BRUTAL MURDER AT CHIGWELL ROW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8916, 3 December 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

BRUTAL MURDER AT CHIGWELL ROW.

Early on October 16 at Barkingside, Chigwell Row, Stratford, a horrible murder was committed, the victim being a young married woman well-known and much respected in the neighbourhood. The scene of the tragedy was a cot-

tage, forming one of the row known as Beat's cottages, Romford Road, Barkingside, which has been occupied for some time past by a James Mears Bodger (a gardener in the employ of Mr. F. Green, J.P., of Hainault), and his wife, Martha. Bodger went to work early, leaving his wife in bed, and when he left Joseph Morley, a blacksmith, was having his breakfast downstairs. Shortly after six o'clock loud screams was heard

issuing from Mrs. Bodger'a bedroom by James Briant, who lives next door. Briant hurried to where Bodger was at work, and told him that there was something the matter at home, and that he had better go back at orce. Bodger immediately returned, gained admission to the house by the back way, and on going upstairs he found his wife lying in a pool of blood with her head nearly severed from her body. Her baby, which was lying at her side, was covered with blood, but happily not in any way hurt. Morely, who is only 17 years of age, was subsequently arrested, and charged at the Stratford petty sessions with the murder. The husband of deceased was the first witness, and his evidence bore out the statement given | above. When he returned to the house with

Briant he said he found his wife laying across the bed covered with blood. She was in her nightdress. The witness said : After I went downstairs I saw that the door was just the same as it was when I went to work. It was shut, but not locked. It is a spring lock ; when you go out it locks the door, and you can't get in without a key. I told my neighbours she was murdered, and they said, " Oh, never," and asked, "Is the child dead ?" I then ran upstairs, and saw the little thing in the bed laughing at me. I took it away from its mother's arms. I saw that my wife was quite dead. The child was covered with blood. I took it into the next door neighboar's. The child was six months old. In further evidence the ! husband said that he afterwards went to the shop whereprisoner was employed, andcharged I him with having killed his wife. Prisoner replied, "No ; 1 did not, Jim." He had never had any reason to complain of prisoner's conduct. Inspector Saunders described the position in which he found the body of tho deceased. The head was nearly severed from the body. There were two outs on the fingers of the left band. The bed and floor were covered with blood, and there was every appearance of a struggle having taken place. Witness saw the accused standing on the road, and aaked him if he had committed tho murder. He replied, "No ; I don't know anything about it." Witness found a cut on one of his fingers, but prisoner said it was caused by a fall from a bicycle. Witness told him he must apprehend him, and he replied, "Very well; I suppose X must go." Subsequently blood spots were found on his shirt and on his coat. When charged at the station he made no reply. 'I he prisoner was remanded.