The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-16 00:00:00

THE ABDUCTION AND CHILD MURDER AT

ISLINGTON.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Lemke:der resumed the
iave.tbretion into the circurusteeeso of the death of Eliza-
beth Anoe Hunter, aged seven years sod eight months, who
was decoyed away and it is supposed murdered on the
evening of Sunday, the 30th of March, 1862.
The jury who were empanelled to iuquire into the Cu.
met at the suggestion of the coroner, by previous appoint-
ment, at Mr. Rowe's grounds, to inspect the premises and
the greenhouse. After a minute itapeetioe of the piece,
Dr. Lukester and the jury proceeded to the Florence
Tevern, Florenceetreet, Upper-street, Islington, to take
evidence.

---
Mr . Humphrey, jun., of the firm of Humphrey, Son, and
Morgan, appeared to watch the case on the part of Mr.
Rowe, and Mr. Dtokie represented the prisoner Clarke.
The Coroner said that on the lest occasion the evidence
taken had for its object to prove the identity of the de-
ceased as Elizabeth Hunter. The fact that Elizabeth
Hunter was missing and that the remains of a child were
found was clearly proved, but no evideoce was taken to show
how she met her death, or who might have been implicated
in her murder. The evidence he should then take would
have that object. The first witness he should call would be
the sister of the deceased. . .

---
Charlotte Hunter was then sworn, and said that on the
last Sunday night in March hut year dammed and herself
parted from bar mother at ten o'clock at the bottom of
Greenman's-lane. They went across the road to anew] •
halfpenny. They bought a halfpennyworth of sweetatuff,
and sat down on a step to eat it. A man came up and
asked Elisitheth to take a letter for him into William-
street. He said he would give her twopence. Witness Paid
she could not go. He took Elizabeth's arm, and walked off
with her. She did cot make any resistance. Witness did
not hear her cry.
By the Coroner—Witness thought she bad seen the man
before. He was as old as her father. lie wore • black
coat and a pork-pie hat, with two ribbons hanging down the
back. Witnms did not see whether hie hair was dark or
light. She followed him *oil deceased to the end of Wil-
liam-street, when her hat fell off, ■od she lost sight of
them. She did ant speak to deceased—she was frightened.
There were not many people in the street.
By Mr. Dickie—The moo Was about as old as her father.
She saw the man at the police•court. She was not sure
Clarke wee Unman.
Mr. Dickie—The man at the police-court does not look so
old as your father.
Witness—l do not think he is.
Examination continued—l have seen Clarke before, but I
did not think be was the IMP.
By the Jury—lt was dark on the Sunday night. I could
not see him very plainly. It was ant near • lamp. He
spoke in a kind way. I cried when I missed sight of my
sister. I did not hear ber cry. She walked by his aide.
bat he had bold of her hand. She walked willingly. se if
eke was going merely to post • letter. I went home and
told my parents. My mother had given us the halfpenny
to spend.
The C sour—lt mema strange that you should have lost
sight of your sister. Did she appear to turn off into a
doorway'
Witares—l did not see her go towards • door. At the
corner of Willisini.street my bat blew off, and by the line
I god it pp I missed them. We were not far from Mr.
Rowe's garden I was not for behind thews. I could have
called to her.
The father of the witness maid she bed a baby in her arms.
Witness said the lathy was 14 months old.
A plan of William-street was produced, and it appeared
that the distance from the spot where the witueas's bat
blew off to the entrance of the garden was fl 4 yard.

—irit;eitist;ied that when her 'hat fell off she sat down
with the child while she tied it on.
Susan Rooter, the mother of the decided, said that she
went of an errand with her three children on the night in
question. She gave a halfpenny to the eldest to purchase
sane sweetetuff and went on home. In ten minutes Char-
lotte 011M8 in and said that a men had gone off with Eliza-
beth. She then stated that he was a man as old as her
father, that he was droned in a porkpie bat and a dark
Nat. She was ready to drop with crying. Witness never
had seen Clarke till she saw him in the polaweoart. llhe
nom saw him about her children.

Thomas Hunter. 41. Wsrd'a.place, Islington, the father
of deosswl, said that the children were eery food of pug
to prayer meetings, and on the eight in question they asked
leave to go again at eight o'clock. They were returning
home near ten o'clock, when hie wife, who went out at •
quarter to ten o'clock, met them, and gave them the half-
penny.
By Mr. Dick', —To his knowledge be hid newer seen
Clarke Were be was arrested.

ifythofory 71'13; aiiitt of the 30th Morel woo very wet

and misty. He was certain the eldest girl could not have
seen fifty raids before her that night.
Mr. George Rowe, receded, and that dam the last nue,
log of the eourt the lower jaw of derxened had been found
near where the bead had been buried.
Coroner—Have you any idea of bow that body came OD
your premier!
Witoess-1 have suspicions. I had suspicions against
the person who had :barge of the premises. I bad a
person in my employ whose duty it was to attend to
the fires io the stove, and in the adjoining office. He
kept the keys of the office and of the garden gate. He
had exclusive entrants to the of from which you enter
the greenhouse. His name was William Clarke. I believe
he slept in the office that night. I have found an entry in •
memorandum book which ambles me to say that Clarke did
not sleep io my hues as woad on the night of the 30th
March, but in the office. Witness produced the memoran-
dum book, and said that the entry was to the effect that on
the 30th Much Clarke aocompeoied him to two nurseries.
Witness had been ill, and he told Clarke that if he was DOD
home punctually at ten o'clock he should not be let in. He
did not come home at that hour, but witness beard him
' about twelve o'clock speaking to the landlady (Hue Jen.
mop), who refused toldmit him. He went away, and that
was the ooly night since Jemmy that he had stayed out.
By the Oorourr—l have Known two cases in which he
had been charged with committing indecent offences against
girls. He confessed one use to the mother and to me.
It was on the 19th of October, and this is the statement I
wrote down. _ _ .

Mr. Dickie objected to the production of the document.
Mr. Rowe mud that Clarke waa present when the state-
ment was taken down. The child wan Ulan through the
office into the greenhouse where the skeleton was found,
and he thrust a handkerchief into her face.

- .
Mr. Dickie—What was your motive in taking down the
child's statement ? - -

'"Witness—Tciarge wee made against Clarke, and I die-
believed it. I heard and wrote down the statement, and I
felt that it was true. I then said to him, " If you do not oon-
fess. and I find the mse true, I shall hand you over to the
police."
After some consideration Clarke replied, " Well, I admit
that I am guilty."
The Coroner thee read the document.

-----__
Mr. Dickie said the document merely stated that Clarke
went into the greenhouse with • girl through the office, and
that he put • handkerchief to her face, and that upon her
crying out he let her out at the front gate. There was
nothing in all that about an indecent assault.
Mr. Rowe said that if such an assault bad been committed
he should have called in the police at once.
Mr. Dickie then severely crw-examined the witness, who
said that he came into the nursery five years ago. He
would not state his name before that time. He now mgred
cheques and sued persons under the name of George Rowe.
He would not state what be was before he entered kis pre-
meat occupation. He was married, but wee separated from
hie wife. There was no paean named Michell connected
with the firm, but at first it was believed • Mr. Michell
would join. Witness's former name bad nothing to do with
the inquiry.
The Coroner said he could not see the object of the
questions.
Mr. Humphrey said that the affair was altogether a
family matter, and all the circumstances had been explained
fully to the police.
Witness said that it was entirely through hie own direc-
tions to the boy Samuel to clear away the rubbish from under
the stage that the bead was discovered. He never offered or
gave • sovereign to any one to bury the head and keep the
discovery secret.
The Coroner inquired bow the police lint beard of the
affair of the heed.

Inspector Wiseman, N division, said he received informa-
tion from a gardener, named Martin, which induced him on
the 6th July to send constables to search the nursery
grounds. Martin had heard two of Mr. Rowe's men
speaking together mysteriously and his suspicions were
aroused. The constables were sent straight to the place on
the Saturday, and they found bones which they brought
away and submitted to Dr. Bllitighurst, who pronounced
them to be those of a dog. On the Monday they spoke to
Mr. Rowe, and the remains of the girl were found.
Charles Martin, 52, Murray-street, said he was agardeeer,
and had done job: for Mr. Rowe. On the lest OCCIIIVOG he was
there he heard Cope and Westmeoott (gardeners) talking
very earnestly. He was afterwards told by Cope that •
human beiug bad been buried in the greenhouse, for that
the boy had raked the bead off eight or nine months ago.
Cope said that Westicacutt had told him that if he bed
known the child be could have identified it by means of the
flesh and the hair, and that Mr. Rowe directed it should be
buried, lest the nursery or be should get a bed name. Wit-
ness told the police on the following Saturday.
William Cope denied that anything was said about a body.
He only spoke about a skull. Wane= entered Mr. Rowe's
service in March lot. Mr. Rowe, in speaking about the
skull, ouly said there was a little hair on it.
Jobs Mason, gardener, said, in reply to Mr. Dickie, that
he had worked for Mr. Rowe, and that he bad lodged next
door to the nursery-gate. The police often complained that
the gate was left open. Many poem might, of course, I
have got in if they liked.
By the Coroner— t item had some conversation with the
boy Samuel about the head. Samuel said that he raked
up the head by the hair. Be showed it, he said, to
Rowe, who told him to say nothing about it, and got him to
bury it. He afterwards tilled up the place where it had
been found with oho, by Mr. Rowe's ardent. Witness was
told by Samuel to say nothing about it. Three weeks ago
witness told Clarke he had heard • very serious thing—that
a skull had been found. Witness did not recollect what
Clarke said. They went and had some beer and talked of
different thins.
By Mr. MOM —Clarke did not appear alarmed. He was
very merry. Witness told him all the boy Samuel bad said.
Mies Charlotte Jeuniugs, 5, Oxford-street, lalingtoo. , laid
that Mr. Kowa and the HOLD Clarke lodged with her in
March, 1862. She could nut speak particularly to the 30th
March, but she remembered that about that time she shut
Clarke out oa • Suudsy night by Mr. Rowe's orders. Mr.
Rowe was al. Clarke tried the doors of Mr. Rowe's roomiN
and found them locked. He said, " Oh, they have locked
me out, and I must go, I suppose." It was about half.past
eleven o'clock. Clarke always bad the key of the office on
Sundays.
By Mr. Humphreys—Clarke did not say where he should
slesp, but the next morning he laughed and said, " Well,
Mir Jeonioga, I slept is the greenhouse."
By the jury—lt did not strike +lgoe's that there was
any thiug peculiar or strange about his manner or dress.
By the Curoner—He wore on that night black and white
trousers, a very dark brown coat, and • dark turban hat
with strings down the back. It was a pork-pie hat.
By the desire of Mr. Humphreys
William Westmeiott was re-called, and said that what
was stated about flesh and hair on the skull was all wrong.
There was no hair on it, but there was some liquid in-
side it, Mr. Rowe gays no orders to keep the affair secret.
Nothing was mid .iieut a body. Witness buried the skull
by Mr. Rowe's directions.
The boy Samuel it was stated was at present at sea.
The Curooer then had the room cleared, and after along
deliberatiou it was decided to adjourn the court, for the
purpose of having an a police tioa made to the Secretary
of State to have the pawner Clarke brought up under •
warrant.
The proceedings were accorlionly adjourned.