The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-11 00:00:00

[Stamped, id. Additional.]

THE MURDEIt AT PLAISTOW.

THE L'CQUESr.

Last night Mr. C. C. Lewis, one of the coroners
for the county of Essex. opened an inquest upon the body of
the man who was found murdered and decapitated in the
Plaistow Marshes on Tuesday last. The iequest was held
at the Ball and Anchor Tavern, near the Victoria Docks,
and the mysterious circumstances attending the cane drew
together a large assembly of persons, who were anxious to
hes:what further information had been received by the
polio. which implicates Kohl, who has been arrested and
charged with the murder. Very little additional evidence
to that produced before the magistrates, and which was re-
ported In this journal of yesterday, has as yet been
obtained, but it is understood that Sergeant Clarke,
of the detective department of the metropolitan force,
has elicited several important facts which will throw light
npoo the motives which have led to the commission of this
horrible murder, but which at present it is not advisable in
the interests of justice to disclose, The evidence, therefore,
last night was little more than • repetition of that which
was given before the Stratford magistrates.
The excitement in the vicinity of the murder is very
great, sad the scene of the crime has been already visited
by thousands of persons. It is rather • singular fact that
up to the present time the true name of the murdered man
has not transpired, and that nobody in the neighbourhood
knew him by any other name than John. Other facts have
also come to the knowledge of the police which convince
them that the circumstances connected with the murder
are of a very remarkable and mysterious character.
The inquest room last night was crowded to suffocation.
Superintendent Howie and Inspector Nightingale, of the
K division of police, were present on behalf of the Commis-
sioners of Police.

The jury having been empannelled, proceeded to view the
body and the bead of the deceased, the fearful injuries on
which were described to them by Mr. Morrie, the surgeon.
On the skin of the neck, and on the vertebra of the neck,
were the only evidence of murderous violence th►t were to
be found on the body. The skin on the front of the neck
presented the distinct marks of attempted cuts made with •
knife that had lost its edge. The bone was chopped much
as a piece of wood would be by a chopper. The flesh was
absent iron' diffcrent parts of the arms and trunk, but this
was owing to the gnawing of rats. The head, however,
was terribly injured : right over the noes wee a severe in-
jury from a blow, and over the left eye and temple the skull
was indented by another blow. At the back of the head,
near the base, was a punctured hole, which had penetrated
to the brain, and through which a finger could easily he in-
serted. In Mr. Morria's opinion this wound had caused
death instantaneously, and that then the other blows were
I inflicted merely to make certain of the death. The brain
had exuded through the wound at the back of the heed.
Josiah Gaiter of Bromley-street, Poplar, was the first
witness called, and he proved the boding of the body
amidst the reeds in the Plaistow Marches on Tuesday at
twenty minutes post one o'clock. This witness, repeated
the evidence which he had already given before the magis-
trate at Stratford.

William Brigley. sergeant of the K division of police, said
that on Tuesday at a quarter to two o'clock he was on duty
in the North Woolwich-rod, when he met the last witness,
w►o told him that the headless body of • man was toned
in some reeds o►er the Thames batik at the north side of the
river. Witness went to the spat and saw the body lying
quite straight on its back, the left arm be its side, and the
right arm across the liresst. He searched the trousers pocket
and found in it a bit of paper containing German words (at
was &smalls crap of a note or letter) and an Eoglish farthing.
Then was very little blood. Witness continued,
and said that he searched the neighbourhood that
moaning and found, about 40 or 50 feet from
where he saw the body, • pool of blood in a ditch.
Some 45 feet away from that be came upoc the handle
of • hammer. The blood in the ditch was large in
qesatity, and it seemed to him to be mixed with water.
be heed was found neer the river by the Thames police on
Wednesday morning, and it was identified in his presence as
that of the same man.

Hoary Zoeld; 2, Hay-street, said that be knew the de-
ceased, who lived at No. 4, Hay-street. He saw him first
five weeks ago. He was a German, and he told witness
that he had come from Germany (Hamburg) with the man
who is in prison. Wanes.' did not know his name. He
wee last seen by 'ritual's on Wednesday week. He left
wheelie'■ house then with Kohl. The next day (Thursday),
about 12 or hall-past 12 o'clock. Kohl came into witnese's
hoses to tell him that deceaeed was miming. He said
'he had lost "that MID in London."- He was,
he said, in the Commercial-road, aed that he
had gone into • sugar-house to look for work,
telling deceased to go into a public.bowe and wait, but that
when he (Kohl) went into the public-house deceased was
not there, and he did not know where be was goes to. Wit-
ness asked whether deem-Kt had any money, and Kohl said
he had 4/. Ric Witness said perhaps he had met a street
girl sad spent the money on her. Kohl said that deceased
bad the money to go over to Gerinany with. He said that
he (Kehl), Mrs. Kohl, and the deceased were tog. w Ger.
many, and that if he spout his money he (Kohl) would tura
him out of the house, se he would have no money in go to
Germany with. Kohl said that to prevent dereoied having
to change money he had lent him one halfpenny to go over
the bridge. Nothing was said farther of any importance.
Witness knew the body of the decemed, and the boot., about
which deceased had spoken to him on the Wednesday, say-
ing that the left sole was worn inside and wanted mending.
They are not English boot.. Ido not know him by anything
except the boots. I could not recollect him by eeeiug his
face Loot night, it was so dirty.
. . . . . .

The Corot..r—The face bas been washed sinew ; step down
and look at the head Dow.

The nitrites having lett the room for a few minutes, on
his return,
The Coroner—Have you seen him ?—Yes.
Is that the man Srs.

The witness then stated that ho knew bim by a particular
mark in one of his whiskers, and also by his general ay-
, peariume.
Inspector Goode, of the Thames division, sworn, and de.
posed—About haff•put six o'clock yesterday morning I
went on thorn on the reed bed of Plaistow. I went in
search of the deceased man's bead. I searched there a con-
siderable time, but was unable to find it. About halt-peat
seven or a quarter to eight I saw a man nan.ed Jones, and
naked him if he knew the exact spot where the body was
found. He said he did nnt, but he believed that it was
about thirty yards from the place where we were standing.
He then went across the ditch on to the reed bed, and
about thirty yards elf Le called out to me, '' I think I
have found the head." I ran to the spot where he was
standing, and saw a hole which be pointed out to me, which
be said was a rat's bole.

A Juryman—Did he go directly to the place, or search
stout !—lle did not go directly. The reed bed is between
the bank and the river.

By the Coroner—lie pointed oat the hole to me, and I
saw there was blood in it. I removed the earth, and about
three inches below the ground I totted the head. There
was • cut as if with • chopper from the right eye to the
lower part of the lip, and a scalp wound on the forehead. I
then conveyed the heed to the police•conatable who had
charge at the body.
Dr. Ed. J. Morris sworn—l saw the body on the night of
Tuesday, the r4th. There was no bead to it. The muscular
fibres shout the neck were all eaten away, apparently by
rats. The clavicles and cervicle vertebra were laid bare.
The vertebra had been severed as if by a chopper, and there
was a mark as of en attempt at severing it a little lower
down. There were marks on the fore part of the skin of
the neck by • partial ineisinu with • blunt knife. The skin
and part of the musculer fibres on the left shoulder were
eaten away. On the right arm the flesh woe
also eaten away is two places, as was the flesh
of both bands, more psrticalarly on the left. The
flesh of the cheek was also eaten by rats. I found •
severe fracture of the occipital bone penetrating into the
brain, also two tractor*. no the frontal bone. There were
several incisions on the skin both at the back and front of
the neck partially dividing the akin. That is all the appear.
•see I noticed.
.

The Coroner—Do you consider that the injuries con have
described were occasioned before or after death ! From the
appearance of the wound, and the raw edges, I came ts, the
conclusion that the injuries were occasioned before death,
and they were more than sufficient to account for death. The
wound at the bark of the head, I should say, was inflicted
by a chopper, and it is more than sufficient to have closed
death. The wound on the frontal part appeared to have
been iufficted by a hammer.
A J unman—Theo you think that the bead was cut off
after death !_

Witness—l think there is no question tLat it mu cut off
after death.
Mrs. Elizabeth Warren swore—l am the wife of Jarces
Warren, 3, Nelson-street. My husband is a labourer. I
knew the deceased very well. I have seen the bead ; the
faze seemed swelled. I have not the least doubt whatever
that the heed I have seen is the head of the man that I
knew. I did not hour his name further than th►t we
used to call him John. He was a German. He Mlle
to lodge with me between tea and siz weeks ego. Khol
brought him to lodge with me, and called him John, which
was the only name by which I knew him. He stopped at
my house 13 days, and left on the Monday night a month
laid Monday. He came back on the following Tuesday to
fetch his luggage and pay his money. There was aoother
man with him. They called the other man Butcher. He
is a German man, and they call him Butcher about the
marsh. During the thirteen days John lived with me
Kbol used to call upon him, take him up to London.
and take him about. When the deceased left my
house b• had four sovereigns seven shillings and six.
penes. I saw that money. The four sovereigns
moo iagold. He owed me mosey. 1 charged hint 2/. for

LTWOPEN CE

13 days, for board, washing, and lodging, and Kohl th.uglit
it was too much, and there was a dispute about it. The man
who is dead also thought the charge too much. Ile 11.4
paid me 25e., aad I wanted 15s. more that they wculd not
pay then, and left the house. Next day the man they
mll Butcher called with him and paid me tLe 1 aLd
he and John took the box and portmanteau away. lle Lad
all his clothes when he left me. He had 1 dozen shir 10
pair of socks, 3; singlets, to wear undemeath bin shirt--tight
to the skin, a kind of flannel shirt. He also bad
of trousers, and 2 sorts of clothe —one gray, a dark over-
coat, a travelling blanket, two pairs of bow.'
one Wellington, one spring side*, and one pair of shoes lace-
ap with boles, and low behind. He had a small box full
of collars and neckties. He had a silver watch and a gold
Albert chain a plain gold ring on his 6oger, with • large
knob quite plain, no stamp and no flowers" op it ' • a gold
ring for his neck-tie, with a piece oflooral lin ode g, 11
neckerchief pin. He had two leather hat-boxes, one with
beaver hat with a small rim, and the other wan • round
billycock ' • another billyeack he used to wear about. Ho
had some few books in his box, and likenesses and cards A
all descriptions.
By the jury—One was his own likeness, and another his
mother-in-law. . .

The Coroner—Could you make out why or what he
was ?—No ; Kohl had lodged with me before and wen' to
Germany ' • he pretended to take • fortune, and when he
came back be brought this young gentleman with him.
Mr. Daniel Howie, superintendent of the K division
the metropolitan police, was then called, and repeated the
evidence which was given by him before the police magis-
trate, sod which appeared in this journal of yesterday.
The boy! Henry Less, wee then called, and repeated the
evidence given by him at the police court. He also said
that he knew the deceased because he frequently used to
come to the house of his (Lees') leudlord, who was a
German. I have seen the bead that has been found, and
believe it to be that of the German who used to come to
Zulch's hones.

What makes you think so?—1 go from the appearance of
the face. 1 last saw him oo Thursday, when I was working
by the river side. I saw Kohl and the young man together.
I had known Kohl a short time only. They were goitz
towards the reeds whereithe body was found. not wolkiLg
very fast, but both together side by side. It is shout three
or four minutes' walk from where I saw the two
men to where the body warn found. I saw Kohl ..t
my landlord's house in the evening. When I came
in he was talking to Zulch about the young man goo
wink him to London to a sugar baker's, mid tLen it was I
said that I had seen him that morning on the river bank.
By the Jury—Both of then had costa on when 1 .aw
them in the morning. After Kohl told me that the clothes
were gone they went on talking in their own language.
A Juror—Had they anything in their bands when you
saw them in the morning?—No, Kohl had his left hand in
his pocket, and was smoking, with a pipe in his right hand.
The young German was also smoking.
This being the whole of the evidence which the police
are at present in possession of, the coroner stated that Le
proposed to adjourn the inquiry for a week.
It wee then agreed that the proceedings should be ad-
journed to Thursday, the 17th inst., at 5 o'clock in the
evening.

Yesterday morning Sergeant Bridgeland. and Constables
Martiu. Clarke, and Welborn, proceeded, by order of
Mr. Superintendent Howie, to the scene of the murder,
to make further search, and to trace, if possible, 1.30
weapon with which the murder was committed.
They found that the rashes or reeds had been trodden
down, but marks of blood were still visible on the Ea-
face of the mud sod in the water where deceased w...e
killed. Upon beating about the tall weeds they da-
covered a shovel and the wooden handle of a hatchet
about twelve inches in length, which was rata-
rated with water, and there were still marks of
blood upon them. The officers thee proceeded to
the bank or loog pathway that leads from the marsh,
where there is • stile over which the murderer must have
pared after the committal and disposal of the head. The
tionatables, when they examined the stile, foubtl bloody
hand marks on the top rail, which would lead to tLII
inference that the murderer passed over immediately after
the committal of the crime, and made across the held* to the
main road, which waa easily reached. The handle of the
hatchet and the spade were found within hfteen
yards of the scene of the murder, and about thirty aide
from the spot where the head was found.