By Isle of Wight Observer
This gruesome entry about a cold-blooded murder in Southampton appeared in the Isle of Wight Observer published on 20th October 1855. It clearly appalled Islanders.
SHOCKING MURDER AT SOUTHAMPTON.
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The most determined and dreadful murder which perhaps was ever perpetrated at Southampton occurred on Sunday morning during the hours of Divine service, at the house of the Rev. Mr. Poynder, of 1, Moira-place; Naomi Kingswell, a fine girl of about 23 years of age, was deliberately murdered by a fellow-servant named Abraham Baker. It appears that the deceased, together with Baker, had lived as servants in the family for about five months, being previously known to each other in the Isle of Wight. During their stay in Moira-place an intimacy was noticed by others in the house to exist between them, and it was evidently intended that they should shortly be married. Some little time since, however, it is said, Baker was guilty of an act which caused great offence to the deceased, – in short, so annoyed was she at his conduct that, after informing him of it, she told him she would no longer receive him as a suitor. Baker, however, persisted most positively that the whole story was untrue, and continued to renew his previous attentions, which the unfortunate deceased as determinedly refused. On Sunday morning, about 1 o’clock, while Kingswell and another female servant were in the kitchen occupied in the duties of the house, Baker came behind the deceased, and, placing a loaded pistol at the back of her ear, deliberately blew her brains out, killing her on the spot. The ball passed completely through the back part of her head. An alarm was immediately raised by the other servant, who at once rushed to the front door in a state of the greatest alarm, and, a policeman having arrived, the murderer was taken into custody, and lodged in the police-station. As soon as Baker had murdered his victim he remained perfectly still, and never attempted in the slightest degree to make his escape or excuse himself for his horrible conduct.
[…]
Upon searching the prisoner a wedding ring was found in one of his pockets, which leads to the conclusion that had it not been for the quarrel the deceased and Baker would shortly have been married.
[…]
The murderer and his victim were both of the Isle of Wight and well known here.