The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-16 00:00:00

THE MURDER IN THE REGENTS PARK.

Mr. Wakley, the Coroner for the Western Division
of Middlesex, appointed Monday evening, at half-put
eight o'clock, for the purpose of enabling the jury to sign
the official verdict which they came to on the previous
Wednesday, of Wilful Murder against Thomas Mackett
as to the death of Elise Lea," in which case strong pre-
sumptive evidence was given that he had either pushed
or thrown the deceased into the Regent's-canal.
The jury re-assembled at the Elephant and Castle,
King's-road, Camden-town, for this purpose, and it having
been intimated by the corn nor, and made public through
the press, that be intended to make known the circum-
stances under which the new Secretary of State for the
Home Department (Lord Palmerston) had been induced to
allow a person accused of murder, although under remand
from a police magistrate, to appear beforu a ostroner's jury
(a subject upon which so much conflict has within the last
few years existed), the jury room was completely filled
by the local authorities and respectable inhabitants.
The court having been constituted, and the jury having
signed the official verdict, "That Thomas Mackett was fe-
loniously, wilfully, and with malice aforethought, guilty of
the murder of the said Eliza Lea," Mr. Wakley said that
the verdict being returned, he felt that it was not out of
place for him, as coroner, to ray that he moot cordially_con-
cured in the verdict of the jury. Had he been on the jury,
mid judging from the evidence, he could have come to no
ether conclusion. As be had explained to them the other
aszperson was on his trial in that court ; it was a pre-
inquiry ; and in the event of a verdict being re-
Wood effecting • party criminally, then that party must
lthel his trial. He would ask in what position that jury
Weld have been if the suspected ten this case had not
been placed before them. (Hoar.) y wood have had
witness after witness speaking of "a man," whilst others
would have spoken of a particular man " Thomas Mackett ;"
but without having that man identified, how could that
jury have come to a conclusion that " the man " was
Themes Hackett T" Having, however, had the accused
individual before them, and bating had him identified, •
great amount of difficulty in the cam was cleared away.
Without the production of an accused party is such a case,
to talk eljussise Win. dam was a mockery and • cheat.
The q thus Weft why should a suspected person be
withheld Mss lON. a coroner's jury, upon
what ground ei or wish ammo was there to justify
a perms of de Yams mime of murder being so
withheld? (Hem.) Tbat was a plain question, and
required as plaits ea ewer. (Hear.) Supposing false
witnesses were best is swearing away a man a life,
what cheek was there so great to the vicious inclinations or
malice of • false 'witness as the presence of an accused
party ? Having held many thousand inquests, he (the
mosner) muld declare that he never touud any cheek so
gent to • malicious or • false witness as the presence of
the memsed party. He would therefore contend that •
sospeated ought to be present on such occasions, to
say anything they might think proper in their own defence
and as a dusk to evil-disposed witnesses. It had been saki
that a assoner's jury had only to inquire into the cause of
death, and that then their functions cea•ed ; but he world
eontesd that, if they found that death had resulted from
the criminality of any one, that then it was equally their
duty, if possible, to ascertain who was the guilty party.
The learned coroner &fisted to the limited powers
seder the statute law vested in police magistrates
as *impaled with the coroner's court; while he re-
gretted the limited powers of the former, he could not be
Wad to the superior power of the latter. The magistrate
had no power to order a poet soortesi examination, whereas
the coroner could issue his warrant for that purpose; under
the same authority doors could be broken open, and walls
domolishod. But a magistrate could not carry on an inquiry
without running to the coroner's court. Whereas the
letter tribeaal, without appealing to any other autho-
rity, weld go into graveyards and cemeteries, and even
beak open churches, and get dead bodies from the
MEW, in order to forward the ends of justice, but
lb, magistrates possessed no such power. Therefore would
he (the learned coroner) ask why the powers of this court
should be Mitred away, and give to another wart powers
which the statute did not sanction. bare he was that
when it was horse in mind the protection that this court
afforded to the weak against the strong, that the bulk of
reflecting persons would be in favour of it. (Hear.) But
now arose the question u to what course was to be pursued
to bring all parties to an understanding. He was aware
that in his district, now having a population of 900,000,
the feeling of indignation at the non-production at
eoronen' inquests of the accused parties was almost
general, and there could be no doubt the better
the question was understood, the greater would be
the struggle for carrying it into effect. Surely
no citizen could be content to sit by and see
his fellow man denied the _ opportunity of confront-
,* doubt

ing his accusers. Thera could be no _ that the pees
pence of the accused person had a most salutary este%
more especially upon the mind of the prejudiced or eel
disposed witness. In the present ease Lord Palmerston
had done no mere than his duty. At the same time ko
had not done less than his duty, which was saying a grs
deal for a public man. And he (the learned coroner) had
no doubt thejury would take the earliest opportunity et
letting Lord Palmerston know that they were fully alive to
the benefits his lordship had confer sod upon them by the
facilities be had offered in the present case for the pro-
duction of the prisoner before his accusers. By such a
proceeding no one could be injured except indeed the per-
son that ought to suffer—the guilty party. And with re-
Erd to the power of the noble viscount in this matter, Ire
lie coroner) had no doubt, for the powers vested in the
Secretary of State under the statute were immense. The
coroner concluded by expressing a hope that tor the future
all antagonistic feeling between two tribunal' which oasis
to act in unison and concord, would be at an end..
The jury, having expressed a desire to consult together,
retired ; and after a short consultation handed up the kip
lowing to the Coroner, with a unanimous request that dim
same might be forwarded to Lord Palmerston :
" The undersigned, forming the jury to inquire into the
cause of death of Eliza Lea, cannot separate without mama.
mously expressing. to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Pal-
merston, her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home
Department, their great obligation for his lordship's con-
sideration, in causing the accusal person to be produced
before them, as the presence of the accused person during
the inquiry the jurors deem to have hail a very salutary
effect. (Signed) JAMES MATTHEWei, Foreman."
The Coroner would have much pleasure in transmitting
this unanimous expression of the jury to the noble viscount,
who would there was no doubt apply his comprehensive
mind to this important question. (Hear, hear.) The Co-
Toner had no doubt that if the noble lord found upon in-
quiry that the law was defective, he himself would be in-
strumental en providing an adequate legislative enactment
for the purpose. It was well known that the noble viscount
hed ever advocated, not only trial by jury in this country,
but had endeavoured to extend this as well as the privilege
of constitutional representative government allover Europe.
(Hear, hear.) Hence it was that this great statesman had
become the dread of the despots of the weal 1, by whom he
was not only dreaded, but hated. (Cheers.) The learned
coroner concluded by assuring the jury that their resolu-
tion should be at once forwarded to the Home-office.
A unanimous vote of thanks to Mr. Wakley was then
agreed to.
The witnesses were bound over to ',prosecute, and the in-
quiry terminated.
The following are the names of the persons who have
ben saved and brought into Howth : John Williams,
second engineer ; Patrick Dunne, fireman ; Charles
Mangan, seaman; P. O'Brien, passenger; John Bender°,
passenger ; Matthew M'Ouire, passenger, 3, Shelbourne-
place ; Joseph Salmon, passenger, Bth company firm bat, a-
lion Royal Artillery ; James Bermingham, passenger, Olen-
more, King's County. We have not yet learned the
names of those picked up by the Roscommon.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1853.