The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-30 00:00:00

and sit with his wife. He then left, and she found him at
his house when she went. Mts Beckenham was then in
the kitchen, partly dressed. She was sitting by the fire,
and not quite sober. They appeared to have been
drinking over night. Mrs Gribbin, who was in bed
when she went, got up and sat with a blanket round her
shoulders. She was not quite sober. All three appeared to
have slept in ono bed. Witness went out and brought a pot
of beer in the afternoon, about 2 o'clock. There was no food
in the house at that time. Mrs Gribbin complained of great
pain in the stomach, and lay on the sofa groaning and
vomiting. Atter the pot of beer they had a quartern of gin
among the three of them. Witness left about 9 o'clock in
the evening, and she had brought no more beer or drink
before leaving. They had nothing to eat in the time. Before
she left Mrs Gribbin did not dress herself. When she left
the husband was standing near the passage window, his
wife was sitting by the fire, and Mrs Gribbin on the sofa,
undressed, except the blanket. She had been sick for two
or three hours, but the vomiting had ceased beton) she left.
They occupied a sitting room, bed room, and kitchen, all on
the same floor. Mrs Gribbin had told her the pain in her
stomach arose from want. Mrs Beckenham was pretty wail
when she left. On leaving she asked witness to call next
morning, remarking that she should have a fine night of
it. Witness called next morning about 10 o'clock, and
repeatedly afterwards, but could get no answer.
gr Beck-
enham was dressed when she left. She saw no quarrel be
.
tween them on the Tuesday. She never saw the woolen enY
more alive. Mrs Gribbin was certainly ill when she left.
Henry North, landlord of the Prince of Wales public-
house, in the neighbourhood, deposed that Beckenhnin, tme
husband, called there and got half a gallon of beer or, 'rues'

day evening between 8 and 9.
Dr Gayton, of Brick-lane, Spitalflelds, who had beext,
called in to see the bodies,deposed in effect that on oaternlb
the room ho found the Lody of the woman Gribbin
on the floor and against a sofa, and with the head rot
on the left hand. The body was fully dressed, talcl,t.7,
clothes were covered with vermin. The other body, 181.'1c--
was that of Mrs Beckenham, was lying on its back head
corner of the room, near the bed room door, with the
within the bed room. It was dressed only in a 0012116e'
petticoat, and jacket, all of which were open in front of 0°
chest. The legs were quite bare. It was resting 012
greatcoat, through one sleeve of which an arm was d.radrams'The place was very dirty, but bore no appearance of Ltbjech
poverty, nor was there the least symptom of any struggle.
He afterwards made a post mortem examination. Tho boa
of Mrs Gribbin was that of a middle-aged stout wo
There wore no appearances of violence upon it. The £?co
was very much discoloured, apparently from the position
in which the body lay, and there was a little blood ttb°ll
t
the nose and lips. The brain was that of a spirit drioXeri
There was no fracture of the skull nor of any other 101!
observable. The mouth or tongue presented no traces 0'
corrosive poison. The left lung was partly congested. .-Cll°
stomach, which seemed almost empty, was removed for
analysation by Dr. Letheby, together with portions of tle
liver and small intestines. The liver was enormously Or
larged, weighing 91b or 101 b. Two glass slides, prepared
for the purpose, were placed by witness over the mouth, but
gave only negative results when applied as a test for pruesl°
acid. There was no odour of poison about the bodies. ,
body of Mrs Beckenham was apparently that of a younger
woman, and was very much less decomposed than the other.
There were no marks of external injury, except a bruise on
the forehead, extending down to the bone, but without anY
corresponding mark inside the skull, and a large bruise on
the back of the head. As in the other case, there were
no
traces of any corrosive poison in the mouth or throat. Til°
stomach and intestines were nearly empty. Portions of theal
were reserved for Dr. Letheby.
By the Coroner—After the results of the post 'orlot
examination, he would rather not give au opinion as to t/1°
cause of death until an analysis had been made.
The witness Nicholson was recalled and shown an 81331"
flask bottle, which he said ho found on the floor of the room
in which the bodies lay, near that of Mrs Beckenham, and
which smelt of gin.
Ou the suggestion of the Coroner, the inquest Was ad.
journed until Wednesday, September 7.