The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-29 00:00:00

Suspicious Occurrence at Mile-end

On. Friday night information was received by
Police• Sergeant Bailey, 1 11, that a crowd of several
hundred persons had congregated in the neighbour-
hood of the house No. 21, Albert Cottages, near the
Metropolitan Chambers, Church-street, Mile.end
New Town. Upon proceeding to the spot he was
informed that the parlour-door of the house in ques-
tion had been broken open by several persons, in
consequence of a suspicion that something wrong
had taken place. It wes then between 10 and 11
o'clock tit night. Upon the front, parlour being en•
tend a woman, between 30 and :I'S) years of age, was
discovered kneeling at a couch. Her head was buried
in her hands. She was dead. Lying at full length
on the floor was seen the body of another woman,
also dead. A portion of her body lay in the back
parlour. Upon proceeding to the adjoining apart-
ment the persons entering were horrified to discover
the partly naked body of a man lying at full length
on the floor. He was not dead, but he looked at
those who entered with an idiotic stare. Dr. Champ.
neye, the surgeon to the workhouse, was instantly
sent for, and his assistant arrived without delay.
Upon making an examination of the bodies of the
two women who were discovered in the front par-
lour, he pronounced life to have been extinct for
some hours. He could not, of course, state the pre-
cise cause of death without a post mortem examina-
tion. But it was understood to be that gentleman's
opinion that the lives of the deceased had been sac-
rificed by poison. Upon interrogating the man it
was found impossible to obtain from him any state-
ment as to how the deceased women had lost their
lives. It has since been ascertained that the deceased

women wore Eistere, and that one of them Nv as the wife
of the man who was found in the back parlour. The
family were considered respectable. The house in

which they lived they held under a public company.
The name of the married woman is Frances Back-
ingham, and her age is 41 years. Her sister's name
is Mary Gribbin, and her age is stated to be 31
years. The husband of Mrs. Backingham has for
several years past been unable to attend to any
business in consequence of his having been con-
sidered insane. Tae coroner's officer has locked up
the house. The man being completely imbecile has
not been arrested by the police; but he has been
removed from the house to the residence of a 'via_
the, who is stated to hold a good position in the
district. A post-mortem examination has been
ordered, and until that takes place the nature of
their deaths or the poison used cannot be discovered.

The following are some additional and later par.
iculars of the affair :

The circumstances of this extraordinary case are
still involved in mystery, although the authorities
have been untiring in their efforts to discover the
motives for the commiss:oa of the crime by which
it is supposed that the two sisters, Frances Back-

Ingham and Mary Ann Gribbin, lost their lives.
When the fact of the fiading of the dead bodies of
the two women were communicated to the coroner

for the district, Mr. Jobn Humphreys, that official
forthwith proceeded to the house, No. 21, Albert-
Cottages, Deal-street, where they lay, and caused a
most careful examination .of the premises to be
made under his personal supervision. The corpses
were still in the strange positions in which they
had been originally discovered, and it was noticed
that the clothes of Mrs. Backingham were die-
arranged and were thrown up above her knees. She
was lying between the door and the body of Mrs.
Gribbin, which was in a kneeling position at the
sofa. The general appearance of the room indicated
that a struggle of some sort had taken place. A
hatchet lay near the head of Mrs. Backingham, but
it had no appearance of having been used as a
weapon ; but some dinner knives and an open poc-
ket knife, which together with a broken lemonade
bottle and a broken candlestick lay scattered about
on the carpet, seemed obviously to have been used
as missiles. It was also observed that the front of
Mrs Gribbin's dress was dragged from the neck,
apparently by a sudden and vigorous pull.

minute search was made for letters or other
documents which might throw any light upon the
relation of the parties one to the other, but without
success. Several manuscript books were found in
drawers and upon shelves, but they related entirely
to business matters, and the most careful examina-
tion failed to -discover any papers or entry having
reference to the matter under inquiry.

The Coroner immediately ordered that a post-
mortem examination of both bodies should be made
without delay. Accordingly Dr. W. Gayton, of
Brick lane, assisted by Dr Woodman. physician to
the London hospital, were occupied for some hours
in the performance yesterday (Sunday). It was
found that the deceased had been dead for a much
longer time than was at first inferred in consequence
of the unusual rigidity of the bodies. It is be-
lieved that death must have taken place at least 48
hours before the discovery was made. Both bodies
were in a somewhat advanced stage of decomposie
tion, that of Mrs Gribbin's especially so, the e 5 es
being in progress of deca7.l2, On the head and on
the forehead of Mrs Backiegham were found bruises
which reached the bone, but there was no fracture
of the skull. No other marks of vio!ence were dis-
coverable on the bodits. The brains of both were
healthy, end the heart and other vital organs were
also healthy, and that there was no natural cause
to account for death in either instance. The
heart in each case was sound, but it is right to
mention that in that of Mrs Backingham was found
a fibrinous clot, which, it is believed, might, if
the absence of poison in her case be afterwards de•
monstrated, be held to account for her death. In
the case of Mrs Gribbin no such way of accounting
for death, in view of the absence of poison, was
found to exist.

Both women appeared to have been, up to the

time of death, in good health and in good condi-
tion. The intestines, &c., in each case, were empty,
and the stomach nearly so. The stomach, the spleen,
and other portions of the viscera of each of the de-
ceased have been placed in sealed jars, and given
into the charge of Mr A. G. Cobb, tho coroner's
officer, by whom they will be taken to Professor
Letheby for chemical analysis.
Until the result of the scientific anaiy sation of the
viscera of the deceased bEcomes known, it is not the
intention of the police to arrest any person on sus-
picion of having administered poison to them. It
may be stated, however, that James Backingham,
the lunatic husband of one of the deceased women,

is under the surveillance of Mr Cobb, the coroner's
officer, who has received orders to have him forth-
coming at the inquest.

TRIALS FOR MtraDEß.—From areturn of the num-
ber of persons in each of the last seven years cam.
witted in the Unted Kingdom for trial on the charge of
murder, it appears that in England and Wales, out Of 101
persons put on their trial in 1863, 51 were acquitted, of
whom 13 escaped on the ground of insanity. Of the 50 who
were convicted, 29 were found guilty of murder, 12 of man-
slaughter, and 9of concealment of birth. Recommenda-
tions to mercy must have been successful in seven cases, as
we find that only 22 suffered the extreme penalty of the law.
It is curious to observe how slightly the number of convic-
tions for murder vary b.tween 1857 and 1863. In the for-
mer year the number was 20; in 1861, 26; in 1862, 28;
and in 1863, 22. There is a considerable variation however
in the number of persons executed. In 1861 12 convictions
were followed by no execution of the extreme penalty, and
a like result occurred in 1862; but in 1860 only 4 thus
escaped. From a return with regard to Scotland, it seems
that 257 persons were committed for trial on the charge of
murder, during the last seven years, of whom however only
149 were put on trial, 54 were acquitted on various grounds,
and 17 convicted of the capital offence. Only 5 suffered the
extreme penalty of the law. In Ireland, during the same
period, 384 persons were tried for murder, of whom 171 were
acquitted, and is 19 cases the plea of inanity was sub-
stantiated. Out of 30 convictions for murder there were
only 15 executions.

HEALTH OF SIR JOAN RATCLIFF.—We -grGatly
regret to state that Sir Juhn Ratcliff now lies at his house,
the Wyddringtons, so dangerously ill that his life is de-
spaired of. Sir John has been seriously ill ler the last three
weeks from diabetes ; but at first some hopo was entertained.
On Thursday night, however, the symptoms became ex-
tremely alarming, and though the patient was a little bettor
yesterday, 1)r Evans now holds out little. or no hope of his
recovery.—Birmingham Day req

A GOLDIEIt I)ROWNED.—A3 the steam sh:p
Cambria was on her passage from Dublin to Holyhead on
Saturday morning, a soldier belonging to the 12th regiment.,
who was on hoard, fell into the water and was drowned,
heugh every exertion was made to save him. The msn'e
name has not been ascertained. flu was a Ciao you3g fellow
about 22 years of ..be.

CorresponCence between Mr. F. Henry P.
Berkeley, M.P.. and James Aytoun.

--+-

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
PALL MALL, 105, Aug. 29, 1864.
SlR—Upon the call of Mr. Berkeley, as eon_
rained in his letter—copy of which I now send
you—l request you to publish the following cor-
respondence.—l &m, yours, &c., JAMES AYTOL'IC.
VICTORIA-SQUAnt, S.W., Aug. 27.
SlR.—Having received last Wednesday a pamphlet, in
the shape of a letter, from you to George Wilson, of Man-
chester, containing the following passage—" It is well
known that Mr. Berkeley is personally opposed to the
Ballot—that nearly all those who vote with him are
equally opposed to it,:and that the motion is merely brought
forward for the purpcse of humbugging and gulling
a number of stupid constituencies, and preserving
the seats of those constituencies to a number of
servile supporters of the Government, who would be
sorry to sec the Ballot established" 1 beg leave indignantly
to deny this false and libellous statement, and call upon you
to retract the same with as much publicity as you have
given to the accusation.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
F. lie:11/y I,`, BERKELEY.

James Aytoun, EN.

Reform Club, Aug. 27.
Sir,—l have just received your letter of this day.
in this letter you accuse me of calumniating you in my
pamphlet, "Real Reform and Sham Reform," by declaring
my opinion that you are not a sincere advocate of the
Ballot.

My reason for coming to this conclusion is given in a
previous passage of the pamphlet, which, as you may have
overlooked, I shall now quote :
"At the list general election in 1859, Earl Russell, then
Lord John, was opposed as one of the Whig =dilates for
the city of London. It was expected he would be run bard,
and therefore every vote was necessary to secure his return.
Here was an opportunity for the London Ballot Society de-
claring their principles, and advancing the cause of the
secret vote. If they had been a really honest body; they
would at once have issued a recommendation to vote for
no candidate who did not pledge himself to support the
ballot in the House of Commons. Instead of acting in this
way, however, the famous Ballot Society of London, with
Mr Berkeley at their head, issued a recommendation to the
electors to waive their principles on this occasion, and vote
for Lord John Russell, notwithstanding his opposition to
the ballot, and this on the ground of supporting the Libe-
rals against the Tories."

I can only say that if I had had the honour of being in
your place on that occasion—the leader of the ballot party
in the House of Commons—l should have considered it my
duty to have acted in a different manner /rum what you did.
I should Lava considered that in acting this way I ren
dered myself fairly liable to the charge of insincerity, or
at least of sacrificing a great principle to mere party ob-
jects.

But as, notwithstanding this, you assure me you are
quite sincere in your advocacy of the Ballot, I am bound to
believe you as a gentleman, and to express my regret at
having stated anythiLg contrary to fact.
I shall only say, it such be your modo of forwarding the
Ballot question, God Delp your judgment I It is high time
that the country should look for another leader in this great
movement.

I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,

F. Henry F. Berkeley, Esq., M.P.

JAMES ATTOUN•

Railway Trzi.filc Returns for the Week.

Railways.

Miles Opened.

Rece 'pts.

4„.......__,....__„„
1864. 1863. 1864. 18C3.
£ X
Belfast and N. Counties 136 138 2,746 2.053
Belfast and Comity Down 49 49 7L•3 735
Blyth and Tyne 2B 28 2,445 2,110
Bristol and Exeter l2ll 1211 7,5:2 7,414
Caledonian 252 141 20,014 17.810
Cambrian 9l 81 2,101 1,6F8
Cockermouth & Workington Bl 81 312 376
Cork and Bandon 2O 20 357 271
Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 6l 61 :63 261
Cork and Youghal
Cornwall 651 511 2,('27 1,689
Deeside , 17 1? 5;.2 413
Dublin & Belfast J unction
Dublin and Drogheda 75 73 2,284 1,897
Dublin and Meath
Dub. & Wicklow and Wesid 914 48f 3,751 2,915
Furness, &c 5O 5i 3,416 2,-40
Glasgow & South-Western
Gt. Eastern,Nrfk., &E. Union
Great Northern 353 384 32.709 11,877
Great North of Scotland 5B 58 1,797 2.328
tit. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7ll 711 465 46,
r4t.Southn. & Westn.(lrind.) 3874 354 f 8,356 9,874
Great Western 10564 10564 70,519 63,027
Hull and Ifornsea l3 - 227 -
Inverness & Aberdeen Juno lO6l 861 1,988 2,025
Inverness & Perth Junction 119} -3,03 u -
Irish North-Western 145 145 1,608 1.777
Kent Coast 27 10 3,850 395
Lancashire & Yorkshire 403 3951 46,818 40,250
Limerick and Ennis... 241 241 205 192
Limerick and Foynes 264 26/ 311 300
Llanelly 461 461 739 780
Londen & North-Western
London and Blackwall 5/ 5/ 2,141 2,1:48
London & South-Western 4504 4501 28 76J 25.528
Lond. Brig:hton, &S. Coast 257/ 2504 23.876 22.965
London, Chatham, & Dover 721 '1.24 8,391 6 036
Do. Metropolitan Extension 114 304 2,500 1,400
Man.,Sheilleld, &Lincolnsh
Manch. S.Jun.&Altrincham 9l 01 1,487 1,307
Maryport and Carlisle
Metropolitan
Midland (incl. N.-Western).. 641 641 49,574 46,115
Midland Gt.Westn. of Irind... 262 2591 4,732 4.60
Afouldand . 714 714 7,739 1.565
Monmouthsh. Bail. & Canal.. 44 41 2,708 2,559
North British, Edin., Perth
f.T.J Dundee
N-Eastern and Stock. & Dart: 1095
North London 9
North Staffordshire 254
Rhymney l9l
Scottish Central ' 3j34
Scottish North-Eastern . 1:.:S
Somerset and Dorset 6O
South Devon 754
South-Eastern 306
Tall Yale

Ulster
Vale of Clwyd
Vale of N eath 431
Waterford and Kilkenny 3l
Waterford and Limerick 77
West Cornwall 271
W 'haven ,Cleator,& Egrmnt lO
Whitchaven Junction l2
Whitehaven & Furness Jun 35
FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.
Austrian B2B
Bahia and San Francisco
Belgian Eastern J unction.— 26t
Bombay, Baroda, & (en. India 1851
Buffalo and Lake Huron l6ll
Detroit and Milwaukie ls9
Dutch Rhenish
Eastern Bengal
Eastern of France 1135
East Indian.
Grand Trunk of Canada lO9O
Great Central of Belgium lBO
Great Indian Peninsula 6 - 3
Great Luxembourg 234
Great Southern of India
Lireat Western of Canada 345
Madras
Madrid, Saragossa &Aiicant
Northern of Canada ... 9l
Northern of France 697
Norwegian Trunk
Ottoman
Paris, Lyons, & Mediterrn lBO5
Paris and Orleans 1614
Pernambuco 77t
Royal Danish
Seth& 3C6
South Austrian
Southern of France 770
Victorian 196
Welland
West Flanders 75
W. and N.W. of France

sSli
10;9i

252
191
3134
3;iB
391
751
83$

1051

185 t
!Olt
15
106/
110
1302
932}
1090

3.5
447
490
9,1
697

25,5'5 23,583
6,231 C 0,049
3,3 s 7 3, 83
8,41:6 B.c 7G

0:8 91.6
7,0:.4 6,534
6,625 6,30

vS'i 4 9
4.707 4,2.6
28,397 29.631
5,5.7 5,325
2,314 2,138
;,89
3,021 2.334
432 361
:,535 1,35 )
b 56
4,421 4.,55
693 1;98
1,059 762
1,8/ b 44

35,053 32,045
4%0
11) 277
2,633 1,14. 1 I

4,321 3.031
7,678 6,551

65,831 55,566
24141 19,171
20,557 18,437
5,,413
8,350 6,327
4,728 4.610
LS7 573
10,032 8,667
5.96 ) 4 670
22,313

65,7,0 62,41 f
1,5 5 1,465
13t :146
137,A0 133,2 t 0
71,229 (6,9)2
621 6,'38

48}
1713
1411

705
14t.1
680
196

1,093 1,955
L 0,059
31,693 30,6.7
7,(35
422
1,!14:-.1 1, 78
59,033 5 >934

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,

CITY BETTING—SATURDAY.
THE ST. LEGER.
sto 2 agst General Peel (taken)
sto 2 agst Blair Athol (take 3to 1)
11 to 1 agst Miner (taken and offered)
100 to 8 acct Baragah (taken and offered)
100 to G agst Ely (offe►cd)
20 to 1 agst Claremont (offered)

RACING FIXTURES FOR 1864.
SEITEIII3En.
Weymouth 1
B .iden-Baden
Warwick September 6
Bridgwater 8
Leicester..
Doncaster

OCT
Bedford
Edinburgh and Lothians
Club.
Newmarket ',:iecoud Oct 1)

Brocon
.. 19
Richmond ............ 20
Royal Caledonian Hunt 2
Monmouth ............ 22
Manchester Autumn 23
Newmarket P irst October 1:7
'OBER

Lincoln
Kelso
Gloucester
Newmarket, Houg on.. 24

Nov

.AlBElt.
Leamington&War.Hunt 22

Worcepter Autumn .... 1
Shrewsbury Autumn .. 14

SEPTEMaEg•

Curragb ...................... 6,7, 3

OCTOBEn.

Curragh ..............
18, 19, 20

STEEPLECHASING FIXTURES FOJ 1864.

NovEmnEn..
Leamington and Warwickshire Hunt 22

" It, is tfflrined," sty tiro Fremdknblatt of Vient;,,
"that the :Emperor:Francis Joseph has replied to
the King of Prussia's invitation by a promise to be
present at ;ha autumn mar ceavres at Berlin. it
is thoughi: twit the EliFeror of 1tu:.,4,1a arri
ibe k 11,2 "