The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 6, 1860. •

THE MURDERS AT WALWORTB.

ADJOURNED CORONER% INQUEST.—[THIS DAY.)
This forenoon itt 11 o'clock, Wm. Carter, Esq.,
the Gamer far East Surrey, resumed, at the work-
bara 01 St. Mary, Newington, the adjoumed inquest
la thin case. The inquiry, as on the previous occasion,
excited a painful degree of excitement, and • consider-
able number of pentoos, chiefly women, teak up their pool.
tame in front of the workhouse long before the time
appointed for reopening the court.
The Coroner having held a brief consultation with
Inspector Dann as to certain Petters in the inspector's
possession, the) court was reopened with the usual pro.
clarnation made by Mr. Cooke, the summoning officer.
Mr. Inspector James Dann, who was then sworn,
deposed that in consequence of some information be re-
ceived on Tuesday last, he went to No. 16, Manor•place ;
he there found three persons on the landing dead, and
another one on the bed in the front room also dead. He
saw • male per on in the room whom he took into custody.
He was induced to do that from the general appearance of
the place, and • statement which that person made. In
that statement he said that his mother came to the aide of
his bed, and having killed his brother who was sleep-
ing with him, she then made • thrust at him
and he wrenched the knife from her hand, and thrust it
at her in self defence, and he killed her, if the was dead.
He told him that he should take him into custody on •
charge of murdering the four persons, and he said " Very
well." He took him to the station-house, where he was
searched, and • key was found in his possession which locked
• box in the room where he had horn sleeping. In that box
he found a policy of wurance effected on the life of Mary
Wells Streeter, dated 25th July last, which set forth that in
the event of her death the money was to be paid to
William Godfrey Youngman. The sum sawed on the life of
the deceased was for 100 f., nod the office was the Argus in
Throgrnortorestreet. (The policy was produced in court
and read by the comfier.) Witness next proceeded to the
house of the young woman's father at Wsdhnrst-hall,
Susan, and received from him a number of letters ; one
was dated the 31st of July, the day of the murder.
A host of letters was handed in, but as they were only
copies of the originals, the learned coroner suggested that
the originals should be at once sent for.
Mr. Dann said the originals had been kept for production
in another court.
The Coroner—But these cannot be received in evidence.
You must fetch the originals. I can go on copying these ;
but I must have the originals to be sworn to.
The letters were then sent for.
About 40 minutes having elapsed whilst the coroner was
copying some of the letters, Mr. Inspector Dann said that
he had • great number of other letters which he corld
prove were in the handwriting of the socased ; one was of a
very urgent character to induce Miss Streeter to insure her
life. There were two letters, dated the 16th, having also
reference to the insurance. Another contained a life insurance
proposal for Miss Streeter to fill up, and was signed by Wm.
Godfrey Youngman. Another letter, on the 16th, spoke
about taking lalgings, a bedroom and sitting-room. Ano-
ther was without date, supposed to have been written on
the 18th, also speaking about the insurance. That was
sent from 16, Maniorplace, and signal by William Godfrey
Younguran. Another letter, on the 19th, set forth that she
was to bring all her letters and papers with her. Another
letter of the 21st was signed by the accused, in which he ex-
pressed his regret that she should refuse to have her life
insured. Another letter was sent by rail, and recommended
that she should burn all the letters that be had sent. That
letter was dated the 28th of July, and signed by the man
who is in custody.
Mr. Thomas Tanner said that he was a clerk at the Argos
Life Insurance Office, an, Throgmorton-street. His private
residence was in the Park-road, Peckham. He effected an
insurance on the life of the young woman. She came to the
offiee on the 24th of July to be examined, and was accom-
panied by • male person. The paper produced 1,1.1% filled in
by the male person when he called at the office on the 19th of
July. It was a proposal for an insurance of 1001., and was
dated from 16, Manor-place, Walworth, Newington, Lon-
doe. The letters were handed to the witness, and he idea.
tilled them, to the best of his opinion, as being in the
handwriting of William Godfrey Youngman. He had been
accustomed to receive and open letters, but the signature
at the office was written very hurriedly, whilst the other
appeared to have greater pains bestowed upon them.
Mr. Streeter, the father, was called, and he said that
teepee Mr. Dann a number of letters, which he took from
his daughter's writing-case. That box was locked up. Ho
had nut heard her speak about insuring her life.
Mr. Bodily, surgeon, was next examined. He said on
last Tuesday morning he went to the house, No. 16, Manor
place, when Ire am Inspector Dann,who pointed out to him
the dead holies. One was lying on the landing, and two
between the front and hack doors. In fact, the three
might be said to be lying on the landing, and another
was on the bed in the back room. Those on
the landing were two females and a boy. The young
woman was lying on her back, with her bead nearly in the
back room, and her legs pointing to the front
room. The other female was lying on her stomach
jest at the side of the body of the young female. He was
satisfied that they were all dead, and he did not do anything
farther then. He saw them again the next day in the work-
bare. He had since opened the body of the boy who was
the landiug. The internal viscera of the boy was per.
featly healthy. The first body he afterwards opened was,
be thought, that of Miss Streeter.
The Coroner here suggested that Mrs. Streeter, the mo-
ther, should leave the court for the present.
Witness found a stab which had entered the cavity of the
dm& The wound voss about an inch, and *toyer the region
of She bask aad ft appeared to have been done by a sharp
setting instrument. The thrust was cut from the
interior muscle. It looked like • left-handed cut. The
wound was eight or nine inches in extent. From the jagged
appearance of the integuments be should say it had been
cut more than ones. The carotid arteries on the right side,
and jugular veins had been divided, and the instrument had
passed into the vetelcre. He was of opinion that there must
meet decidedly have been more than one cut. The wounds
were mortal, and he considered death must have been in-
stantaneous.
By the Coroeer —He considered if the stab wound
had been inflicted first, she would have had time to
scream rut. He next examined Mrs. Youngman, and
found that she had three stabs, on. over the
stomach bone, two in front and one baba There wee a
deep w,i nil in the neckwhich had divided the carotid anti ies
and the vertebra. The wound and stabs appeared to have
been 'line by • sharp instrument.
[The inquest was proceeding when our report left.]