The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-15 00:00:00

Mysterious Death of a Girl at Yeovil.

On Tuesday an adjourned inquest was held at the
Castle Inn, Yeovil, Somersetshire, on the body of
Elizabeth Fox, by Dr.Wybrants, and after an in—

I.duration "
quiry of severs hours' a verdict of man-
slaughter was returned against Robert Slade Colmer,
a well-known herb doctor. At the opening of the
inquiry it was proved that th 3 deceased was 20
years of age, and being a perfect stranger to Colmer
she went to his house, where she stayed a week, at
the end of which she had a miscarriage, and died.
on Sunday morning, October 2, almost suddenly.
At the opening of the inquiry on Tuesday, the 6th
inst., the wife and daughter of Colmer were exa-
mined, and they stated that deceased had come to
the house complaining that she bad something the
matter with her liver, that she took no medicine
whilst there, and died on the night after the miscar-
riage. Colmer has been living in Yeovil for 20 years,
has been in the habit of atiending market towns, and
was patronised by a large number of persons. His
son, Dr. Colmer, a licentiate of the Royal College
. .

of Physicians at Edinburgh, lives with him, and al-
though he attended the young woman at her deaths
he stated at the inquest that he rarely inter-
fered with his father's patients, although ho had.
patients of his own in the town. Colmer, sen., is a
man about 50, is said to have known something of
astrology, and was consulted in matters touching
recovery of stolen sheep, pigs, Sze.; but it is under-
stood he has refused to have anything to do with
such matters for the past twelve months. However,
some extraordinary revelations came out at the in-
quest, which, if Colmer's evidence is to be believed,
proves that he has not altogether divested himself
of a faith in the superstitious. He states that he
took the child with the after-birth, &c., and burned
them, in accordance with the superstitious idea that
such a proceeding would relieve the pains of the
young girl, and prevent inflammation setting in.
The deceased was a servant at the Rectory at
Rimpton, Somerset, her parents living in Dorset-
shire. She left the Rectory with the avowed in-
tention of going home, instead of which she went
to Colmer's house.
Amanda Colmer, daughter of the accused, a rather
good-looking well-dressed girl, wearing a white
hat and black feather, said she was in the room on
the Saturday when the deceased was confined, and
put the child into a basin. The head of it was
about the sirs of a small walnut. She did not know
what became of the child or the afterbirth. She
had never been at a confinement before, but it was
a trifling affair she should imagine.
Dr. Colmer, son of the accused, said that his
father called him to see the deceased, saying that
she was dying. He prescribed for her, and applied
galvanism with great pressure over the lower part
of the bowels, as he considered her dying from in-
ternal haemorrhage. When he applied pressure the
swelling was at once reduced, and a quantity of
blood passed from her, when she threw back her
head and died immediately. He was present at the
post-mortem, and was of opinion that death was
caused by the means used to prevent h2amorrhage.
His sister Amanda said deceased had told her she
had procured medicine from Sherborne to procure
abortion.

Colmer, the accused, after being duly cautioned,
said that an hour atter midnight on the Saturday
he was called to see the deceased, and believing she
was dying he sent for his son: She died in about
an hour afterwards. Shortly before her death ho
gave her medicine and brandy. She then told him
she had miscarried. The child was in a basin, and
was about three inches long. He could not say
whether it was a boy or a girl, as he did not
examine it. The head was about the size of a
pigeon's egg. He took the child and afterbirth,
and burnt it. He had heard people say that it was
a common thing in the country, to burn the after-
birth. He took it and burnt it in the ashes shortly
after he saw it.
Dr. Garland stated that he made a post-mortem.
examination of the deceased, in the presence of
Messrs. Tomkins, Alldridge, Colmer, Parsons, and.
Coles. He found the organs of the body generally
healthy. The womb was enlarged, and in the left
and posterior part there was an extensive rupture,
which must have been produced by violence. No
medicine could possibly have produced it, nor could
any woman do it herself. It must have been done
by one or more persons. The deceased must hay.°
been pregnant five or six months. He was posi-
tive that it was rupture of the navel that caused
death, and that she must have died soon after
b theen
e
rupture took place. The injury could have
inflicted by instruments or manipulation. T.he
organs were perfectly drained of blood. Ile "'-
ceased was a fine and well-formed girl.
tion_ of Dr.
The other gentlemen who were presen.t at_ the
post-mortem examination, with the excel)
Colmer, son of the accused, gave Dim
Dr. Colmer asked Mr. Coles, one of the
k surgical
ilar testimony.
witnesses, a question with respect to hisknowledge
of medicine, when the Coroner interrupted him by
surgeons—Sir Astley
observing that many eminent
would
Cooper, Sir Benjamin Brodie, and others—
not degrade themselves bypassing the
.. Hall.
Ruth Hodges, a schoolmistress, at Marston, said.
kept com-
she used to write letters for the deceased to a young
man
aanny . named
addressing the ;
J ury, explained.
The Coroner, in
that the law
_ 5
expected man, whether doctor,
every
'
surgeon (qualified or not), or even a , quack," with-
out any licence at all, to brier, competent skill to
any case he if
undertook.
.... he had not the skill he
gross ignorance, causing
manslaughter. If a min-
a:stir he and displayed
was guilty of
murder, and if a medical man procured abortion, and.
attempted to procure abortion he was guilty of
killed the mother, he was guilty in the eyes of the
law of wilful murder. If they believed that the
young woman was brought to that house for the
purpose of procuring abortion,
and that it resulted.
in death, they
would have to return a verdict of wil-
ful murder.
It was a matter of great consequence,
not only to Mr. Colmer, hut to the community at
large, as two beings had lost their lives,
A verdict of manslaughter against Robert Slade
Colmer wtts returned.

I)ETERMINED SUlClDE.—Yesterday Dr. Lankes-
ter received information from Mr. Murray, the sum-
moning officer of St. Pancras, that a middle-aged woman,
named Hedges, residing at No. 3, Exeter-place, Agar-town,
St. Pancras, had drowned herself there in a water-butt. It
appeared that about a fortnight ago she married, being then
a widow, and having a large family. On Monday evening
one of the lodgers went to the water butt b get some water,
when, on getting into the yard, she saw the legs of the un-
fortunate woman projecting from the top. She called out
"Here's a woman in the water-butt." Her (deceased's)
husband took her out and found her to be his wife, Life
was extinct,

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA,,
COVENT-GARDEN.
Under the Management of Miss Louisa Pyae and
Mr. W. Harrison.
THIS EVENING' Willace's Romantic Opera, THE
DESERT FLOWER : Miss Louisa Fyne, Miss Susan Pyne ' •
Messrs. W. IT. Weiss, El. Com A. Cook, and W. Harrison.
Conductor, Mr. A. Mellon.--Doors open at half-past Seven..
Mellon.--Doors
Commence at Eight.

aEATRE ROYAL DRURY- LANE. __.
Managers. Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, GONE TO TEXAS. Mr. Walter Lacy
and Miss Murray.
Ai ter which, Lord Byron's Choral Tragedy, MANFRED.
Vesers. r helps, Ryder, Rayner, liD•agreson, Ward, Spencer ;
miss Heath. Miss F. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and Mrs. E.
Fa3coner. Vocalists—Miss Poole, Miss Ritter, Miss Cicely
Not, Miss Heywood, and Mr. Swift.
To conclude with THE DEAL BOATMAN Messrs. G.
Beniore, F. Charles; Miss K. Leclercq, and Mrs. Edmund.
Falconer.

FRINCESS'S THEATRI47.......Gregt success of
ITERRMANN. PRESTIDIGITATEUR. HERR.
n KRRMANN has the honour to announce that, in conse-
quence fit the great success and flatteriwr receipt on he has
wet with, he will continue his Performances, EVERY
EVENINCr, until further notice.

Commencing at Eight.

THEATRE ROYAL HAY MARKET.-
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone.
THIS EVE ING, FINESSE ; or, Spy and 'minter SPY:
Messrs. Alfred Wigan, Buckstone, Chippe,,dale, Howe, W.
Farren, Braid, and Gordon ; firs. Dowton, Miss L. Angel,
Mrs. Alfred Wigan, Miss Wright, &c.
After which, CHARLES THE TWELFTH: Messrs._ A
Wigan, Buckstone, Compton, Howe, and Miss L Keeley.
Concluding with THE GALLICEAN FETE.
Commence at 7.

NEW THE ATRE-RO YAL, ADELPHL-
Sole Prouristor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, at 7, TIIE TLIAGEDY QUEEN : Mrs_
Stirling.
At 8, the New Drama of LEAH : MISS Bateman, supported
by Messrs.Atthur Stirling., R. Phillips, Billington, Stuart,
A. Wood, Eburne, Miss 11. Simms and Mrs. Billing-ton.
To conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS : Miss
Woolgar and Mr. A. Wood.

-----------
—The celebrated
MISS BATEM Miss BATEMAN, having
AN.—LE A.H.
young American Actress,
an her first appearance in the New Drama of LEAH ob -
tained the most triumphant and enthusiastic success that has
been wi'nessed for many years, and the profound impression
created by her impersonation of the character of LEAH upon
a crowded audience hsving been completely ratified by th e
unanimous verdict and critical approval of the entire Daily
Press, the Sl at anev2er ot the NEW ADEL I'III THEATRE he r
s
the honour to announce th Miss BATEMAN will apper.
in the New Drama of LEAR EVERY EVENING till
fur-th'vr
notice.

OyAL STRAND THEATRE.
Manag-er, Mr. W. H. Swanborough.

THIS EVENING, MIRIAM'S' CRIME. Messrs. Honey,
rartoje, Belford, Turner, Miss K.Saville, and Miss Manders.
Followed by THE MOTTO, " r M ALL THERE." Messrs.
honey, Turner, E. Danvers, Collier, Mesdames Ada Swan-
borough, F. Hughes, Weston, Thorne, Wallace, and Jenny
White.
To conclude with WHERE'S YOUR WIFE. Mr. Belford.
Commence at 7.

r HE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,"
Containinz the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
can be had Every Evening of
G. it. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT,
No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park.

HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, 3ti. 21m.—Afternoon, 3h. 40m.
To-woßßow.-Moraiag, 3h. 58m.—Aftornoon, 4h. 16m.

The Weather—Sun Office, Oct. 15, 1863.

THERMOMETER.
This day at Two o'clock

Barometer-29.63.
Wind—North ; light, end hazy, with rain.

Zijg.;•Z:

LONDON, THURSDAY, ocr. 15, 1863.