The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-08-16 00:00:00

I

0

nitifinTs.

MARY CHAMPANTE.

At three o'clock, yesterday, the Coroner's In-
quest sat on the body of Mary Champante, the
young lady who was drowned, in St. James's Park,
on Monday last.
The Coroner (Mr. Ceti.), having swornthe Jury,
stated to them the melancholy occasion of the sum-
moned meeting, and the cause they had to try.
'fhe first witness examined, was Francis Yarrow,
St. James's Pi rk gate-keeper. He deposed, that
about half past one o'clock, in the afternoon of
?.letalay last, he heard a report, that a young lady
drowned in the Canal, in St. James's Park.
immediately ran across the Park. and saw the
•ceased, with her head under, and her back above
slater, nearly opposite Queen's-square gate, just by
the railing that divide* the Park. A waterman came
op at the same time, and having taken off his
clothes, went into the Canal. Witness plunged in
arier him, and assisted inbtinging the body to the
bark; the deceased was then carried with great
caution to the Hoop and Grapes, public house, in
QU3CII'S-liqUare. He said, she most have climbed
over the rails, as the gates were all locked, and he
had the keys.
Robert llurnetiwas next examined : he stated, that
he was waterman to the hackney coaches at Buck-
ingkam.gate. About half past twelve o'clock, in
the forenoon of Monday last, he saw the deceased
tte,, out of a hackney coach, at Buckingham-gate.
1-1- saw her pay the coachman, and heard her say,
she must go inn, the Park, and hoped he would be
vivre when she .could return. It was raining very
heavy at the time, and when the coachman advised
her not to leave the carriage in the rain, she an-
swered, " I shall be more wet just now." She held
a parasol on one side her head, just as she might do
to shade her from the sun. He observed her to go
down the Park, towards St James's Palace. Some
time after, the alarm was given, and an elderly
rentlernan came up and cried out, " There is a lady
In the water." Witness immediately jumped over
the rails, and ran across the field. He saw two
people running before him, and asked them could.
they swim; they answered in the negative, and he
stripped and went in up to his breast ; he polled the
deceased to the shore, with the assistance of the
other men he saw her struggle twice while she
was in the water, but had no symptoms of life when
taken out. He then assisted in carrying her to the
Hemp and Grapes.
A man of the name of Browne was going to be
examined, when the Coroner observed the Jury had •
sufficient evidence before then: to enable them to
bring in a reedit!: however the man told his story.
He said he was coming down the walk called the
Mall, oa that day in a very heavy shower of rain,
when the Centinel at Haningtor-gate called out,
" For God's sake, young man, get over the rails,
there's a young woman has just leaped into the wa-
ter." He then made to the place as fast as he
could, and heard her cry most mournfully. She
was at the other side of the Canal, and he *mild

not swim but ran round And gut to the other side
along with the others. Doting his race, he heard
her frequently cry most piteously, so that he sh mid
never forgot it during his lite. He called to the
soldiers at the Guard-house, but they only jeered
him.

Mr. Whitrow, the partner of the unhappy young
lady's father, stated that she had come from Chel-
sea, whet. the family had b dgings, in the stage
that morning, to Sir father's house. Upon going
up speak to him, he, wno WAS a man of a hasty
temper, sail something harsh to her, and turning
from her, desired her to go ab ut her business ; she
went down stairs, and was heard to say, she would
destroy herself; she then desired the Clerk to call a
coach, and during his alp,ence went oni, as was at
first supposed, to h s ( %h. Whitrow's) house ; but
she turned another way, and stood for some time
in the rain, till a coach came up. He said her un-
fortunate father was a veiy reputable wholesale
Stationer in Jewry-street, Aldgate, where he had
resided many years. He had a son and slaugh-
ter living, both olier than the deceased. Her
Blether had been insane for three years, and died
in that state. She herself appeared at times a little
flighty, but was a most amiable girl in every re-
speo; she was very handsome, tall, and a remark-
ably tine person; she was only 20 years of age ; her,
at:tattlers were most captivating.
The Jury without any hesitation, brought in a
verdia, " that the deceased was deranged in her
mind, and in a fit of insanity had drowned herself."
We understand that medical assistance was called
in, but all efforts to recover her were fruitless.

Mr. Crow. the Gate-keeper at Harrington-zate.
has, we understand, apidied to Lord litist"n f,r a
boat. a;.d nice ,scry apparatus, in case of similar ac-
cidents in futuie.