The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-11 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY

family if I come down ? My heart is with you all, and
although I am in town now on my own family business,
that is nothing in comparison to my dear child's health.
I certainly have several to meet on Wednesday with respect
to our own family affairs, and several arrangements for
Thursday—hut 1 would let all take 'its chance if Barbara's
illness is imminent—if I could be left here until Friday I
could finish this family business of our late father's, and pro-
ceed to Liverpool on Friday, and be with her on Friday
evening. Do please write and tell me on the contrary, if you
apprehend any immediate danger; pray telegraph, as all other
money concerns are trifling in comparison. With very much
love and thanks for numerous kindness, believe me ever your
ever attached friend, ELLEN.
Please tell Laura I have not heard from her since the
29th of May, and if she has written her let'era must have
miscarried.

June 26, 1856.
My dear kind Brother Robert,—My feelings prevented me
from expressing to you in person my sincere thanks for all your
kindness both to myself and my beloved sister. For you it
must be hard to forget all her unkind speeches and
extraordinary actions; but we must remember that she was
unable to control herself. Clara and I have both witnessed
your unvaried kindness to her, under every provocation ; and it
must be a great consolation to feel that you have always acted
as the kindest husband, and that she loved you devotedly to
the last. Clara and I desire our warmest thanks for your kind
presents, which will be highly valued by us both for your own
and dear Barbara's sake.—Ever believe mo to remain your
affectionate sister-in-law,

(Signed) LAURA. EMILY PHILLIPS.
When the extracts from the letters had been read,
Mr. Aspinall said, he did not intend to detain the jury
by any observation. That he had gone so far as he did
was only from a desire to put a full and honest statement
before the public, not that he had any doubt that the jury
would come to a verdict consistent with Mr. Preston's
honour--kindness and affection to his wife. He was aware
of the difficulty which existed in rooting out of the public
mind the prejudices which frequently arose from reports
such as had been put forward in that case, and it was for
that rea.on he had thought it necessary that the case should
be so fully gone into.

The coroner briefly directed the attention of the jury to
the evidence, reminding them that the only question they
had to deal with was simply the cause of death. He ob-
served that Mr. Preston had taken to himself what Mr.
Phillips, so far as he knew, never meant to impute to him—
that the lady had been murdered, and murdered by her
husband. So long as any reasonable ground for any sus-
picion existed, the tribunal of a coroner's investigation was
the most proper one before which to have those suspicions
explaind. He expressed a conviction that the jury would
now return such a verdict as would convince the public
that not the slightest tittle of suspicion with regard to the
death of the lady rested upon any one.
The jury then, without a minute's delay, returned a
verdict of death from natural causes.