Diss Family History Group

“SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN A SUFFOLK VILLAGE.”
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WOMAN MURDERED NEAR HER OWN HOUSE.
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MAN CHARGED ON SUSPICION
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[SUBJECT OF ILLUSTRATION]

At Wortham (Suffolk), on Saturday night, a young woman named Dixon, the wife of a pork butcher, left home about ten o’clock to fetch the supper beer from the public-house across the village green. She did not return, and when search was made, after two o’clock in the morning, her dead body was found in a watercourse on the green. Her throat was cut, and there were severe wounds about the head. A young man is in custody on suspicion of being connected with the death, and another arrest is talked of. The deceased woman leaves six small children.

On Monday, at the Hartismere Police Court, held at Eye, Suffolk, George Nunn, nineteen, described as a labourer, residing with his parents at Wortham Long Green, Suffolk, was charged on suspicion with the murder of Eliza Dixon, thirty-two, a married woman, residing at Wortham Long Green, late on Saturday night. Prisoner was remanded pending further inquiries.

Inquiries made at Wortham on Monday show that the crime is of the most atrocious character.

There is no apparent reason for the act. The victim (Mrs. Dixon) was the wife of a pork butcher and dealer. On Saturday night, shortly before ten o’clock, she left her house to go to a neighbouring public-house for the supper beer. She ordered a glass of stout to drink, and as this was being served prisoner came up and paid for it without invitation. Mrs. Dixon soon afterwards left the premises.

As she has not returned home at eleven o’clock her husband became alarmed, and went to the Dolphin in order to see if she had remained there.

Failing to find her there, a search was made by the husband and neighbours, and soon after two o’clock on Sunday morning Mrs. Dixon’s body was found at a spot on the green near the watercourse, and about midway between her house and the Dolphin. The body was shockingly hacked about, as if a blunt knife had been used, and in addition to wounds on nearly every portion of the lower body, the throat was cut almost from ear to ear. There were signs of a severe struggle, showing that the deceased had fought hard for life before the fatal wound was inflicted.

Police-Inspector Taylor and other officers were summonded, and these, after the body had been removed to await the inquest, visited the house of the accused, not far from the scene of the crime. He denied all knowledge of the tragedy or of the movements of Mrs. Dixon after she left the Dolphin, stating that he left there before she did, and almost immediately after he had paid for her glass of stout.

On an examination being made, however, by the police officers, patches of wet, indicative of recent washing, were found upon the clothes worn by Nunn on the Saturday night; stains were found on his wrist, and bloodstains were found upon a knife belonging to him, notwithstanding that apparent efforts had been made to wash it.

Nunn persisted in his denial of any knowledge of the crime, but later he was arrested on suspicion.

The police believe that another person is concerned in the murder, and are engaged in making diligent inquiries with a view to effecting a second arrest.

At present no motive can be assigned for the terribly tragic affair. The idea of robbery is scouted, as a considerable sum of money, representing the day’s takings in the business, was found in the deceased’s pocket.

The general opinion is that the deceased was attacked for the purpose of criminal assault, and that her assailants, failing to carrying out their designs, murdered her.