The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-02-08 00:00:00

THE GREAT CORAM-STREET MURDER.

TERMINATION ON THE INQUEI,T.

The closing sitting of the inquest upon the body of
Harriet Haswell was held on Monday, before Dr. Laa-
kester. There was a complete absence of interest in
these closing proceedings, and it seemed to be generally
known that there was nothing fresh to come before the
Court. except a letter from the Government respecting
Dr. Ilessel.
On this occasion Mr. T. MuUrns, of the firm of
Messrs. It. and 'l'. Mullene, Cheapatle, attended for
Dr. Hemel, and Mr. Superintendent Thomson for the
Commissioners of Police.
The Coroner on opening the proceedings said that
as, on the last occasion, evidence was taken identify-
ing Dr. Helsel as the man who wan with the de-
ceased on the eve of the murder, it was right that
rebutting evidence should be heard.
Mr. Ernest Kroll, the proprietor of the hotel
bearing his name at 15, America-square, City, was
called, and said :—I remember Sunday, the 22nd of
Decetuber last, when Dr. limes, and his wife arrived,
I rooms having been ordered by telegraph. He went out
on the 23rd with his wife for a drive, and on coming
home complained of la ing ill. lie went directly to
his bed. I saw no mole of him until the 24th,
when he came down at about seven ti'clock in the
evening, and remained until eleven o'clock. Lam quite
certain this wan the 24th. He went in and out of my
room, for we had a Christmas tree, and he came to see
it. Dr. Hemel went to bed at eleven o'clock, and
shortly afterwards the house was closed, the keys being
kept by myself, or Christian, my servant. I sat up
tilt half-past one o'clock. The witness then gave the
detailed evidence taken before the magistrate as to no
one going out, and he further said,—l can say on my
oath that this gentleman never left my house between
the 23rd and the 2Eth of December. Ile alwm 0 wore
the same clothes, and his boots were short side-springs
and patent leather.
Christian earalet, waiter at Kroll's Hotel, odd he
remembered Sunday, the 22nd, when Dr. Hesse', Ms
wife, and others came to the hotel, and he generally
deposed to the same effect as the previous witness in
regard to the movements of Dr. Hessed in the hotel.
He likewise gave the same evidence given before the
magistrate at Bow street, the purport of which SVIMI that
he was sure Dr. Hensel was in the honse the whole of
Christmas-eve and Christmas morning, and that he did
not go out, and could not have gone out.

After this teetimony had been taken, the Coroner
sugge.ted that Mr. Thomson eh ,uld give eviden e as
to what hod occurred before the magistrate at Bow-
street; but that gentleman said that he woe absent
when the magiArate discharged Dr. Heiael. It wee
stall hell necessary that evidence should be given as to
the proctedings before the magistrate, and Mr.
Mullens volunteere I to be sworn at a witness, en I
dm, make the d.positions comptete. lie teatitied to
the facts which have been la;d before the public, and
rep ale,' to the Court what the magistrate had said in
discharging Dr. Hemel from custody. Mr. Mulletis
added that he had a great pleasure in sta•ing that the
Government had volunteered to pay the casts of Dr.
lietasel and to provide the necestary funds to pay the
passage fares to Brazil for Dr. and Mrs. Ileasel. The
letter he had received was as follows

"Tremor), Fell 1, 1873
"Sir,-1 am directed by Mr. Gladstone to state to you that
tier Majesty's Government will be prepared, under the ex-
ceptionst circunistaucel of the apprehension and examina-
tion of your client, Dr. Hemel, to deli iy the reasonable costa
incurred in his defence, and also to provide the ni cress.
funds for the paresie fares to Brazil of Dr. mid Mrs. Hemel.
lam forther &mire d by Mr. Gladstone to request you to ex-
pre s to Dr. Heusi his sympathy for the painful position in
which he has been placed.
"I am, Sir, our °beUjd sry
•'B,. Mullein, Eiq," "F. CAVENI.isit

The Coroner then proceeled to sum op, and pre-
faced his remarks by declaring his opinion that all the
evidence the police had given was necessary. He then
dwelt upon the peculiar horror of the crime, and said
the facts seemed to indicate that the DWI who com-
mitted the murder—for murder it undoubtedly was--
was familiar with the woman. That man wis not Dr.
tlessel, and it only remained for the jury to return a
verdict of murder against a person uukwisen, for there
could be no doubt that only one person was concerned
in the crime.

After a short conferenee the jury returned, through
their foreman, the verdict that Harriet Buswell was
wilfully murdered on the 25th of December by some
person or persons unknown, and they likewise desired
to express their regret that Dr. Meisel should have
been sujected to so much resin and lose as he hal suf-
fere I. They were pleased that the Government had
adopted the course it had, as shown in the letter re-
ceived by Mr. Mullin,. In regard to the con luct of
the police in bringing forward all classes of evidence,
the jury considered that thanks were due to Mr. 11 im-
son for laying this evidence before them, as it was all
necessary in the endeavour to discover the motive and
author i 4 the ci ime.
The Court was then formally dissolved.

The public will receive with great satisfaction the
announcement that the Government will defray the
costs of Dr. Heariel'e defence and pay the passage of
Mrs. Hemel and himself to their origival destination in
BraziL This small amends for a great wrong is valuable
as a national and official apology, rat her than for its mere
money value. It in at least a recognition by the It ire-
rernment of our duty to do all that can be done to
restore Dr. Meese' to the position he occupied before
his unfortunate arrest (remarks the Daily Nero). This
timely action of the Government does not render it the
leas desirable that a handsome sum should be raised
by voluntary contributions, as some small compensa-
tion for his sufferings in prison. That • man of culture
and refinement could be subjected to such hard-
ships for more than a week; that he could even
be imprisoned for no long a time on such slight grounds
of suspicion as were det riled in the evidence for the
prosecution, while the facts of his no rot i• inclusive
defence were all kLown to the police, is a heavy blow
to the public sense of personal security and freedom.
The nation acknowledgee the wrong done to Dr. Hemel
by reimbursing him hie expenses; and it now remains
to give him such compensation for his sufferings as
shall always canoe the painful rec Alection of them to
be associated with the compensating satisfaction which
a large and wide expression of respect and sympathy
will give.
Dr. Hessel, since his release from custody, has been
residing at ' Kroll's " Itotel, in America-square, and has
now almost recovered from the effects of the Men,
ceration to which he was subjected. He still suffers
somewhat from a bronchial affection superinduced
by exposure to coil and want of rent, and he states
that his hands have not yet lost the numbness
which was caused by the low temperature of his
cell, hut otherwise he is strong and well, while
he appears to have suffered remarkably little in sin d its
from mental trouble. It is not no, however, with his
devoted wife. Mrs. Hensel, racked by torturing
auxiety, scarcely ate or slept during her bushaters im-
prisonment, and now that the tension of the strain hi
over, the revulsion is leaving the poor lady's nervous
system in a sadly depressed and shattered condition.
It is hoped, nevertheless, that Mrs. Heesel will have
sufficiently recovered to render it possible that in a
week's time her husband and herself can leave Eng-
land by steamer fir Bahia, at which port, in that
event, they will arrive before the Wangerland, which
is to touch there on her voyage to the colony
of Monr, her ultimate ch stirustion_ lhs3...esseal.fe
persona(narrative of the trouble which he has under-
gone is characterised by extreme moderation. He
would have it distinctly understood that be does not
c ,mplain of any exceptional rigour manifested toward
himself individually. On the contrary, he speaks in
warm terms of the kindness and consideration shown
to him by every official concerned in the administration
of the eystem under which he has endured sufferings
S. Severe and FO protracted, Of that system, continues
the Daily News, it may occur to the reader that a con-
demnation stronger than could be expressed either in
argument or denunciation will be found in the fol.
lowing plain, unvarnished record taken from his own
I; s
DR. HESSEL'S NARRATIVE.

" After returning to Margate, from our visit to London.
Mr. Hesse' lived at the " Hotel, Ramsgate; but I
went, on board the Wangerlund, for hotel living was too
dear, and I did not Wle4 to live apart from my emi _fronts,
who did not feel satisfied without my presence. It was on
the Saturday afternam that Mr. Buss, the superintendent of
the Ranagate police, came on board the Wenger/and, and
arrested my friend Wohlebe for the murder. The captain
arid myself accompanied him on shore to the Town-hall,
but we retries ed on board the same night Next day
(Sunday) I came on shore at nine in the morning hut
was not allowed to see my friend. At one the witnesses
arrived from L ndon, with Inspector Harnett and it was
determined that I and Mr Hammond, the G-rman Consul
at Raruegate, should go on bard the Mangerland and bring
back a score or so of emigre ts, to be placed along with
Wohlebe when the witnessee sh-uld attempt the work of
Identification. We dressed them an in Haycock hats and
seaboots to give uniformity, as Wohlehe was wearing
Hits costume. Previcusly I was wearing short boots,
but I dressed myself now in the some warmer as
the emigrants. 11-fore getting on shore I made them
a little speech, that they were called to cme and
aid In the liberation of our friend. They all went wit
tingly. Young men had been picked out with pale faces
and without beards. On landing I went to the hotel
to speak to my wife, while the Consul took the emigrants to
the Town hall. I told my wife that I meant to make one of
the party that was to be submitted to the senile:sea She
made no objections—quite the contrary. 'lf you are picked
out, said she laughingly, ' I will go with you Into custody,
and Mr. Kroll and his people will prove you have been 1.11 In