The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

The Murder and Suicide in Somers Town.

ADJOURNED CORONER'S INQUEST.—WILFUL
MURDER AND FELO DE SE.
Last evening, at seven o'clock, Dr Lankester, coroner
for Central Middlesex, and the jury empanelled on Thurs-
day last as to the deaths of Rosetta Bishop, aged 42, and
James Brown, aged 56, the former of whom was murdered
by the latter, at 15, Smith-street, Somers Town, resumed
their inquiry into that truly horrible affair, at the Elephant
and Castle, Camden Town.
On the jury reassembling the Ccroner referred to the
evidence previously taken, and said, in order to complete
the case of the murdered woman, ho had directed the knife,
the hatchet, and the coat belonging to Brown to be sent to
Dr Harley for analysis as to blood, and it would be better
first to hear him.
Dr Harley was then sworn—He said he was Professor
of Jurisprudence of University College. He had recently
received a chopper, a coat, and a knife. On examining the
knife microscopically he could not discover any marks of
blood upon it. Examined the hatchet also, with a view to
ascertain whether there were any blood or brains upon it,
but could find none. At the back part of the hatchet there
was a hair 5i inches long, and on examining it with a
microscope it appeared to have been pulled out by the not.
It was of fine quality and of a light brown colour, as if be-
longing to a fair person. There were four other hairs at-
tae,hed to the axe; two of them were of the same light brown
colour, one grey and one white. They were all human hairs,
and might have come from the same person. Examined the
hairs cut from the head of tho murdered woman. They
were of a light brown colour, intermixed with grey, and
when examined with those found on the hatchet the appear-
ance was identical. The rust on the hatchet was of two sorts
—one sort was old rust, and another part new rust.
By the Jury—Had tested the whole surface of the axe,
both by the microscope and by ellemionl mnpas, and ouuld
' not discover blood upon it. There is a deep red stain in the
wood of the hatchet, but it is dye and not blood.;
Woodrow, the police constable who took the hatchet from
the waterbutt, was recalled, and said he saw spots on the
blade of the hatchet which he believed to be blood.
Dr Harley said he had no doubt it looked so when first
taken out of the water, but that was the old rust on the

iron.

By the Coroner—Had also examined the coat, and could
find no blood upon it.
Harriet Loader, the lodger in the front kitchen, was re-
called, and said she heard the screams of Mrs Bishop on the
Tuesday when the quarrel took place. Did not go to her
assistance because she was afraid. After hearing the screams
Brown came and asked her to go and get some beer.
By a Juror—lV ill swear that I did not go into the back
kitchen and see the blood all over Mrs Bishop's face. I
went and asked if I should fetch some water to wash Mrs
Bishop's face, and was going into the back kitchen, when
Brown shut the door in my face, and said she had only
fainted. I then went for the beer, and put it at the corner
of my dresser, and Brown came in and fetched it and took
it into the back kitchen.
Tho Juror (Mr Winkworth)—Will you swear this is the
statement made by you to the witness Murphy ?
Witness said she had told the truth. .
Margaret Murphy was recalled—She said when she went
into No. 15, Smith-street, for the pail of water, she had a
conversation with the previous witness which she had not
stated to the jury on the previous occasion. She told her
that at the time of the quarrel Brown came and asked her
to go fJr some beer, and she did so, and when she brought
it back Brown asked her to drink, and she replied to him,
" No, she would not drink, but she would fetch some water
for the poor creature bleeding on the ground (alluding to
the deceased woman)." She said she saw Mrs Bishop lying
on the floor, and she saw she had two teeth driven down
her mouth. He refused to let her get the water, and said
she would see her jump up and pull the hair out of his head.
Mrs Loader said she then went out, and on her return she
said she saw Brown sitting in his parlour. It was hearing
all this that made witness think the woman was murdered,
and Loader then agreed with her, as she said eh® did not
believe the woman could have gone out in a quarter of an
hour after in the Etato in which she saw her on the day of
the murder.
By Mr Winkworth—Loader distinctly told me she saw
Rosetta Bishop lying on the ground covered with blood.
A discussion ensued as to whether the witness Loader was
not cognisant of the murder.
Loader was recalled and severely cross-examined, and
denied positively that she had ever seen the deceased woman
alive after she fetched the beer. She did not recollect
having told Mr Murphy that she had seen her bleeding on
the ground. Recollected going to a Mrs Bond's for snuff,
in Brewer street, on Monday weele,
before the murder was
discovered, and said she was going to leave as they were
always quarrelling. Did not recollect telling Mrs Bond
that she had seen the deceased woman bleeding on the
ground.
The Coroner said if there was evidence that the witness
; Loader had seen the woman as described, she was an ac-
cessory after the fact, and would be liable to prosecution

as such.
Mrs Murphy having stated that Loader made the same
observations to other persons whom she named, they were
directed to be sent for.
Inspector Gibson, S division, produced a very handsome
Leghorn bonnet, which the witness Loader had given her
on the morning of the murder, about five minutes before
she heard the screams. She said Mrs Bishop came home,
and finding Brown was there, came into her kitchen and
gave it to her to take care of, and then went into the back
kitchen where Brown was. She gave him the bonnet on
the 27th, the day after she gave him the letter she had re-
ceived addressed to Bishop.
James Geo. Brown, the son of the alleged murderer, was
recalled, and said—On the Saturday night before the dis-
covery, when his father gave him the deeds, he went home
tvith him to Smith-street, and went out with the lodgers and
returned home after the houses were shut up and slept with
him. They had breakfast and went out together on Sunday
morning about 11 o'clock, and he went into a shop to be
shaved and witness left him. Ho said when he left him he
was going to Australia and wished him good bye. Did not
observe anything particular in his manner.
By the Jury—The watch he gave me was my grand.
father's watch, and was lett for me. After this discovery
Mrs Townsend told me I should have to give up the deeds,
and 1 told her that my father said I was not give them up
under £l5O.
Inspector Gibson produced the deeds referred to, six in
number, and said they were handed to him by last witness.
They referred to household property—one to a house No.
11, West-street, Somers-town; another to a house in Cres-
cent-mews, Burton.crescent ; and another to two houses
bought by Rosetta Bishop for £l5. There was a policy of
insurance fur one property in the sum of £2OO, and another
in £lO, in the name of Rosetta Bishop, 15, Smith-street,
Somers-town, described as a widow. There was no deed of
assignment of any of this property to any one else.
The witness then proceeded to describe the discovery of
the body of the murderer, James Brown, hanging on the