From the Kentish Gazette, 22 August 1848.

HEADCORN. Suicide By Poison.

An inquest was held on the 11th inst., at the "King’s Arms," before W. T. Neve, Esq., deputy coroner, on the body of Ellen Kemp, aged 23, who died from the effects of poison.

Julia Williams, of Headcorn, spinster, deposed that the deceased lived in the service of her father, and was pretty well until the previous Wednesday evening, between nine and ten o'clock, when she appeared very faint. Witness soon afterwards saw her upstairs to bed, and gave her some gruel, and deceased requested her to leave the room while she drank it. Witness returned in about ten minutes afterwards, and found deceased very sick. She remained with her some time. Hearing her groan, witness went to her about three o’clock in the morning, and found her in great pain, and asked her if she should send for medical assistance, and deceased replied nothing would do her any good. She remained with her some time, and as deceased seemed disposed to go to sleep, left her. Witness went to her about seven in the morning and found her dead. Deceased was very dull and silent on Wednesday, and remarked upon the robins’ twitting, and said it was a sure sign of death, and she was sure some one in the house would die or be sick.

Mr. D Skinner, of Headcorn, surgeon, deposed:— He was called to see deceased about seven o'clock, and she appeared to have been dead about two hours. Witness made a post mortem examination, and found the bowels much inflamed, in his opinion from irritant poison. On searching, he found arsenic under the pillow, and also a bottle containing bitter almonds. Witness had known deceased for several years, and she was sent to Bedlum Hospital about three years ago.

Joseph Wyard, grocer, deposed:— Deceased came to his shop on Wednesday morning about breakfast time, and asked for two pennyworth of arsenic; at first he refused to serve her (being a stranger), when she said it was for Miss Williams, and it was to destroy rats and mice, and asked if witness bought bottles, and produced two with the name of Miss Williams on them. Witness then served her with one ounce of arsenic, and put a printed label of "Poison" on the paper. She asked how to use it. Witness told her to mix it with lard and he did not observe anything strange in her manner, on the contrary, she was very chatty.

Verdict:— "Poisoned herself while insane."

Kentish Gazette, 5 March 1850.

HEADCORN.

On Friday last a meeting of hop growers and farmers took place at the "King’s Arms Inn" (Mr. Viney, chairman), at which it was unanimously resolved to forward petitions to the House of Commons for a reduction of the duty on hops to 1d. per lb., and for a revision of the Tithe Commutation Act, in consequence of the reduction in the prices of corn.