The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-05 00:00:00

Romantic Suicide through Love and
Jealousy, at Homerton,

Yesterday morning Mr. H. 1-td flies Walthew, deputy core •
ner, resumed, at the Adam and Eve Tavern, Lower limner-
ton, an inquiry respecting the death of Esther Austin, aged
19 years, who was alleged to have committed suicide under
very painful circumstances. _ .

It appeared from the evidence taken on the previous occa-
sion that the deceased was a waitress at Kinsley's Coffee-
house, in Angel-lane, Temple Mills. _ _ _

George Austin, the father of the deceased, said that she
used to return home to his house in Stratford every evening.
She was keeping company with a young man named Henry
Hoggett, to whom she was deeply attached. She did not
return home as usual on the night of last Tuesday week,
and he never saw her again until a week afterwards, when
her body was found in the river Lea. He heard that she
was last in the company of Henry Hoggett. The latter had
known her for two years, and he had frequently called upon
deceased, especially when she was ill. But latterly he had
taken to courting another, and on the Tuesday night in
question deceased called upon him to know about it. They
left to walk together, and that was the last that was seen of
her. She was a steady, good girl, and was not at all of a
suicidal turn. She was of a cheerful disposition.

Henry Hoggett, the young man in question, said that
when he and deceased walked out and got as far as the
stiles at Homerton-hill, he said, " I must now leave you, as
I want to go and see Jane Shrub, who is waiting for me at
the top of the hill." She replied, "Mind, wrap her up
well ;" and he turned away to go to Jane Shrub. He had
not gone far when the deceased said, " Good night—good
night 1" in a tone that gave him a turn. He looked back
and saw her running down the hill. He was at first going
to follow her, but seeing a man and a woman driving along
the read he thought that they would look after her. He
had no doubt that sue committed suicide through being so
fond of him. He had never promised to marry her, and he
had told her about Jane Shrub before. She then said, " See
me home at night now, for when you are married you will
not be able to walk with me along the lanes." She also said
she "would like to creep into a forest and never be seen
again by any one." He loved her, but his love was the love
of friendship, and nothing more. She was always very
jealous of the other young woman.

. -
George Austin recalled, said that Hoggett was certainly
paying his addresses to deceased. Witness had since said to
Hoggett, "If you did not put her to death, you were the
cause of it," and he said, " I have no doubt I was."
Hoggett said that he could not say that he was the cause
of her suicide. She had met Jane Shrub before, There was

certainly something strange in the way she left witness

when he said he was going to see the other young woman.
He only considered her as a friend. He had taken her to a
theatre. He had never deceived her or misled her. He did
not know whether he would have spent the New Year's-
day with his second young woman.

John Ting, 383 N, said that last Tuesday some persons
came to the station and asked him to drag the river Lea,
After an hour and a quarter's dragging he got deceased out.
In her pocket was found a portmonnaie containing two six-
pences and a part of a tradesman's bill with an address next
door to Mr. Kinsley's, in Angel-lane. No doubt she had
put it in her pocket in order that it might lead to her iden-
tification.

Mr. G. Miller, M.R.C.S., said that he had made a care

ful examination of the body of deceased, and he Mind no
marks of violence. She was perfectly healthy, and had been
a virtuous girl.
The Coroner said that there was no doubt that the poor
girl had been driven almost into a state of madness by the
extraordinary conduct of the young man Haggett. Her
feelings on the night when ho so abruptly told her he was
going straight to meet another were no doubt agonising,
and she committed suicide, but of course there was no direct
evidence of the fact.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased was found
drowned in the river Lea, but there was no evidence as to
how she came into the water of the said river.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE---Yesterday,

MANSION-HOUSE. Tin CABBY'S PEPPER'S
GHOST AGAIN.—A man who gave his name as Henry
Horace Linguard, 30 years of age, and described himself as

an actor, ot 9, Buttler's-buildings, East Smithfield, was
brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with obtaining a
coat, value 275., from Messrs, Mills and Co., clothiers,

Ald gate.
The prisoner, it will be remembered was before Mr. Nor-
ton, at Lambeth Police-court one day last week, where he
underwent an examination upon a charge of a similar

nature, but was discharged, the evidence not being able to

establish a clear case of fraud,

Mr. Millhouse, the manager to Messrs. Mills, said as fol-
lows :—On Saturday afternoon, at about half-past 2 o'clock,

the prisoner came to our shop. He was an entire stranger
to me• He asked to be shown some clothes, and was shown

some, and selected coats, tr.users, and waistcoats, to the
amount of £2l 17s. The bill was made out, and he said he
would write a cheque for the amount. He wrote a cheque
for £2l 17s. on a piece of note-paper, addressed to the Pro-

vident Savings Bank, St. Martin's-lane. The cheque was
signed "H. H. Linguarde." Oa trying on the clothes the
prisoner kept one suit ou, including an over coat. The pri-
soner then wanted to be shown some hosiery, and he was
shown into the hosiery department. I sent the cheque on
to the Provident Bank, and told the prisoner I had done so.

While I was showing the prisoner the goods, he complained
of being thirsty, and I sent for wine and cigars for him.
(Laughter.) He selected pods consisting of shirts, drawers,
stockings, and other articles of hosiery, to the amount of
,D5:3 14s, lie ordered the whole of the goods, with the ex-

ception of what he was wearing, to be sent to No. 4, Oving-
ton •square, Brompton, where he said he resided with his
wife. After he had selected the goods he said he would like

to go and have some dinner, and asked me if I could re-
commend him to a place. I told him a place a few doors
from the shop, and he asked me if I could dine with him,

and I said I had nu objection.

Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)—He had your suit of
clothes on.

Witness--Yes, and I did not want to lose sight of him
We went and had some dinner, and when we had done he
got up to leave. The waiter came to him and asked him if
he had paid, when he replied, " My friend will pay," re-
ferring to me. He requested me to pay and put it down in
the bill, and I paid Ss. 7d. (Laughter, in which the pri-
soner himself joined, and seemed evidently to enjoy the fun.)
We returned to the shop, and information arrived that the
bank was closed and the money for the cheque could not be
obtained. I told the prisoner, and said that, under those
circumstances, he must pay cash for the clothes which he
was wearing. He replied that he had no cash about him,
but if I would ride with him in his carriage (which was at
the door) to No. 4, Ovington-•square, he would give me the
money for the clothes he had on, and also give me a cheque
on Coutts's for the balance. The other cheque was to be
given back to him. He said he had a balance of £2OO at
(Joutts's. I goo a carriage with the prisoner—
The Lord Mayor—What kind of carriage was it ?
Witness—An open carriage with one horse. We were
driven to 4, Ovington-square, where the carriage stopped,
and the prisoner alighted. I followed him, and he knocked
at the door of No. 4, and asked for some name which I
could not catch, but whatever it was, the servant said no,
and shut the doer. He then got into the carriage again,
followed by me, and told the coachman to drive to the
livery stables in Russell-square.
Mr. Goodman—But were not your suspicions excited by
that time ?
Witness—Yes, they were rather. We arrived at the
stables, and the prisoner was about to leave, without paying
for the carriage, which it turned out he had hired from
there—but he was detained, and asked to pay 255. He
said he had no money, and offered to write a cheque, but
that would not be accepted. The proprietor was called,
and told the prisoner that he had batter leave his watch,
or chain, or ring, or anything for security. The pri-
soner, however. had neither one nor the other, and he was
then asked to leave a coat. This I protested against, saying
that all the clothes he had on belonged to me. The prisoner,
however, took off his undercoat, and left it. The coat was
worth 275, and belonged to Messrs. Mills. The prisoner then
said we had better take a cab, aul go to his sister's in East
Smithfield. I did not like to go to this neighbourhood, so
made an excuse to call at the shop first. The prisoner, how-
ever, wanted to go to East Smithfield first, but we stopped
at Aldgate, and I got out. The prisoner went upstairs with
me, and I then told him that he came to the shop with the
full determination of swindling, and told him to take off the
things which belonged to us. A policeman was then sent
for, and the prisoner was then given into custody.
Mr. Goodman raid the charge would resolve itsolf into
stealing the coat. value 275, attempting to steal the other
part of the suit, and also with attempting to obtain the other
goods by false pretences.
The prisoner when asked if he had anything to ask the
witness, said to him in a very soft and persuasive manner,
"You are mistaken when you say I said I lived at 4, Oving-
ton-square. The address I gave you was Goat's Head Hotel,
Farnham, was it not ?"
Witness—l asked you if you were marred, and you said
you were, and resided with your wife at Ovington-square.
I asked you if you had any family, and you said you had
one child.
Mr. Goodman (to witness)—This is the man the cabmen
call "Pepper's Ghost,' is ho not ?
Witness—He is the same man.
A cabman then stepped forward and said the prisoner was
several shillings in his debt for cab fare. The prisoner got
into his cab on Saturday morning in Tavistal-street, and
wanted to know where he could got a dogcart. Ho told
him, "At Hicks's, in Russell-square," and at the prisoner's
request drove him there. Ho was supplied there with a
phaeton, and when he, after being kept waiting for some
time, asked the prisoner for his fare, he told him he would
send it to him in postage stamps. He declined, however,
and it was agreed that the prisoner should leave it with Mr.
Hicks, When he sent, however, there was the dispute
about the amount for the phaeton, and he had not got his
fare yet.
Mr. Goodman told the cabman to go to the police-station
in the district and get a warrant, which would be lodged a
thet court, and if the prisoner got off on the present charge
he would 'n3 taken on that,
The case was thou remanded, and the prisoner asked with