The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-02 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED MORD4R_IN THE REGENTS

CANAL..

CORONER'S INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
This morning, at ten o'clock, an inquiry was held
at the Regent's Tavern, Regent's-road, Bow, by Ns. H.
Raffles Walthow, the deputy coroner for East Middlesex,
touching the death of Ada Emma Williams, sod 19, whose
body was found in the waters of the Regent's•canal under
circumstances which have given rise to a suspicion that she
had been murdered. Theme excited considerable interest.
and the court was crowded during the investigation. The
first witness celled was

Mrs. Elizabeth Williams, 3, Nelsonetreet,Bow, who idea.
tided the body as being that of her daughter. She said that
deceased had been a domestic servant until within the last
three weeks, when she left her place in consequence of her
having been seduced, and had since resided with
witness. She had been keeping company with • • young
man, but they had recently quarrelled. The day
before her dead body was found witness had dig•
covered that she had been to the Et/Ingham Theatre
with some person, and as she kept the party's name
concealed, there was a violent quarrel, and she left the
house, saying that she would go where she would be let alone.
Witness understood by that that she intended to go to
the mother of the young man she had been keeping company
with formerly. She never threatened to destroy herself.
Witness never saw her alive afterwards.
Mrs. Susannah Wain, 32, Fenton-street, Commercial.
road, said—My son kept company with the deceased until
lately. The last witness one day came to my house and
stated that her daughter was enciente, and that she be-
lieved my son bad seduced her, but he solemnly denied the
charge. He had au interview with the deceased at my
house subsequently, but I do not know what was said at it.
I know that they quarrelled, but she continued to visit me.
She charged her mother with great cruelty towards her.
Ido not know anything about her death, but she never
talked of suicide.
Robert Rogers, night-lockman on the Regent's Canal, said
that between two and three o'clock in the morning he heard
screaming from the direction of the field near the Com-
mercial Gas-works on the opposite side of the canal to
where the read was. He proceeded up the towing-
path to see what was the matter. After going 1101110
distance he observed • motion in the water,
but he could not see what caused it. He
procured the drags, but he found they were too short to
reach the spot, and he did nothing mote. He gave over the
search until daylight. He did not mention the circum-
stance to anyone, for he knew that the person would be
dead before other help could be got. Upon going to the
place at daylight he observed a bonnet and a crinoline in the
held from which the screams had come, and he told the day
lockman that some one bad been pitched in the water, and
that he should get the body out.
By the Jury—Did not tell anyone that he heard the
screaming; he kept it to himself. He did not raise any
alarm, although he guessed some person was in the water.
When he found the drag was too short he did nothing more
to save her life, for he thought it would be no use, as sjie
would be dead before he could fetch other assistance. It
was not his duty to raise an alarm, but to use the drags
himself.
By the Coroner—He could not tell what caused the per.
son to scream. The screams were repeated, but he was
some distance off, and he could not hear anything else.
William Bradbury said that the last witness having an.
formed him that some one was in the canal he had the
water dragged, sod the deceased was discovered io it, Of
course quit* dead. Her dress appeared torn, and there
were marks on her person of injuries, but they might p.e•
sibly have been caused. by a barge or other craft. Her crtso.
li mo appeared to have been torn off, and it lay in the held
about 20 or 30 feet from the margin of the canal.
After some further evidence had been given, which did
not, however, throw any additional light upon the art dr.
The Coroner summed up. and remarked on the singularly
mysterious circumstances of the case.
The jury, after a long deliberation, returned the folio's•
lag verdicti:—" That the deceased was found drowned ie,the
Regent's-canal ; but in what manner she came into the
midcanal there was no evidence to show ; and they sr-
pre-sod their strong censure of the conduct of the I...:.unrn
Rogers in not having procured aid for the purpose of en-
deavouring to save the deceased's life when he first heard
the unfortunate girl's screams."

DOTER SATLOII3' Homz.--(TVastuy.)—At 4 p.m.,
Captain Pitkin Page and 16 men of the North Americas
ship Ocean Monarch, of New York, were landed is Dover
from a Deal lugger, and reoeived at the &Sore Home.
This ill-fated vessel, of 2,400 tons, with a general carp,
foundered in the Gulf stream. Twenty-four of the mew
left the ship in the long boat, and have not since been haled
of. The captain and 16 men were picked up by a Dania
barque. Seven of the crew, it is supposed, went down ul
the ship.
CRYSTAL PALMS'. ONI SHILLING DAT.
TuRSDAT, APRIL I.—Admissions on payment. 821 ; (1104
by season tickets, 517—total, 1,338.