The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-24 00:00:00

STRANGE SUICIDE OP A WOMAN AT
LIMEHOUSE.

An inquiry was held by Mr. Huinphreye, Mid_ I
dlesez Coroner, last erasing at the Ship Tavern, Lime-
house
relative to the suicide of Elizabeth Start, otherwise
Blunden, aged 51 years.
Frances Peet, 7, Park-street, Limehouse, said that de-
ceased was the widow of a blacksmith, who died two years
ego. Since that time she lived with • man named Blun-
den at No. 2, Park-street, as his wife. She complained
much of his ill-usage, and showed witness some
bruises on her face from his blows- Witness
advised her to go into the workhouse to avoid him. On
Monday last she applied to be taken into the house. The
overseer told her be could nut take her in then (as witness
bePeved), but that he would make inquiries. Deceased
had told the overseer that she slept at witness's house. At
4 o'clock the overseer came to witness's house to make in-
quires. It was then found that deceased had bung herself
sn I:Runde:ea room. She bad told witness that Riunden
swore he would thrash her and turn her out. She was a
hard-working woman, but at times drank • little.
Richard Blunden, a boy, said that at 3 o'colck on Monday
deceased got him to write the following note addressed to
hie father:

" Mr. Blunden,—l take the opportunity of writing these
few lines to you. lam very lorry, but lam in such trou-
ble that I shall sever recover it. I tun very sorry to say
I shall not be able to redeem it. I hope the Lord will have
mercy on my soul. Pray forgive me ; this is the last you
shall see of me. I hope you will keep well and get through
it. By the blessings of God I hope I shall be in another
world soon. Amen. God bleu yon.—Yours truly,
" ELIZABETH START BLUNDEN."

John Blunder, 2, Park-etreet, said that the deceased I
was his housekeeper. She was terribly heavy at drink.
On last Saturday evening he gave her 10e. to market, and to
redeem his trousers from the pawn-office. She came back
drunk and no marketing done. She fell down from
drink, and there were some words. Witness had no
doubt she hung herself when beside herself from drink.
Mr. Augustus Schroeder, surgeon, proved that on Mon-
day bat, at 4 o'clock, he was celled by Police-constable
Sturgeon to No. 2, Park-street, where he found the de-
ceased hanging by a rope to a bedpost. She was quite dead.
The Caroller having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide while of
unsound mind."

THE MURDER OF A WIFE AT BIRMINGHAM.

The murderer Smith is 34 years of age, and not
ill-looking. Langley, for whom Mrs. Smith forsook her
husband, and who died of cholera at Liverpool on Monday, I
Mrs. Smith being at the time with him, was considerably
older. It is said that Langley had no wish latterly i
to have Mrs. Smith living with him, but that she was
attracted towards him, and would be with him. It ,
would appear that Smith was devoted to his wife with ,
an unreasoning passion, which led him to pardon her
irregularities for • long period, even when they caused !
him the greatest pain. He has often been heard—and
notably so it is said on Sunday last —to protest that he I
" loved her from head to foot, but that her conduct was ;
driving him mad, and she would compel him to " do for
her." He and his wife were in the habit of using very •
siolent language towards each other. She was unalterably
attached to Langley. and it is said she foolishly declared
that he died of a broken heart because he could not
marry
her. The sympathy of the neighbours is wholly with Smith
who was undoubtedly greatly wronged, and was goaded to
madness by his wife's taunts, and her openly and aggres-
sively avowed preference for another man. Among the
groups of women in the neighbourhood discussing the
occurrence yesterday, it was often declared that the
deceased, Mrs. Smith, "deserved what she got." The same
gossips—who, idly as their tongues wag, doubtless know
pretty well bow the truth lay between Smith and his
wife—say that she led her husband a miserable life, and
that she even caused Langley some uneasiness on the score
of her intimacy with other men. The commission of the
crime created intense excitement in the neighbourhood.
No one slept in the court on Wednesday night. The
place was visited by hundreds yesterday.
The accused has always been known as a quiet, steady,
obliging, inoffensive man. He was quite the reverse of hot-
tempered, and could not easily be provoked to use an angry
word, much less inflict a personal injury. Of his early
life, his marriage, or the circumstances under which he
first became acquainted with the woman whom he after-
wards murdered, scarcely anything is known by the
neighbours. It is said be was formerly • sailor, but it is
quite certain that about six or seven years ago he was
employed by the Gas Company in this town as • general
labourer. He was always looked up to by his fellow-
workmen as an agreeable, and, for his position in life,
clever fellow.—Birmirgsham Gazeat.

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD, 1866.—The above
meeting is announced to be held in the ancient sit y of
Chester on the 4th, Sth, Gth, and 7th of September. The
meetings will be carried on in a large pavilion, capable of
seating between 7,000 and 8,000 people. Upwards of 400 f.
will be awarded for literary co uposition, music, singing,
works of art, &c. The president of the first day is Sir
Watkin Williams Wynn, M.P.; the second day Mr. John
Williams, of Anglesea ; the third day the Mayor of Ches-
ter; the fourth day to be devoted to the performance of
the NessiaA and other piece'. Among the el • sub-
jecta foe competition is one on " The oriem of the inglish
Natio*, with reference more especially to the question,
' How far they are descended from the ancient Britons' "
prir.e,looguinesis ; adjudicator, Viscount Strangford. Among
other subjects keno upon "The Mariners of Wales"—prize,
25 guineas; also "The selection, breeding, and manage-
ment of live stuck best suited fur Wales." Then are one
or two scientific subjects, such as the " Old Red Sandstone
of Wales," "The encroachment of the sea between the
river Mersey and the Bristol Channel, 5.c." and many
others of great interest. The English and Welsh compo-
sitions in poetry promise to be very good. The musical
part is also very prominent. Among other things is a :iof.
scholarship for the best female roe dist between the age of
16 and 21, to be natives of Wales and conversant with the
English and Welsh languages. In addition to the Eistedd-
fod proper, there will be held social science meetings
in the mornin; between 9 and 12 o'clock ; also an in-
dustrial exhibition of the products of Wales will he held
in the music-hall. On the whole, this Eisteddfod promises
to he in every respect one of the most successful ever held
in Wales.
BATHING IN REGENT'S PAWL—A deputation
waited on Lord John Manners yesterday, in Whitehall-
place, to see whether some official sanction and assistance ,
could not be obtained towards bathing in the ornament*,
water in the Regent's-park. Thedeputation, which rcpt
seated the large population of that district of London,
consisted of Mr. Geo. Craikshank, Mr. IL Beare, Mr.
Wilson, Mr. Henry Weseheriey, and Mr. White. They ,
were introduced by Montagu Chambers. Eaq., who
stated to his lordship that their object was to obtain
some facility and permission to bathe m the ornamental
water in the Regent's-park. For many years a great
went bad existed for some facility for bathing in that
quarter of London. Mr. Beare pointed out the posi-
tiou of the piece of water which the deputation thought
could be made available. It was so much surrounded by
teem that slight additional plantation would altogether
screen it from public view, while all requirements of de-
cency would be met by making the use of bathing dresses
indispensable. Three years ago some steps had been
taken in the matter, and a requisition had been sent to
Mr. Cowper, who found the feelings of the inhabitants
very .such opposed to it. There was reason to believe
that that feeling had now undergone some modification.
Lord John Manners said that he fully concurred in the
desirability of giving every facility for public bathing.
This was a very delicate matter, for respect certainly
ought to be paid to the wishes of persons who had gone
to that neighbourhood as crown tenants under certain
conditions. He was most favourably disposed to give the
power
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tances LinfaulearmPetronnt'esiitci
knowing that the scheme would involve great minuse
he should have to proceed very carefully. The subject
however, should have his attention. The deputation
then thanked his lordship for his courtesy and withdrew.
ROYAL OILTHOINEDIC HOSPITAL.—the half-yearly
court of the governors of this hospital was held yesterday,
Mr. J. R. F. Barnett in the chair. The usual statistical
' report was presented, from which it appeared that 1,262
I deformed patients have experienced the benefits of the
hospital during the half-year, being 307 mom than in the
, preceding six months, and making a total of 38,413 since
,• the opening of the hospital. These comprised deformities
' of almost every kind, and many of great severity not only
in infants and children but also in persons of middle age,
, sad included patients from most of the English counties.
as well as from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. There kaa
been a gratifying increase of the funds of the charity, and
a new ward has been opened, extending the accommoda-
tion for in-patients to 50 beds. The committee depend
upon the public for the requisite addition to their annual
income to render these treatable, and will gladly extend
the advantages of the hospital to every provincial town or
country dist in which subscribers to the hospital CIA
be found.