Kentish Gazette, 30 December 1851.

Dartford. Fatal Accident.

On Saturday evening Inst two men called at the "Railway Tavern" beer-shop, Overy-street, and had something to drink; while there one of the men, who was intoxicated, became ill; he drank a little vinegar and afterwards seemed better; he shortly afterwards left the house and proceeded towards the town; at a late hour at night he was seen to go in company with a female in the direction of the Railway Bridge, near the Priory, when it is supposed he walked too near the edge of the embankment, and was precipitated to the bottom, a distance of from fifteen to twenty feet, where he was afterwards found a corpse. The body was removed to the Union. The name of the deceased is Alexander Read, of Whitby, a sailor belonging to a collier called the "Lavinia," of Stockton, now lying in Long Reach. The result of numerous inquiries enables us to give the following facts:—

He was in company with, and last seen by, a fellow-shipmate, whose name is John Smith, belonging to the same ship, on Saturday night last, about a quarter before twelve o'clock. He states that they had left their ship and came ashore that evening. They called in at the "Eleven Cricketers," at Dartford, on Saturday night last before twelve, in company with a girl of the town, whom they treated, and afterwards called for half a pint of rum each, which the landlord, at their request, put into two ginger-beer bottles, in order to take it away with them. They then all three left together, when as they were about leaving the house, another girl of the town, (who has since absconded and cannot be heard of, although every search has been made), accosted the deceased, and after holding a few minutes conversation, the two parties separated, the deceased going one way with the girl who had just come up to him, and Reed with the girl they had been already in company with. His shipmate states that he saw nor heard nothing more of him till eight o'clock the next morning, when he heard that he was dead. He had been looking about for him all night, in order that they might join their ship together.

The girl the deceased was with, it appears, met a young man of the name of Nettlingham, of Dartford, who was returning from the club, about half-past twelve o'clock on the Sunday morning, in Avery-street, which leads down to the railway, and also to Fulwich Bridge which crosses the railway. She told him that a young man whom she had just been with had fallen down a cutting near the above bridge, and she was afraid he was killed, and asked Nettlingham to go and see about him. He said he would if she would accompany him, which she at first refused to do, but afterwards consented. She told Nettlingham where she was lodging. They then proceeded to the bottom of the street which the railway intersects, and proceeded along the line of railway to the spot in question, where they found the body of the unfortunate deceased, apparently dead, lying at the foot of the cutting.

Nettlingham then proceeded further along the railway to the lodge of the railway gatekeeper for assistance, which was the crossing to Cotton Farm. The girl wanted to accompany him, but he told her that she bad better stay where she was, as he would be back in a few minutes. Having called the gatekeeper up, they proceeded back to where the body was, but found that the woman was gone. They then went on into Dartford to give information to police-constables Lillywhite and Hickey, who were on night duty in the town. The police immediately went for medical assistance (Mr. Fisher’s assistant,) and afterwards the five all went together in company to the spot where the body was lying. On coming up to the deceased, they found him lying on the left side, his face turned partially on the ground, with his left arm bent under him, blood oozing from the nostrils, and his neck broken, and, of course, life quite extinct.

On the medical man stating that he was dead, the police proceeded at once to search him, when they found upon him the ginger-beer bottle containing the rum (or a portion of it,) 2s. 6d. in silver, and 8d. in copper, and some tobacco. They also examined his dress, and found that it was not disordered in the least. After which they proceeded to remove the body to the union house. The police then went to the lodging house where she stated to Nettlingham she was living, and knocked up the landlord, and then made inquiries for her, but they found she had not been in. This was about three o'clock in the morning. They have subsequently made every search for her, but she is not to be found in the town of Dartford.

Southeastern Gazette, 27 September 1853.

Suicide.

A most determined act of suicide was committed on the night Monday, by a woman named Martha Russell, a widow, between thirty and forty years of age, lodging in Avery-street. About twelve o’clock on Monday night a man named John Draper, who was going towards his own home, saw the deceased jump into the mill pond under the viaduct of the railway. He gave information at the "Railway Tavern," and Mr. Haines, who resides there, at once informed police-constables Lillywhite and White, whom he found on duty in the High-street of the town, in conversation with superintending-constable Brandon, and they all immediately proceeded to the spot pointed out by the man, and having procured the drag from the Phoenix mills and a boat, after dragging an hour they found the body of the deceased about twenty yards from the place where she jumped in, which was very deep. Having placed her upon a truck, they took the body to the union-house, and called up the medical officer (Mr. Westwood), who found that life was quite extinct. The deceased's bonnet and cap were found in the road close to the bridge, from which the deceased must have precipitated herself. An inquest was held on the body before C. J. Cart tar, Esq., coroner, at the union-house, when Thomas Oliver stated that the deceased had lodged with him since March last, till within a few days. In consequence of the intemperate habits of the deceased, witness told her that he did not wish her there any longer. The wife of Mr. Oliver was also examined, and after the production of other evidence, a verdict of "Temporary insanity" was returned.