The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-30 00:00:00

Verdict of Manslaughter.

Yesterday afternoon an inquiry was held by Mr William
Payne, coroner for the city of London, at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, touching the death of Mary Deacon, aged 19, a
work girl, residing with her mother, a widow, at No. 3,
Middle-street, Cloth-fair, and at the time of her death
learning waistcoat making with Mr Samuel Withers, at No.
2, Beech-lane, Barbican.
Win. Rowe, a lad, was the first witness called, He said
—I live now at 23, Golden-lane. I lived in Whitecross-
street, immediately at the back of No. 2, Beech-lane. On
the last day of October I was in my room, between 5 and
6 o'clock, when I heard a scream, It was a woman's voice,
clear and shrill. I opened the window and got on the
roof of No. 4, Whitecross-street, and then I crossed the
loads until I got into such a position that I could look into
the yard and passage of No. 2, Beech-lane, I saw a woman
in the act of putting a tub down on the stones. Her clothes
were on fire then. I saw a man just inside the passage, and
he said to the person on fire, "Hold your row, you fool."
The woman answered, " I shall not, you, brute," and she
called out, "Fire, Murder I" She tried to fly past the man
into the passage, He caught her round the waist and
said, " You shall not go." She tried desperately to get
away from him, and at last she succeeded in breaking from
him. I saw no more till I went round to the street. The
door of No, 2 was then closed. The deceased was being
rolled in the street by men and women who were covering
her with sacks. A boy was throwing water over her. A
cab was fetched, and she was carried to St Bartholomew's
Hospital. I had never seen either the man or woman be-
fore. I have seen the man since, at the police court, and
identify him as a person now present giving the name of
Samuel Withers.

Cross-examined by Mr Withers, the witness said—l did
not see you trying to put out the fire, and flinging a pail of
water over the girl. I take my oath that you said, " Hold
your noise, you fool."

Julia Strait, wife of a cook, said—At the time this oc-
currence took place I was crossing Beech-land. I heard a
f.tint cry, " Oh, help me, help me." I heard a door bang,
and turning round I saw a woman rush out in a body of
flames from the house No. 2. A man ran up the street with
a mat in his hand, and he threw the woman down to put
out the flames. After 1 had torn the clothes from her waist

I lift ed her head up, She gave a faint sigh and said, " I
am better now. He has done it, he has done it, That man
kissed me, and tried to take liberties with me; I will lock
him up." I did not then know what man she meant, but I
looked up and saw a man in his shirt sleeves standing at
the door of No. 2, He looked on at the poor girl burning
and never offered her any help. That (pointing to Samairl
Withers) is the same man; I am sure he is the same. The
girl pointed towards the door where he was leaning, and
said, " That man did it." No one else was at the doorway
at the time. She turned over on her left side to point to
him. Ho answered not a word. He cauld and must have
heard her. Ho went indoors as we were getting the girl
into the cab. I saw the door being closed.

W Tanzy, 403, city police, said-1 was in the backyard of
No. 5, Beech-lane, where I live, on the evening in question
I heard a girl scream " Fire l'' and " Murder I" When I
got into Beach-lane I saw the girl standing near No. 2 in
flames. I heard her say, "That man did it. I will have
him locked up." She raised her arms, and I thought she
pointed to No. 3. I ascertained that the house was No. 2,
and I knocked at the door. some minutes elapsed before the
door was opened. Mrs Withers came, and I asked where
her husband was, She said that ho was inside, and I went
in and found him lying down, drunk. ille had no coat on.
I asked him to come into the front room, and there I told
him it was stated that he was the cause of the girl being
burnt. Ho said that he was lying on the sofa, and he saw
her stand with her back to the fire, and she set herself in a
blaze. He caught hold of her to put the fire out, but she
rushed from him out into the yard. He followed her, and
threw water over her, but she ran out into the street. Mrs
Withers, who was also very drunk, said that she was
in the little room• at the time. I went to the hospital, and
in consequence of what the girl said Withers was taken
into custody. Ho was remanded subsequently for the
attendence of the prosecutrix. Afterwards ho was dis-
charged by Alderman Carden, as the woman could not
attend. There was a rug under the deceased when she lay
on the ground. I believe that came from the house—how I
do not know.
Sergeant White, 59, city police. said—On the 3d of No-
vember I was informed about this case. I was sent here to
hear the girl's statement, and I reported to Alderman Finnis
what she stated. Ido not know why Alderman Finnis did
not take her depositions.

The house surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital said—

•
The deceased was taken there on the 31st of October, dread-
fully burnt. She appeared to go on favourably for some two

or three weeks. Three days before she died I sent a report
to the magistrate, as she was then sinking, and an inspector
of police came, but no magistrate. She made a statement to
me just after she was brought in. The inspector saw her
on Friday last, I did not hear her say then that she thought
she should die.

The Rev. Mr Reuben, a city missionary, said—l reside
at 49, Barbican, and am a Baptist minister, I visited the
deceased frequently in the hospital, and saw her on Friday
evening. For nine days past sho was apparently satisfied
she could not recover. She said that she was prepared to
die, and that she was not happy. On Friday night I asked
her whether the magistrate had been to see her,and she said
that he had not, but that the police had been. She was
quite sensible. I asked her what she had told them, and
she said she had told the officer what she ha I told me
before.

Sergeant White, recalled, said, I was the officer who saw
the deceased on Friday evening, the 25th inst. I asked
her how she was, and she said that she believed she was
dying. I asked her to tell me how the accident took place.
She said, " I was in the employ of Mr Withers, at 2,Beech-
lane. On the 31st of October I was in the parlour
when he was lying on the sofa. lle jumped up and caught

.. -
hold of me and sat on the chair and pulled me on his knee
and kissed me. I screamed out, Ho said,: Don't cry, and

don't be a fool.' I said, I will scream.' Ho let go of me
then. I then said, See, lam on fire.' He did not try to
put out the fire. I ran into the yard to throw water over
me. I ran into the street, and I became unconscious."
I reduced that statement to writing and deceased signed
it in presence of witnesses.
Samuel 'Withers said that he was on the sofa and saw the
deceased atanding with her back close to the bars—her
crinoline wae, in fact, on fire: She was not aware she was
on fire, and he wished to put it out. She became quite ex
cited and tried to get away. He endeavoured to keep her in
the room, but she broke from him and rushed into the yard
where he followed her and threw a pail of water over her.
He afterwards put a rug over her, and it was burnt. He
did his best to put out the fire.

The Coroner—You have heard the statement the girl
made to the officer when in danger of death. Do you wish
to say anything further on that point?
Withers said in reply—" I am not guilty ; I did nothing