The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-04 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

Yesterday an Inquest was held at the Mitre Tavern, Islington,
before Tnokse firinci xG. H.q. Coroner, on the body of a young
woman unknown, who was found drowned in the New River.
Robert Litchfield being sworn, deposed that he was a gardener,
in the employ of Marriott, Esq. of C:anonbury-grove. On
Tuesday Iw, while passing by the New River, he observed some-
thing Uke a bonnet floating on the water, and on proceeding to the
mot. he discovered the body of the deceased. It was decently
dressed in a striped gown with high neck. The deceased had no
ring on the kft hand, and she appeared to have been in the water
nine or ten days. There were no marks of violence on her
The Jury returned a verdict of--•• Found drowned, but teyatigat
means she came in the water there was no evidence to prove."

Another Inquest was held at the Mason's Anna, Mary-la-bonne,
before the same Coroner, on the body of James tikelton, who, it
appeared, was a respectable housekeeper in the above parish, but
baring met with various disappointments, his mind became greatly
injured, and frequently was so absent, that he did not understand
the questions put to him ; the unfortunate deceased often getting
out of bed in a most dejected condition, was missing for some time,
and on an inmate of the house proceeding to the cellar, he was dia.
covered suspended by a cord. He was immediately cat down, and
, a surgeon sent for, but he was quite dead.
Verdict—" That the deceased conunitted the act in • state of
temporary derangement."

Another Inquest was held at the Queen's Head, Twickenham,
ots the body of Solomon Fletcher.
It appeared in evidence that the deceased was a respectable rest-
dent of the above town, and a short time prior to his dissolution he
had been afflicted with a fit of apoplexy, mere which period he had
• been rather unwell ; and on Tuesday night last his wife was alarm.
ed out of her sleep, when she found him In a dying state.
A surgeon proved that he died of apoplexy, and the Jury returned
a verdict of—"lked by the visitation of God."
On Friday last an Inquest wu taken at beadenharn, before
GEORGE BITE, Gent. Intoner, on the body of Mary Fletcher,
the wife of Charles Fletcher, of that place, labourer, who had
hanged herself the preceding morning in her bed-room. It appear-
ing by the evidence of the medical gentleman who attended her,
and others, that the deceased laboured under an aberration of intel-
lect, the Jury returned a verdict of Insanity. The deceased has
left two small children, and, we understand, wee pregnant at the
time she committed the fatal act. She had formerly lived servant
in a family of distinction in the neighbourhood, and wee much
respected.

On Saturday last an Inquest was held at the Falcon inn Peter-
borough, by Mr. HOPKINSON, on behalf of Mr. OATES, Coroner
for the city, on the body of John Ellis, foreman in Messrs.
Buckle's brewery, who, on Friday night, was found drowned in a
pond on their premises. Verdict—" Accidental death through in-
toxication."

Yesterday morning an Inquest was taken before Mr. CIJEVEL,
one of the Coroners for this tern, on view oldie body of Henry
Barron, a promising young man, about 18 years of age, son of,
Mr. Barron,i a respectable horse-dealer ic.f this place, • hose death
was occasioned by beng thrown out of a gig. It appeared in evi.
deuce that the deceased was returning front guy Mill, on Wcdnes-
day evening, in a gig, accompanied by Mr. Sparrow ; the de.
ceased was driving. The horse got into a canter, and Mr. Sparrow
took hold of the reins to stop the animal, when the near rein corning
unbuckled, the horse got upon the causeway, near Mr. Burleigh's
farm. Mr. Sparrow got out behind the gig, and the deceased at.
tempted to get out on the side, but was thrown out, [
apparent his had
upon the ground. lie lay on the ground a short thnt, ly
lifeless, but soon afterwards recovered. and was driven home in his
brother's gig. He was bled on his arrival, but he died on the fol.
lowing morning, between three and five o'clock. Verdict—" Mid
by falling from a gic.."—Conbridge Chyonick.

An Inquest, under very extraordinary circumstances, has been
held at Ramsgate, by D. HODGSON, hsq. Mayor and Coroner of
Sandwich, and also for Ramsgate, which is in the jurisdiction of
that ancient town and port. It appeared that some time since, a
women named Meson, residing at Ramsgate, corrected her little
girl with a severity which was thought by some, to say the least of
it, very unjustifiable. At any rate we do not wish to characterise it
more particularly for the present. Reports soon got about that the
or child had died in consequence of the injuries it had received.
The Magistrates, as in duty bound, immediately directed an in.
quest to be held on the botly..A Jury was empanelled on lrednes.
day last, and proceeded to examine the witnesses. A neighbour
deposed that the body exhibited no marks of violence. and that the
I child died from the effects of fever. Mr. Snowden's medical u.
1 sistant said the belly exhibited a large black spot upon the left
side, apparently caused by a violent blow,—and that a blow given
lin that part, would infallibly occasion death. Ale. Pettman, cur.
peon of Ramsgate, who opened the body and examined the inter.
nal put dthe stomach, tic., was now called upon to give his evi.
deuce. To this Mr. Penman replied, that he had fully made up
1 his mind before he clime there, rot to give his evidence upon oath;
in which determination he persisted. Mr. Hodgson informed him
that he should adjourn the inquest till Saturday, the 213:11 ult.,
1 when, if he still persisted in that course, he should be under the
painful necessity of committing him for refusing to give his mi.
dente. The Jury accordingly again assembled on Saturday, but
Mr. Penman had, in the Interim, left Ramsgate. The Coroner,
in consequence. issued his warrant for the apprehension of that
gentleman, and Sladden the constable was dispatched to endeavour
to apprehend him. The Jury again assembled on Monday evening
last, and was further adjourned till to-morrow (Friday), at ten
o'clock. The unhappy mother, during the whole of this time, is
detained in close custody, and there appears little chance of the
inquest being terminake until the evidence of Mr. Pettman can
Ibe obtained. Sladden had not succeeded in finding him at the time
of our going to press, but was still in pursnit. Thus this curious
elfair rests at present. We shall present our readers with the result,
if possible, in our next.—Sent Herald.

New BAT ns.—'fhere are plans on foot for the establish.
meat of baths, among which is a project for bringir.g, at an
immense expense, the sea water to London. This project.
seems to us to be an expensive foolery. There is great
reason to doubt whether salt water is of the slightest use
more than fresh. No doubt people who go to the sea shore,
who have not been in the habit of washing themselves,
may be benefited by dipping themselves in the water;
and having nothing to do but to think of their dinners,
kick their heels, and tout their faces in the sun, are
considerably improved in appetite and appearance. But if 1
they were on the steppes of Tartary, so they could have
the benefit of ablution, with plenty of exercise, we would
answer for it they would be Equally hungry, and equally
brown. The vicinity of the sea certainly is advantageous .
to persons with some complaints, bzeauso the temperature
of the air is less variable; but this has nothing to do with •
the salt and sulphate of magnesia, and the rotten sea weeds
in the water. ll'hat are wanted in London are cheap et:d
good baths (for those who are not wealthy enough to con-
struct them in their own habitations), in order that the
practice of washing might be more conveniently resorted to
by our fellow-citizens. A wain bath in London costs
generally is., and it is moreover necessary to bespeak it _
forehand, or to wait till the water is heated. In Pub,
where firing, as well as the materials used in the construe-
: tion of bathe, is dearer than in London, and where water is
certainly not cheaper, a warm bath costs about fourteen'
pence. We should heartily desire that before the new
bath cor.:panics expend 230,000 L to bring dirty water up
from the mouth of the Thames, they would do something
to remedy this defect, and we have no doubt their under.
taking reuld he well repaid.
()wing to the intense heat of the weather, on Thursday,
one of the horses belonging to an Uxbridge conch, on being as-
yoked, at Ealing, where the cecch changes horses, instantly dropped
town, and expire:).
On Saturday last, while a number of ran women were
employed in shaving bark r.aar the wharf at floodlit, they incau-
tiously undermined &very large rick of it; in consequence of which
it suddeady fell. and completely buried five of them. Although
several loads of the bark were upon them, the women were got out
alive, sail providentially little Injury was done to any of them, ex-
cept etc named Eaton, who was much hart.