the stones would cause this bruise. With regard to the motive for the deed, it is statel that the deceased woman had become greatly depressed of late in consequence ot the breaking-off of a marriage engagement. Her former husband has been dead seven years, and Mrs. Hunt, it was rumoured, was expecting to be married again shortly. An inquiry was held at Rochford on Tuesday.— Alfred Hazell, a groom, gave evidence as to finding the deceased on Saturday in a brook. She was lying face downwards Witness went into the water to rescue her, and then saw that her throat was out. This sight so "overcame" him that he could not bola her and she dropped again at the side of the brook. He then went off to give information—John Bird, a signalman, deposed that he received information from Hazell that a woman had been murdered in the Wilderness. When witness got to the Wilderness he found a woman sitting in the water with her back up against the bank. She had no hat or bonnet on, and she was bleeding freely from the throat. He looked about, but could find no rarer or knife. Deceased groaned and held her arms out. It seemed to witness that a struggle had occurred— deceased's hat and umbrella were lying in different places, the umbrella being broken. The whole appearance of the ground suggested a struggle.— Dr. James stated there were bruises on deceased's face, and traces of several cute. The cut throat was the cause of death. He was of opinion that the wounds were not self-inflicted, and Drs. Murray and Deeming agreed with him.—The inquiry was adjourned for a fortnight.