The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-22 00:00:00

CORO E RS' INQUESTS.

111 ELAgcnoLY ACCIDENT:—On Thursday evening an Inqui-
sition was taken at the Spotted 1)og public-house, in Strand-lane,
before ThoniawHiggs, Esq. Deputy-Coroner for Westminster, and
a respectable Jury- do view of the body of Miss Jane Marshall, a
fine little girl, who came to her death under the following distress-
ing circumstances:—
Mr- John Davis, of the Strand, on his oath, deposed, that on
last Sunday evening, about five o'clock, he was in Arusdel-street,
near the stens, where he was looking towards the Thames Police.
ship, lying off Norfolk-sheet, a little girl was walking on the deck ;
presently she stooped, as if to reach something which was hanging
hy the stile of the vessel, when she overbalanced herself, and fell in
the water. Witness was much alarmed for the child's situation,
and-Called out to Heath, a waterman, who happened to be near with
his boat, to go to the ship, as a child had gone overboard. Heath
instantly complied, and *Mil= stopped till the deceased's body
was found.

George Heath, of 15, Exeter-street, Strand, on his oath, stated
that on Sunday evening, at the time mentioned by the last wit-
ness, he was about IGO yards from the Thames Police vessel, when
he heard an alarm on board, and at the same time he heard the
last witness call out to him to go to the ship, as a child had fallen
overboard. Witness instantly rowed to the side of the ship, and
dived from his boat several times to the bottom, to find the body,
but without eff•ct ; the deceased did not rise ro the surface. The
men on board the vessel were dragging for the body of the de-
ceased, but they were all unsuccessful, till a fisherman, named
Hasilfair, came with his boat and nets; the latter he threw in, and
In about twenty minutes the body of the unfortunate child was
brought up; she appeared quite dead, hut notwithstanding, the
body was instantly conveyed, to this house, were a surgeon was
sent for, and "fury possible means resorted to to restore life, but
to no'purposs, as the vital spark had fled.
Thomas Hasilfair, a fisherman, stated that, ,hearing of the acci-
dent, he repaired to the spot with the utmost expedition, and
throwing in his nets, he was fortunate enough to bting the body up
I in about twenty minutes, but, however, too late to save (halite of
the poor child.
Mr. George Stokes, surgeon, of the Stroud, stated that about
half-past five o'clock on Sunday evening, be was sent for to attend
the deceased ; witness immediately obeyed the SUITIMOIIII, and
found the child at this house wrapped in a blanket ; wimeas lost no
time in applying every remedy which is resorted to under such
circumstances, but he was totally unsuccessful, as life had bean

extinct some time.
The Coroner and Jury expressed their approbation at the con.
duct of Heath and Haailtair' in rendering their prompt assistance,
s and in a few minutes, retured a verdict, " That the deceased wu
accidentally drowned."
The deceased chill was daugher of the chief officer on board the
Thames Police.xesatL

THE CHARGE. OF MURDER IN SMARR ELf..—The inquisition,
which it-was thought would have taken place on Thursday evening,
on the body of the young man Balton, who was on that day killed
by his grandfather, did one take place until ten o'clock yesterday,
when the Coroner, J. W. Extent, Esq., accompanied by the
Churchwardens and a highly respectable ury, assembled at the
Crooked Billet public house, to make the necessary inquiries re-'
specting the fatal :vent. After being impanelled, the Jury pro-
eeeded to view the bode, which lay in tht house where the deed was
perpetrated, and on their return the following evidence was sub.
mitted for their consideration :
Ann Hill, the housekeeper of the 'amused, was the first witness
-examined. Her direct testimony corresponded with that given at
the Thames Police-office, with the exception of her adding that the
prisoner,' after receiving a blow from the deceased, went up stairs
anti brought down the digger ; and on the deceased raising his
hand-, gave him the stab which caused his death.
Juror—Was the first blow Oren by the deceased to the prisoner
a violent one ?

_
Witness—No, it was not.
Juror—Why did the mused keep the dagger ?
Witness—He kept it to protect himself against the deceased,
who frequently threatened that lie would either himself deprive him
of life, or that he would get some of his companions to do it.
Juror—Do you, from your own knowledge, think that the pri-
soner's life was in danger horn the deceased ?
Witness—l -do ; and• under that impression I frequently re-
que4id of him to gerthe deceased bound over to-keep the peace
towards him.
The next witnesses, Diniel Kinsman, George Wrix, Wm. Mar-
nye, and Joseph Charles Miller, surgeon. varied in or added no.
thing to their depositions taken at the Theme, Office. At the close
of the last witness's testimony, the beadle entered the room, and
said there teas a person in the house who was anxious to give his
testimony. thegoioner thought there was moue, indeed too
much testimony th support the charge against the prisoner.
The Foreman of the Jury wished to know whether they were not
in &shinier situation to a Jury at the Old Bailey ?
Coroner—Yes, to a Grand Jury with open doors, appointed to
Inquire into certain things, under the presidency of a Coroner elect-
ed by the public and approved of by the Crown.
• Mr. Isaacs, the Solicitor who attended on behalf of the prisoner,
requested of the Coroner that he would examine the witness. .
This appearing to be the wish of wine of the jury,. _the Coroner
consented to their request, sod the witness was called in and ex-
amined
John Jennings sworn—l an( a day-labourer and.woriced for the
prisoner; the deceased and I were in cdrnpany at the Trinity
Arms, Ratcliffe-cross, on Wednesday lost; from thence we went to
- the Plitentx at half-psat Ire, where we reinalnen is efaboot hug-
past seven; while there, he said he had but n half.eroan,•and that
he wanted more money. I told him that half-a-crown was entities
for any young man to spend of an evening; he replied that he
would have more money. I told him that his grandfather would
live him more. and he said, " If he does not give me as much
money as I want I will have his life or lase my own." On this I
observed to him that he ought not to talk about taking life away,
RR It was a thing he could not restore. AVitness added, that the
deceased said that the money he had (meaning the half.crown) was
not one-eighth enough for the evening's expenditure, and that he
should have more.

Ann Hill, the first witness, was recalled, at the request of a
Juror.
Juror—Did the prisoner at any time previous to this carry the
dagger about him far protection ?
Witnesa—Several times.
Juror—When was it he went for the dsgger ?
Witness—After the deceased struck the blow.
Juror—Did the deceased strike the ptisoner after lie (the pri.
soner) came down stairs?
Witness—No, but he attempted to do so when he received the
fatal wound.
William Wilson examined—l am a Thames police-officer; on
Wednesday night l was the Stad•ell watchhouse from twelve to
one o'clock. The headbnrouglia in attendance desired me to tnke
charge of the prisoner. I took him to the office in compsny with
the headborough and streetkeeper. On going down Shakespeare's-
walk I desired him to say nothing in my presence which might
tend to criminate him in the business which had occurred, for that
if he did so r would be °bilged to give it in evidence against hint ,•
he then turned round to me in a wild manner, and exclaimed, "
have done the job for him ; I don't are who knows it ; you will
never take him again." He used the same expressions tour or five
times on our way to the office.
The evidence closed here, and the Coroner summed up: in the
course of doing which, he said that in this melancholy occurrence li
there might be a heat of blood, but it was In evidence, that after
the deceased had struck the blow the prisoner went up stairs, re-
moved the fatal weapon, and on his return inflicted the deadly
wound. The interval of time which had elapsed from his going
up tothebed.charn her to his return down stairs, was, be thought,
sufficient to remove that irritation which might otherwise autbonle

them to bring in a verdict of. Han&lisitiffiket. It had been mite,
and there were many inetanosees the books, that an interval of
time shorter than the present wu•denotative of a malicious inten.
tion on the part of the accused, and as such subjected h!rn to the
charge of murder. On the present Inquest he thought Oates'.
dente sufficient had been supplied. and all the necessary in.
gredients were present to warrant them in recording a verdict of
wilful murder against the prisoner. This was his opinion ; itd
in discharge of his duty, he was bound u. state it ; but it wan for
the Jury to declare, by their verdict, how far his criminality H.
tended. A considerable differtrce of opinion prevallintamong the
Jury, the room was cleared, and they remained in deliberation,
with.closed doors, for nearly two hours, when they returned the
unexpected verdict of •• Alairslaugh.er."
In the evening the prisoner was brought up for final examine.
than to the Thames...office, when he was fully commkted on the
capital charge.
During the Inquisition the Court was extremely crowded.