The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-31 00:00:00

SHOCKING OCCURRSNCR AT CLAPHAM.

The neighbourhood of Clapham Lie for aome
days part been in a state of excitement, in consequence of
rumours that Mrs. Amelia Littleton, the wife of a gentle.
man of independent fortune, whose body was found in the
long red, on Clapham common, had been murdered by
drowning, by her husband. These rumours were strength-
ened in consequence of the husband having subsequently
committed excide, pending the coroner's inquiry as to the
cause of the death of the wife. The inquest was com-
menced a few days ago by Mr. W. J. Payne, the coroner the Duchy of Lancaster, at the Cock Tavern, Clapham.
The evidence given on the first day (the body then not
having been identified) was almost confined to that of the
finding it in the long peed at about 5 o'clock on the morn-
ing of the 22nd by a gentleman who went there for the
purpose of fishing. Two witnesses deposed that they heard
cries of murder apparently in the directiou of the common.
According to the evidence of asorgeou who was called them
were no marks of violence on the body of the deemed.
hhe was elegantly dressed, and had several rings as her
fingers. An adjournment took place. sod on the fOHOWINS
day Mr. Littleton came and identified the body as belguabaxs
of his wife, and it was interred on Saturday, Mr. Li
assisting at the funeral.

V fl rilay, on the re-assembling of the jury it, was aa-
nounced that Mr. Littleton had committed self-destruction
by cutting his throat on 14uoday afternoon.
The first lb imam called was Mrs. Collins, who stated that
she w..s cook and housekeeper to Mr. Littleton, and had
been in his service for onwards of 5 years. Her master end
ulistre‘s were in the dining-room on the afternoon of Sandy
week, and when witness came home from church bar sif
tress told her that they had had a few words. Her Isis.
Wes. went out twice to the course of the evening, sad at
10 o'clock withers went t bed, leaving her master sod Rio.
trees in the dining-room together. About 10 minutes pat
12 her memos came to her. amid asked her if her mistress
had cense hems. She t his that she did not know that
she bed bees out. He told her that she had gone out in •
great passion, cod that he had followed her. but stopping to
elate the door against the dos that she had 3of a-head of
him, s.d he ooukl not tell which way she was gone. He
weal out again to look fur he.. but could not find her, sod
returned at two o'clock. Nothing was heard of her that
night.
Michael Hollins, is the service of Mr. Ellis, mid he was
on the east ski, of the common as Sunday night, sod was
pie( buns to his sapper. It was a bright moonlight night.
It was thee pearly 12 -o'clock, and taking a circle, be maw a
rums and wanes under the trees. They ware aiolwtly
quarrelling, being thee about 30 yards from him, end await
the WAN &hum frau the loosowl. He heard the
wwows ray. "Ob, will you! oh. willp pie' The warm
wore a light isms dress. They hail not hold of each
other, but were very close together. lie left them mar
the trees, and west
William Hansa said he lived no the east side of the 00IE.
ILIOO , directly apposite to the long pond. Om Sunday sight,
the list, it about lialf-peol. 12, be was awakened by bearing
• loud lon nweem. He told his wife that it seemed like
the scream of a ware in distress, but as such sedges are
often hoard es the comma he took no further notice, and
weal to deep seals Early the pert morning he saw the
body of the deemed (Mrs. Littletoa) takes out of the pond.
Mr. nowitt, • juror, said as he was tho last person who
bad say coovereation with Mr. Littleton before be committed
suicide, he wished to make a atatetuent of what passed
between them.

The Cormier meld be thought be might receive this evi-
dence, sad he was accordingly sworn.
Mr. Biewitt mid—l have known Mr. and Mrs. Littleton
for Ms years. They always appeared to live on very offer.
Jimmie terms. I saw Mr. Littleton 00 Satuiday last, and I
followed his wife to the grove on that day. I was in the
back mariner after tie Slowsers were goes. Mr. Littleton
asked me to come into tie hush parlour. He said, " You
were on the inquest (alluding to the inquest or. Mrs. Little-
too) ; what reports have you heard about it r I said that
I hail beard nosey report.. He said, "They say that I pushed
her into the pond; but I declare to God I Dever saw her
from the time she left the home until I saw her dead;
and I will tell you how it occurred." I said, "The worst
is over new." He mid, Oh, Do ; Moeda,. I dread." I
"You have nothing to do but speak the truth." He
"I will tell you how it °mooed. It was • most
aim* kitbag. I went into the front room after dinner with
the gaper, ant I found a tremor come over me. I felt
fatalism( said could hardly get to the settee. 8130 (Mrs.
Littleton) wee its the room, rod she took no notice of me
for some time. After I had come to a little, I maid,
Amelia, how unkind you an.' She looked at me sternly,
and said, ' You are always 'Olio( me I am unkind.' 816
got me some water and left the room. She dreamed Iserielf
sod went out. She returoed, took off her chains, and left
a lock of hair behind her." He raid again, "I declare to
God I sever saw her from that Ulm until her body was
(mud. I went out once and retuned, thinking to find her
at home. I went out again. I went on to the common
sad called her until I was boom." I asked him if I should
mud for his friends, and be said " Nu," adding. " But Mon-
day I dread." He committed suicide by cutUug his throat
on &today.
The Coroner, in summing up, add he had goon into the
ems with great care, ou account of the rumours which pre-
vailed that Mrs. Littletou had been murdered by her bus-
bead, by being pushed into the prod ; but they had no
direct seldom,e that such was the case, and the cries and
quarrelling that wore heard on the common might Dot have
eome from the two penman who were now dead. Mr.
LitUritoo was beyond soy human tribunal, and he would
leave the ury to return each • verdict as the evidesce
woad justify them its 110i0g.
Alia, • short comultatiou the jury returned the follow
leg verdict :—" That the demand die to ber death by 1
drowning, but there was no evidence to show bow she got
into the water."

lAm night Ur. William Carter, the coroner, held an in-
quest at the Falcon Tesoro, Clapham•road, ou the body of
Ile diessaid Mr. LittWoe
•

•
arkleace of the Audio* of the body of the deceased with
his throat cut hawing been eiven, the jury returned s Ter.
" That the deceased destroyed his owu life whilst in a
stet* of temporary deraigement."

TARIM PIRSOICS KILLED BY LIG lITN I NO. —A
*ever* thunderstorm visited the East Riding of Yorkshire
on Saturday 60. At Ealt. • village three miles from
Beverley, a man named Wawa Patrick and throe of his
children were eagaged in • field hoeing turnips. They
sought refuge from the rain nailer a wide-spreading tree.
There the whole party were struck by lightning. Patrick,
his sun Jneenls, aged 9, *nil his daughter Bomb aged
13, were killed on the spot. The third child, a vri, aged
12, was stoonmt, mod lay in a state of insensibility for some
time. ik recovering her senses she wiu able to crawl on
her hands soil knees to a neighbouriug house and inform
the inmates of what had happened. An ioquest wee held
yesterday, when • verdict was returned " Aoeideatal
death." .

ACCIDENT T A VOLUNTEER. —A melancholy acci-
dent occurred on Mooday to a member of the 4th company
of the 29th Middlesex Riftes. The company had been in.
vited by their commander, CAptaio Ibbetein, to dims at
Word with the 3rd Essex Voliauteers, previous to widen
they performed some evolutions io the presume of the
officers and their friends. While doubling round the centre
a volunteer named William Day stumbled, and the bayonet
of his rear leek man penetrated his calf nearly mesa Mabee
obliquely. Mr. Davies, • gentlemen who happened to be
on the ground, kindly lent his carriage, in which the poor
man was immediately conveyed home.
A pro formed meeting of the St. Helen's Railway
shareholders was held at Liverpool yesterday. The malt-
ing was adjourned for a week, and will be held at St.
Helen's. _ _

- -,,-- -- ~
ROYAL ERIS HOSPITAL, GRAY'S-DIN-KOAD.-
The number of patients relieved sr this hospital during the
week waling July 27 was 2;:27, of which 819 were new ails.