From the Kentish Gazette, 25 March 1845.

The directors of the Elham £50 burial Society held their quarterly meeting at the "Kings Arms" in on Wednesday last, when, on inspecting the accounts, it appeared that only one death had occurred during the last 12-months. Although this institution has been established 5-years, we are informed that they have been only 5 deaths during that period. It has not yet obtained its full number, but it is gradually increasing, 40 plus members having been admitted during the last year; and the scale of payments, in proportion to the age of the members, on entry, is so equitable, that there can be but little doubt of its future completion.

From the Kentish Gazette, 6 October 1846.

MURDERS AND SUICIDE.

On Wednesday great horror prevailed at Elham and the surrounding neighbourhood, distant a few miles from Canterbury on the Hythe road, by the discovery of the murder of a woman and her daughter, and the suicide of the perpetrator of the deed. Richard Bragg, a bricklayer, lived in a house occupied also by other persons, who, for same time past, had observed him in a low desponding way. At an early hour on Wednesday last while his wife was in bed with an infant by her side, he struck her several violent blows on the temple with a hammer which rendered her insensible, and then committed the like violence on their child five years old, which lay in a side bed, leaving an infant unhurt. He afterwards committed suicide by cutting his throat. The discovery was made by some blood running through the floor into an under room, when the chamber was opened, the suicide's dead body was found on the floor streaming in blood, and the mother and daughter in the agonies of death.

Mr. T. T. Delasaux, the coroner, summoned a jury in the afternoon at the "King's Arms," to enquire into the cause of the deaths.

The following evidence was adduced:-

William Jaggers, of Elham, schoolmaster, stated that he had lodged at the houae of the deceased about ten months. The family consisted of Bragg, his wife, and two children, the eldest a girl, aged about five years, and an infant, aged about four mouths. The conduct of the deceased man towards his wife and children had been most kind. He had frequently appeared low and melancholy during the last month. Witness went to bed about half-past ten last (Tuesday) night. The deceased, his wife, and children, had retired before that time. He did not hear any noise in the bedroom of the deceased. About half-past five in the (Wednesday) morning he heard something heavy full on the floor in the chamber of the deceased; shortly before which he believed he heard the wife of the deceased groaning. About five o'clock, he heard a person call the deceased by the name of Sharruck, and he believed he heard him answer. The wife continued to groan, and for some time the groans continued louder, appearing to be at a greater distance. About six o'clock witness got up and dressed himself, and on looking out of the window saw a little girl knocking at the front door. He went down stairs and opened the door, but the child was gone. He then discovered some blood lying on the floor of the foreroom, which is under the chamber of the deceased, and on looking up he perceived more coming through the ceiling. He thereupon called Mrs. Quested, desiring her to go and open the bedroom door of the deceased. He occupied a sitting room and bed room in the same house. He had seen in the washhouse of the deceased a hammer similar to that produced; it had been used for breaking up coals. The wife of the deceased was a quiet well conducted woman.

Ann, the wife of Richard Quested, blacksmith, stated that at about half past six this morning, she was called by last witness, and went to the bedroom of the deceased, and saw the deceased lying on the floor, covered with blood. The bed was also saturated with blood, and she heard the infant cry.

Richard Foreman, carpenter, deposed, that for about the last six weeks deceased had been low and melancholy. He saw him last evening at his own house, and remained with him about three quarters of an hour. He was then low spirited, and complained of two or three things as annoying. He always appeared very fond of his wife and children, and behaved affectionately towards them. He stated he had not lived a good life, and he feared there was no mercy for him. During the last six weeks he had attended at chapel more frequently, sometimes on a week day.

James Bragg, bricklayer, brother to deceased, examined:— Deceased had laboured under a depression of spirits for the last month. Was at work with him about three weeks ago; he was then strange in his conversation, and different from what he had been in the habit of being.

Clement Riches, bricklayer, of Elham, deposed to the same effect.
Richard Vidgen, hairdresser, identified the razor produced as having belonged to the deceased, and which he set eight weeks ago.

Sarah, the wife of James Bragg, deposed to deceased's spirits having been much depressed for the last six weeks, but from what cause she did not know. The depression of spirits commenced at the period he left off going to church, and attending chapel. She was one of the first to enter the bedroom that morning after the deed, and found a razor covered with blood, lying in a chair. She took the infant from the bed, the mother being perfectly insensible and groaning. The other child was also groaning, and was covered with blood; she was lying in a side-bed. The man was lying on the floor quite dead.

George Gale, tailor, corroborated the last witness. He also saw the razor now produced lying in the chair, and the hammer on the floor near the deceased.

James Beattie, surgeon, of Elham, had been sent for to the house that morning. The throat of the deceased man was cut. His wife was in the agonies of death, her head being covered with blood. On entering the room, he saw on the left hand a large pool of blood, and near it the hammer produced. He found, on examination, that the right temple bone was fractured protruding through the skin, and the other end forced into the brain, which was consequently exposed. Further injuries on the head and face were also perceptible, and the right eye was destroyed. Blood was flowing from the temporal artery. The injuries, which were the cause of death, appeared to have been inflicted by a blunt instrument, like the hammer, and by a right handed person. He believed the first blow must have rendered her insensible. He found the left temple and left mallor bone of Ellen Bragg the child, fractured, with a large lacerated wound over the mallor bone—which injuries were sufficient to have caused death, and were, doubtless, inflicted by a heavy instrument like the hammer. The child, who was insensible, died about eight o'clock.

The jury having heard the evidence, returned verdicts that the deceased, Sharruck Richard Bragg, committed suicide while labouring under insanity; and that he killed and slayed Mary Bragg, his wife, and Ellen, his daughter, while in that state of unsound mind, and that, therefore, the act was not felonious.