The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-12 00:00:00

CORONE'R'S INQUEST.

On Tuesday afternoon an inquisition was held at the sign of the
City of !Amon, Sydney-street, City-road. before Thome.' Stirling.
Esq., to inruire into the circumstances connected with the death of
Jane Diitciell, a beautiful girl, only 19 years of age.
Mr. Ar.hihald 11Iaxtield, cuygeon, of No. Gil, Snow-hill, stated
that he lad known the deceased by her occasionally calling at hi►
shop; ir the evening of Friday last lie was sent fur to attend her at
No. A, Sydney-street. Ile went about eight o'clock, and found
her in led. She informed him she had become ;cute; but wish-
ing to :onecal the cirrumnranee from her family, she 'lad been in-
duced. by the persuasion of a female friend, to sw:dlow a drug to
causeabortion. She accompanied her adviser to an herb shop in
Cot/an-garden market, and purchased a quarter of a pound of the
butt of meadow saffron, which she boiled in a pint of water, and
afterwards drank the liquid., one part on Thursday night, and the
ronaindet that morning. Witness prescribed such niedicar treat-
'tent as he considered the cane required, but (without its having the
desired effect, and she lingered until four o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing, when she expired in the greatest agony. She persisted in her
statement that a female friend, a married woman, caused her to
commit the rash act ; but obstinately refused to mention her name.
Witness had no reason to believe her intellects were in the slightest
degree disordered, and supposed her to be t.bout nineteen years
of age.
In answer to come questions from the Jul,. Mr. Maxfield said,
that meadow saffron was a very eflicacii us ni Abel" properly used.
One tea-spoonful wan considered a dose, but .be quantity taken by
the deceased was sufficient to destroy half a dozen lives: Its
effects were more or less rapid, according to lie freshness of the
hrrb.

3lrs. Sarah Gay, sister to the deceased, statsl that on IVednes.
day last the deceased was with her, and appeared in perfect health,
and quite happy. She mentioned to witness her fears that she was
pregnant ; hut whatever her feelings might be on that subject, she
contrived effectually to conceal them. Witness saw her again on
f hursday, arid she then appeared much the same to usual.
Mrs. H. Hussey, of No. 5, Sydney-street, state' that the de-
ceased had lodged will her during the last three marlins, and had
taken the apartments as a married woman. The getrleman whom
she called bet husband did not reside in the house, sue came oc-
casionally. lie was a tuiddle.aged gentleman, and deceased was
about 19 or 20 years °rage. On Thursday evening deceased com-
plained of severe illness, cttended wii h violent vomiting% in conse-
quence of which witness scent to a druggist i.t Goswelli at:vet, who
sent something to relieve her. Deceased, however, refused to take
it ; and then, for the Erst time, explained her situation to witness,
and said she had taken a drug to procure i.bortion, hut wh ch she
said she -des afraid would operate very diffetnntly. Witness
blamed her very much for what she had done; but not consincrirg
her in immediate danger, and the hour being very late, medical
assistance was not sent lot until next day, when Mr. Maxfield
came. Witnens had dinught she observed an alteration in the
manner of the deceased for smile days previous to her death.
Co ROWE a—When decased told you she had taken some drag,
which she feared might have a contrary effect to that intended, you
say you did not endeavour to procure medical assistance until some
time the next day ? Witn?ss—No, Sir ;it was twelve o'clock, and
I thought it too late.
A Juror—Too late ! why medical assistance can be procured any
hour of the night or morning. I 'drink you were guilty of a piece
of gross and culpable neglect. By proper attention on your part,
the life of the unfortunate girl might perhaps have been saved; hut
on the contrary she was suffered to linger, after the had hinted to
you that she feared she was poisoned, for eighteen or twenty hours,
without assistance: Such condnet was most shameful.

ConowEn—Who went with her to 1)4 the medicine? Witness
—1 do not know. _

Juror—You, yourself, did not accompany her? Witness--I
did not.
_ .

Juror—Have you any ides who went with Ire or recommended
her to take the m-adow saffron 1 Witness—Not any ; unless—that
is, I think it might he--indeed I am almost sure—quite sure—that
her sister. Mrs. Gay, the last witness examined, went with her.
The Collor; Et here observed, that from what he now saw of the
transaction, it would be advisable to adjourn the inquiry. The at-
tendance of witnesses not at present forthcoming would be neces-
sary ; and if the gentlemen of the Jury were of the same opinion,
those witnesses should be summoned. There seemed to be a mys-
tery attending the unfortunate circumstance, which ought to be
fathomed. _ . _ _ _

The suggestion of the Coroner was immediately adopted.
The Jury then proceeded to view the body, which only exhibited
some slight discolorations of the tare—the effect of convulsions.
The inquiry was then adjourned till three o'clock the next day,
and Mr. Maxfield was requested to open the body in the interim.
At the appointee hour yesterday aftereoon, the same Jury re-
assembled,and the following additional evidence was adduced :

The beadle Land, that he had taken every pains to ascertain at
what shop the drug was purchased, but without effect.
Mr. Maxfield, in addiuon to his former evidence, stated, that he
lad opened the body of the deemed. and found the stomach and
alimentary canal very much inflamed. Abortion had not taken
place. Witmss thinks, that if assistance had been procured earlier,
the stormich•pump might have been used with effect.
Mrs. Hussey re-examined—The sister of deceased, Mrs. Gay,
was with her the whole of Thursday, in the course of which day
they went to Covent-garden market. They retained and took tea,
and about six o'clock Mrs. Gay went away. In less than a quarter
of an hour after, witness was called to the ag,ivatice of deceased,
a !to was very sick, and who then tint explained her situation to
witting. . _

...
The Colto NERS said the r'reumstanee was a most melancholy one.
Ore sister lay dead, anti a recond was in some degree implicated in
the unfortunate transaction. The gendenien of the Jury had heard
the evidence, and it reinsi' e 1 with them to come to a decision upon
that evidence.
The TOOlll was then cleared, and after a deliberation of three
limits, the following verdict sons roomed :—" That the deceased,
Jane Mitchell, died from the ellects of a vegetable poison, taken to
procure abortion, and, as is supposed, by the advice of her sister,
Sarah Oily ; the deceased being of unsound mind when she took
the said poison."

The Jury, at the same time, animadverted in very strong terms
nn the conduct of 31rs. Hussey, whom they considered highly re-
hensible.
The Co n ox ER said the verdict, in legal terms, was taniarmunt to
that of " Wilful Murder" against Mrs. flay. the sister, and it was
his duty to commit her, to await the verdict of a higher tribunal.
The beadle was then directed to tal,e her to the New Prison,
Clerkenweit.

A PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.—About six o'clock yester-
day evening two fellows belonging to some livery stables in the
neighbourhood of St. Martin's-lane were each driving a gig down
the lane towards the Strand, and, as it is stated, were racing against
one another. One of the horses, a fine spirited animal, took fright,
and ran with all its speed down the street. The man made every
effort to check him, but in vain. When within two yards of the
Strand the horse fell on its left side, and such was the force
with wliich he was going, that he elided more than three yards in
that position. Having partially regained his feet, he continued his
count, and struck Dinnelf•With sirth violence against the iron rail.
ings in front of Northumberland House, as to repel him sonic two
or three feet, when he fell stunned by the blow. The driver was
thrown with great force against the railings upon his head, but to
the astonishment of those who witnessed the scene, and who consi-
dered there was no chance of escape withlife, he rose upon his feet,
end immediately proceeded to loosen the horse from the gig, as if
nothing had happened to hint. When the horse was extricated
from the harness, it was discovered that he was so materially injured
in the shouldee, that, independently of any other hurt, it will ren-
der hint wholly useless to his owner. The animal was a very
valuable one. Fortunately no person was passing on the south
side of the Strand, at the time of the accident, nor were there more
than halt' a dozen on the other side, all of whom instantly sought
shelter in the shops. There is strong reason to believe that consider-
able blame attaches to the ostler. The wan who was in the other
gig drove up to the place of the accident. and had the extreme im-
pudence of leaping out at' the gig, leaving his horse without any
person to take care of hint. The brutal heedlessness with which
these fellows, to whom the care of horses is intrusted, conduct
themselves in die public thoroughfares, cannot be too severely re-
probated.
--- - •

The proposed public bank for the counties of Northum-
berland and Durham continues the subject of discussion.
It is resolved, we find, to apply for a charter, many of the
county gentlemen having determined to support it only
upon that condition. A meeting of the friends of the
measure, we understand, will take place some time in the
course of this month, at which the Honourable 11. T. Lid-
dell will take the chair, if it shall appear to be the wish of
Northumberland- that such an este,lishment should be
formed, and of the existence of this wish in both counties
we believe there is little doubt. In an undertaking of
such magnitude, to be successful it is evidently indispen-
sible that it should receive the patronage of persons of
weight and consequence in the outset.—Tyme Mercury.