September 26th: details of the objects found

South Wales Echo, 26^th September, 1893.

Murder Near Bath.

A Mysterious Affair.

Horrible Discovery in a Cavern.

The Coroner’s Inquiry.

Remarkable Disclosures.

Little further light has yet been thrown upon what is known as the Bath “mystery.” The cave in Hampton Rocks in which the body was found is situated in a picturesque retreat, the entrance being so small and so concealed that it is not surprising the corpse was not seen earlier. The remains, when found by some boys, were reduced to a skeleton, fragments of clothing being attached and the bones of one foot enclosed ina shoe. A serious fracture of the skull, from which cracks radiated in several directions, had a terrible significance. An examination of the teeth showed that the deceased woman must have been young. The skeleton has been removed to an inn at Bathampton, and yesterday Bath detectives and police were busy with investigations. No person is said to have been missed from the neighbourhood, but attention has been directed to the fact that two years ago a pair of bloodstained cuffs, with links attached, were found (as stated in the Echo yesterday) in the locality. Inquiry elicited that they were picked up with a small gold watch and chain and a bloodstained handkerchief, the latter bearing the name “A.H. Kerry.” The finder, instead of communicating with the police, raffled the watch, which has been traced in Bath. The handkerchief and cuffs have been recovered from the finder, and a somewhat singular circumstance is that they have never been washed. There were no links in the cuffs when handed to the police. The watch chain has not yet come to light. The articles found have been obviously worn by a lady, and the handkerchief, which appears to have been saturated with blood, is edged round with embroidery an inch wide. The number of the watch is 57,080, and the case is of 14 carat gold. No trace of money or ornaments of any kind was, it may here be stated, found with the remains.

Large numbers of people visited the neighbourhood of the cave yesterday and one visitor told a strange tale. He said that some months previously his son came home and said he had been into a small cave on the down and had seen the face of a corpse. No credence, so ran the tale, was attached to the story, which was believed to be a boy’s yarn, but it was frequently mentioned, and yesterday the boy is said to have gone up and pointed out the cave to his parent. The murderer, it is considered, must have killed his victim in or near this spot, rifled her pockets perhaps, and afterwards dragged the body into the hole feet foremost. It is thought probable that he first hid the corpse in a less secluded place, and after an interval conveyed it into the cave, perhaps during the night.

The Inquest To-day.

Mr Craddock, County Coroner, opened an inquest at Bathampton, near Bath, to-day, on the remains of the woman found last week in a cavern at Hampton Rocks.The Coroner, in commencing the proceedings, said it was evident that a horrible and villainous murder had been perpetrated, and he asked the jury to devote a patient investigation to the case in order, if possible, that the murderer might be brought to justice.

Evidence was first given by Cecil Brand, son of Commander Brand, as to the accidental discovery of the remains. The police-sergeant who removed the remains was next called.

William Henry Dill, describing himself as an accountant, then deposed two years ago, in the summer time, he found a woman’s blood-stained handkerchief and cuffs on Hampton Down. One cuff was on the edge of a disused quarry, several feet deep, in the cave of which the body was discovered, and the other cuff and handkerchief were in some nettles just below. A gold watch and chain were near the first cuff. Witness, continuing, said he showed the cuffs and handkerchief to a constable, who attended the inquest to-day, but this the constable referred to denied. Witness, continuing, said he kept the watch and chain, hoping a reward would be offered. Some time after he found a broken walking stick (produced) in another part of the down.

Dr Charles Harper, who had examined the remains, said they were those of a young woman, from 19 to 21 years of age and about 5ft. 2in. in height. There was a large fracture of the skull, which could only have been effected by terrible violence. One foot was dislocated. He conjectured that the woman was thrown into the quarry and that she was either killed by the fall or was just killed on the edge and then thrown down and dragged into the cave. On the band of her underlinen was the name Kerry, corresponding with the name on the handkerchief found.

The Coroner adjourned the inquiry until Oct. 25^th.