He Slept Beside His Brother… Then Butchered Him With an Axe | The 1857 Maidstone Fratricide
News of the Times | Episode 561 | 1857
In March 1857, the quiet town of Maidstone was shaken by a killing so savage that even the local coroner faltered in describing it. Two brothers, one bed, one axe — and a brutal act that tore a working-class family apart.

By dawn, one son was dead.
The other… vanished into the woods.

Was it a calculated murder years in the making — or a sudden, frenzied explosion from a troubled mind? In this deeply atmospheric case, we follow the clues, the escape, the trial, and the chilling confession that came far too late.

🧠 Dark, grim, and threaded with questions of motive and madness — this is one of the most harrowing cases of fratricide we’ve ever covered.

🌙 Featuring:
Victorian domestic life, upended in an instant
A night of unspeakable violence
A courtroom filled with stifled grief

One of the most peculiar deathbed letters in our archive

💨 And in this week’s Further Particulars…
An enterprising gentleman decides to insure 1,000 cigars against fire. Then… he smokes every last one and tries to claim the lot. Because technically… they were destroyed by fire. 🔥💼

The result? A courtroom, a headache, and the swift death of optimism among underwriters.

👤 Narrated by Robin Coles 

📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 
🎞️ Long-form historical crime compilations: Final Sunday of every month 

📚 Related cases from the archive: 
1851: THE TOLLESBURY MURDER |  EP320
https://youtu.be/zAyZBTR87fE
1851: The Disturbing Case of Mary Emily Cage |  EP390
https://youtu.be/jvM8alfWztY
1851 & 1875: Cases of Double Black Widows |  EP464
https://youtu.be/k9YYxpoQ9Go
 
❤️ Support Independent History  
If you enjoy our ad-free, archive-based storytelling, help us keep the lantern lit:  
👉 **Patreon** – Full archive, early access, bonus compilations (and it keeps us independent):  
https://www.patreon.com/NewsOfTheTimesHistoricalCrime  

☕ Prefer a one-off thank-you? We LOVE a posh coffee indulgence! We tip our top hats:  
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

🕯 About the Channel  
We’re an independent team of historical researchers and narrators specialising in 18th to early 20th century Britis

 Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

 Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs. 

Grab it here: https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e

 Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes. 

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at [email protected]
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd