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

The Mysterious Deaths at Mile-end.

Yesterday Mr Humphreys, the coroner for the eastern
division of Middlesex, opened an inquest at the Crown and
Leek Tavern, Church-street, Mile-end New-town, on the
bodies of Frances Beckenham and Mary Ann Gribbin,
sisters, who were found dead on the night of Friday last
at the house of the former, No, 21, Albert-cottages, in that
neighbourhood. The jury, chosen from among the principal
inhabitants of the district, went first of all to view the
bodies, which had remained in precisely the same state in
which they were found, except in so far as they had been
unavoidably disturbed in a post mortem examination.
On their return to the inquest room, the fist witness
called was John Beckenham: He is a tall, stout man, about
50 years of age, paralysed on one side, and evidently of
weak intellect, Ho was led into the room, and while there
gazed about him in a vacant manner. In reply to questions
put by the coroner, who did not think it desirable to swear
him, he said he was living now at 33, Great Bland•street,
Southwark, but up to Friday evening last had resided at
Albert-cottages, Mile-end New-town. He had been em-
ployed in the General Post-office, but had retired from the
service. The deceased woman Frances Beckenham was his
wife. She was about 31 years of ago. He left home about
10 o'clock on Friday morning last. His wife was then alive
and in the kitchen. He did not remember anything that took
place two or three days before, The Albert cottages belonged
to the Metropolitan Association for Improving the Dwell-
ings of the Industrious Classes. Ho had nothing to eat on
Thursday or Friday, but on Wednesday morning he had a
little food. His wife's sister, Mrs Gribbin, had been staying
with them three or four days. He left her in the parlour
along with his wife onFriday morning. She was then alive.
He did not kr ow she had been ill, He saw them alive two
or three days previously, and they then appeared very well.
Mr Robert Nicholson, of 21, Underwood-street, Mile-end
New town, carpet planner and overseer of the parish, de-
posed that the deceased woman Mary Ann Gribbin was
his wife's sister. She was about 40 years of age, and was
the widow of James Gribbin, a musician, who used to lead
the band at Astley's. Mrs Beckenham was also a sister of
his wife. On Friaay night last, in consequence of a com-
munication made to him, he entered the house, accompanied
by his two brothers, Mr Ware, and Mr Johnson, a neigh-
bour. He opened the door with a key which belonged to his
father. They found the two women dead in the front room
upstairs. Mrs Beckenham being on the floor, and Mrs
Gribbin in a kneeling posture OR the floor with the body and
head resting on her folded arms on a sofa. Mr Beckenham
was under the bed, and naked, except his shirt. They re-
moved him at once. For a long time past he had not been
right in his mind, but was harmless. The two women, he
was sorry to say, were much given to intemperance. A
surgeon was sent for and came. Witness also called in Dr
Gay ton, and they both saw the bodies in the precise condition
in:which they wore found. Witness had not seen the hus-
band for about a week before, but that was nothing uncom-
mon. The truth was witness was ashamed of them. He last
saw Mrs Gribbin on Sunday week about 2 o'clock, and Mrs
Beckenham about five or six weeks ago. Beckenham had a
ponsion of 14s a-week from the Pest-effine. Witness never
heard Mrs Gribbin threaten to injure Mrs Beckenham.
That was all ho knew of the matter.

Mr George 'Ware, of No. 1, Albert-street• chambers, said
he collected the rents of the Albert-cottages, and called at
Beckenham's house both on Thursday and Friday last, Lut
no one answered the door on either occasion. Ho then called
upon the brother-in-law, Mr Nicholson, and went with him
to the house about 10 o'clock on Friday evening. He
found the women dead, as already described. He thought
he saw Mrs Beckenham on Monday lust, and had not Seen
her since.

Lydia Goozee, of 46, Spicer-street, said she had known
the deceased women many years. Last Tuesday mornimr,
about 10 o'clock, Mr Beckenham came and aEketi her to go

and sit with his wife. He then left, and she found him at
his house when she went. Mrs Beckenham was then in
the kitchen, partly dressed. Sho 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 one 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. After the pot of beer they had a quarters of gin
among the three of them. Witness left about 9o' ;lock 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, hie
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 betore she left.
They occupied a sitting room, bed room, and kitchen, all Olt
the same floor. Mrs Gribbin had told her the pain in her
stomach arose from want. Mrs Beckenham was pretty well
when she left. On leaving she asked witness to call next
morning, remarking that she should have a fine night °,f
it. Witness called next morning about 10 o'clock, and
repeatedly afterwards, but could get no answer. Mr Beck-
enham was dressed when she left. She saw no quarrel V'
tween them on the Tuesday. She never saw the women SOY
more alive. Mrs Gribbin was certainly ill when she left.
Henry North, landlord of the Prince of Wales Pithii,c-
house, in the neighbourhood, deposed that Beckenham,
husband, called there and got half a gallon of beer on Tiles-
day evening between 8 and 9. _ _

Dr Gayton, of Brick-lane, Spitalfields, who had )011
called in to see the bodies,deposed in effect that on entering
the room he found the body of the woman Gribbin kneelins
on the floor and against a sofa, and with the head restins
on the left hand. The body was fully dressed, and the'
clothes were covered with vermin. The other body, which
was that of Mrs Beckenham, was lying on its back in
corner of the room, near the bed room door, with the bead
within the bed room. It was dressed only in a chemise,
petticoat, and jacket, all of which were open in front of the
chest. Tho legs were quite bare. It was resting on a
greatcoat, through ono sleeve of which an arm was drawn'
The place was very dirty, but bore no appearance of abject
poverty, nor was there the least symptom of any struggle'
He afterwards made a post mortem examination. Tho pod,'
of Mrs Gribbin was that of a middle-aged stout woman'
There were no appearances of violence upon it. The bac°
was very much discoloured, apparently from the position
in which the body lay, and there was a little blood about
the nose and lips. The brain was that of a spirit drinker.
There was no fracture of the skull nor of any other bone
observable. The mouth or-tongue presented no traces of
corrosive poison. The left lung was partly congested. The
stomach, which seemed almost empty, was removed for
analysation by Dr. Letheby, together with portions of the
liver and small intestines. The liver was enormously en-
larged, weighing 91b or 10Ib. 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 prussio
acid. There was no odour of poison about the bodies. The
body of 1V::s 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 °II
the forehead, extending down to the bone, but without AO
cprresponding, mark inside the skull, and a large bruise °A
the back of the head. As in the other case, there wore no
traces of any corrosive poison in the mouth or throat. The
stomach and intestines were nearly empty. Portions of them
were reserved for Dr. Letheby.
By the Coroner—After the results of the 1031 10,403
examination, he would rather not give an opinion as to tile
cause of death until an analysis had been made.
The witness Nicholson was recalled and shown an empty
flask bottle, which he said ho found on the floor of the room
in which the bodies lay, near that of Mrs Beckenham, an

which smelt of gin. da •
On tho suggestion of the Coroner, tho inquest W"
journod until Wednesday, September 7.