The Sun.
London, England, 1830-08-23 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Saturday morning, an inquest was held at the
Fox public-house, on the body of Mrs.• Whinnett,
before Mr. CARTTAR.

Thomas Witham was the first witness—l live in
Prince's-street. I am a barge-builder. I lodged in
the same house with the deceased, and have done
so nearly 10 years. Her son-in-law, and daugh-
ter, and her youngest son, lodged in the house.
George Norris is the name of her son-in-law. Sa-
muel Whinnett is the name of the youngest son. He
is nearly 20 years of age. The deceased was about
58 years of age. She kept a shop ; was a dealer in
marine stores. This happened on Thursday. When
I came from work ut four o'clock I had my tea. At
half-past four I left the deceased washing in the
kitchen. I went to my work, at Mr. Nush's, as
usual; I continued there till seven o'clock. I came
home direct from the yard in the evening, about
seven o'clock. I knocked at the door and received
no answer. I then went down to Mr. Higgins's,
the Merry Boys, a public-house. I had a pint of
beer and u pipe. I stopped there about 20 minutes
or half an hour.

On being more minutely questioned, he stated that
he remained in the Three Merry Boys till about a
quarter or half-past nine. When I came back to
the house, I found Samuel sitting at the door. I
said, " Sam, is your mother come home ?" He said
" No ; they aro all gone to the fair—Camberwell
fair." I complained that she did not leave the key.
She never left the key. I said " Something must
be the matter with her; it was very strange his
mother had not come home." I observed, " There
must be something amiss, either abroad or at home."
I then knocked at Mr. Hunt's, next door to Mrs.
Whinnett's house. The little boy came to the door,
and I obtained leave to go through their house, and
get over the palings to open the door. I immedi-
ately opened the front door and let in Samuel; there
was a fire in the back room; I found the deceased
lying in her blood on the floor in the back room, and
then I ran into Mr. Hunt's ' • there was a great quan-
tity of blood. The window bar was afterwards found
standing in the usual place very bloody. The de-
ceased and I were married at St. Anne's church,
Soho; no one gave her away that I know of—the
clerk might ; we were married by banns; she brought
me up and gave me a trade, and therefore I looked
upon her as my mother.
George Norris was called in, and deposed as
follows :-1 had, for a long time, a suspicion that
the deceased was married to Witham ; he has told
ine so since her death; I am a hoop-shaper; I am
married to a daughter of the deceased ; I have
lodged with my mother-in-law about six years.
Thursday morning my wife and I resolved to go to
the fair ; Witham was not with us at the time ; I
went to my work as usual. About half-past ten
o'clock Mr. Reeves came to me, and told me my
mother was no more—that she was murdered; my
wife and I came home imMediately ; I do not recol-
lect that there was any dispute about the money ;
my mother made a will, leaving all she had to Jane
and Samuel; I believe Witham intends to dispute
the will.
Jane Norris, the wife of the preceding witness,
gave similar evidence.
Just at this time it was understood that a man
named Gough had been taken into custody on sus-
picion, and a considerable mob assembled outside the
house in which the inquest was sitting, which did
not disperse till six o'clock.
Mr. O'Brien, and another surgeon, said there was
no doubt that the wounds were sufficient to cause
the death of the deceased.
Mrs. Crutchfield was the next witness--.I saw no
one leave the house at four o'clock in the afternoon.
Elizabeth Singleton, living exactly opposite the
deceased's house, gave similar testimony.
Mary Anne Whinnett—l went to the house of
the deceased about six o'clock on Thursdaye vetting;
Witham and she lived very comfortably together: I
have never heard that he kept company with any
other woman; never that he was paying his ad-
dresses to any one else; I was not aware that Wi-
tham was otherwise than a tingle man lodging with
my mother-in-law; we were ell on good terms with
Witham, who appeared always very kind to the de-
ceased.

---- May—I saw, at six o'clock on Thursday
evening, a woman standing at Mrs. Whionett's
door; she wore rather a light-coloured gown : Kern
confident the door was open; the hour might be
about twenty minutes to six, and I am sure it was
very near that time.
The ConorEn observed that he thought the pre•
sent witness must have seen the last witness when
she had been unsuccessfully endeavouring to get in,
Jane Norris recalled—Gough, who is now in cus-
tody, called at my mother's house on Tuesday, when
she said to him in a jocular way, " I thought you

were hanged long ago ;" they parted, however, very
good friends; nothing hostile passed between them.
Gough was then brought in. He is a middle-,
man, apparently belonging to the very lowest
with something very remarkable in his extorter.
He admitted that he had seen and spoken, to the
deceased on the Tuesday, but on the day of her
death (the Thursday), he was at home, as the womiS
who lived with him could depose, from inapt
three o'clock till eight.
Mary Anne Griffiths—l have been living With
John Gough about two months; I can swear pesi-
tively that he was at home from half-past three
eight at night on Thursday.
Mr. Tavey said, there was a witness toprovOlSt
Gough was seen within a hundred yards ot th4l
spot at five o'clock on the Thursday, and otherfuts
might be discovered; he therefore earnestly Mod
an adjournment.

This was, after some conversation as to the Wit
convenient day, agreed to. The inquest, then,stseds
adjourned to Wednesday. It adjourned at Moil
minutes to six.
• Strong expectations are entertained that 'th
murderer will speedily be discovered.
Weal
A reward of 50/. has been offered by the
Association for the discovery of the criminAr
The deceased appeared to have been
health—at least not robust. She was a WOO
small stature, slender make, and, we
looked fully as old as has been stated.
of the two dogs during the perpetratiotl.of
offence has not been accounted for, and is, ailder,
the circumstances, very remarkable. Prinee's4re"
is less than half-a-mile from Vauxhidirt
lying between it and High-street, Lambeth,
leads to the Palace, the street running pall"
near to the river.

•