The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 9, ISM

The Horrible Tragedy at Guildford,

It has been ascertained that the unfortunate
woman who was found murdered in a bed room of
the Coachmakers' Arms, in this town, was not the
wife of Sergeant Maghe, who was found at the same
time and place with his throat cat, It has tran.
spired that her name was Elizabeth Waterer,
daughter of Henry Waterer, a gamekeeper at
Headley, near Epsom, and that she had been in the
service of Mr. F. Faviell, Down-place, near Guild-
ford, up to the evening when she, in company with
the sergeant, applied at the Coachmakers' Arms for
lodgings. She had been in Mr. Faviell's service
since the 23d of October last, and left the house on
the Sunday evening, about five o'clock, in company
with some other females, ostensibly for a walk. The
sergeant, with whom she had been keeping com-
Pany, met them, and she then parted from her com-
panions, and went away with Maghe, never return-
ing. William Humphrey, an in-door servant at
Mr. Faviell's, hearing of the shocking affair which
had occurred, and fearing lest the woman alleged to
have been murdered was his feilow•servant, at once
proceeded to the Coachmakers' Arms and viewed
the body, but the features were so disfigured and
black that he could not identify her. He was,
however, able to recognise the bonnet, dress, and
shawl, which were found lying across the shako of
the sergeant, as Elizabeth Waterer's. Her mother,
Mrs. Mary Ann Waterer, was sent for, and identi-
fied a petticoat, pair of cuffs, and a collar, as belong-
ing to her daughter.

On Saturday morning the borough coroner, Mr.
Capron, opened an inquisition at the Guildhall,
when Mrs. Waterer and William Humphrey gave
evidence of identity. Police-sergeant Steeds de-
scribed the scene in the room when the door was
forced open by Mr. Superintendent Vickers. He
added a fact not previously made known, that a
pillow was lying over the deceased's face, and she
was lying in the bed with one foot protruding from
under the clothes.

Mr. Phillips, surgeon, stated that the wound in•
flitted on Maghe's throat was likely to prove fatal
as there was every symptom of approaching inflam.
oration.

The inquest was then adjourned until Friday
next.

It is supposed by the medical men that the un-
fortunate woman had been thrown down by her
paramour, and smothered with the pillow, and that
he then strangled her with the rope.
A letter, on pink paper, was found in Maghe's
trousers pocket, which it is said contains the secret
of the reason of this horrible tragedy, and the whole
of the facts will be gone into at the adjourned in-
quiry.

Thomas into her sleeping.room. In a drawer
Thomas found these seven rings (produced—dia-
monds, emeralds, turquoise, &c.), and two watches
(diamond backed and enamelled). I took three
rings (diamonds) into my hand and asked her where
she got them from. She said, " Oat of Hancock's
rolls (jewellery) I suppose." There was also found
upwards of 200 pairs of kid gloves, as well as
other articles.

Sergeant Wm. Thomas, of the detective depart-
ment, Scotland-yard, said—l went with William-
son to Miss Domville's residence. I assisted in the
search and found the rings and watches spoken of.
Prisoner produced the key of her boxes and unlocked
them. In a drawer I found in gold and notes £273.
The money was•placed away in envelopes, purses,
portmonnaies, clean linen, and in stockings. After
the money had been found she was left in my charge,
as Mr. Williamson had to go away. Prisoner then
said, " At various times I have abstracted the rings
and watches from Hancock's rolls." She was then
taken to the station and charged.
Mr. Edington was recalledon behalf of the prose
tutor, and, in reply to Mr. Lewis, jun., said—Since
prisoner had been in custody we have taken stock,
and, as far as we can ascertain at present, we are
over £2,000 worth deficient.

Mr. Lewis, jun.—We find that the relatives of
the prisoner are jewellers, and also that she is in
r b u
young man who is a jeweller,
ned othatxt of money
unty
nh a
tsin some measure where the large
m has come from that was found in
h
mothere of the prisoner is here, and
amount
on. connectionaThe
c mcwooi
she could speak to something about the rings or
money, but we do not wish to make the mother a
witness against her child.

Mr. Mansfield committed the prisoner for trial on
this charge.

_
Supposed murder in a Cab,

A cabman named James Parker was plying for hire near
the Great Eastern Railway Station at Shoreditch on Satur-
day evening about half-past 8, when he was hailed by are -
spectably dressed man, Who got into his cab in company
with a women between 30 and 40 years old, and two little
girls of the ages of seven and four respectively. The man
directed the cabman to drive Le the Royal Oak, Westbourne-
grove, Bayswater, taking the City on his way. When they
reached the middle .of Bishopsgate-street the man got out
and procured a pint of half-and-half from a publichouse, of
which the occupants of the cab partook. Then then drove
on as far as Furnival's Inn, Holborn, where the man got
out once more, paid the cabman his fare, and walked away.
The cabman drove on to Westbourne-grove, as he had been
directed by the man, and stopped at the Royal Oak tavern.
On opening the door of the cab he was horrified to find the
ediately,who pronounced
swtoramwa.nAansdurtgheeotnwwoaeshsieldnrtefnorlyiminmg apparently dead on the
life to be extinct in all three cases. rho cabman then drove
with his terrible load to St. Mary's Ibspitai,
Paddington,
where the bodies now lie. A post mortem examination will
bo made this morning, and the inquest will be opened in the
course of the day.
From a cursory examination made at the hospital the
poor victims seem to have been poisoned by prussic acid.
This possibly was administered to them in the beer which
they drank in Bishopsgate-street. The woman appears from
her dress to be a respectable shopkeeper's or mechanic's
wife. She is fair complexioned, has light brown hair, is of
medium height and somewhat stout, and apparently about
35 years of age. Sho was dressed in a black alpaca dress,
black woollen shawl, fastened with a small plated brooch, a
red striped petticoat and a black straw bonnet. The two
two children are also fair, with light brown hair, and
were dressed in black. In the cab was a brown leather
hatbox containing a few figs and biscuits and a black
bundle of ordinary clothing. In the woman's pocket was
found a brown leather portemounaio, in which was ss. in
silver and a few halfpence. The cabman describes the man
as being dressed in black,
slightly built, about 35 years of
age, sft. Sin, in height, of a dark complexion, with black
hair, beard,
identify him again if he saw him, The bodies ware not
whiskers, and moustache. He says he could
identified at a late hour hot night. The linen worn by the
woman and the children were unmarked ; a handkerchief,
however, belonging apparently to the eldest little girl, was
marked with the letters " E. M. M."
The following descriptions of the woman and children
were circulated by the police throughout the metropolis yes-
terday :—" Description of a female and two children found
dead in a cab at Weatbourne-grove, Bayswater, on Satur-
day, Nov. 7, at 9.20 p.m., and now lying at St. Mary's Hos-
pital, Paddington. The female is apparently about 34 years
of age; complexion, fair; hair, light brown; dress, black
alpaca, black woollen shawl, red-stripped petticoat, brown
crinoline, two flannel petticoats (new), calico chemise, white
stockings, cashmere side-laced boots, with patent leacher
toes, black straw bonnet ; wore a small (plated) gold brooch.
Ist child—A girl, about 7 yr-ars old, fair complexion, light
brown hair, black frock, black sealskin jacket, two flannel
petticoats, two calico chemises (one new), white stockings,
leather boots with bright buttons, white straw hat trimmed

with black ribbon, wore hair in a net; on her person was
found a white comforter and a white cambrio handkerchief,
B. M. M.' 2d child—A. girl, aged 5; fair complexion,
light brown hair, wore a black frock, a grey cloth jacket,
with pearl buttons in front, a black silk cape, two flannel
petticoats, two calico chemises (one new), white socks,
leather laced boots, light comforter, and a speckled straw
hat, trimmed with black velvet and ribbon."
With so few facts it would, of course, be idle to speculate
on the circumstances of this horrible affair. As the
matter stands at present the suspicion falls very strongly
upon the man. However, the woman may possibly have
administered the poison, first to the children and then to
herself. As is •always the case in such matters, the neigh-
bourhood of the Royal Oak was visited by thousands dur-
ing the whole of yesterday, all anxious to obtain informa-
tion about this mysterious and horrible affair.
The bodies have been stripped, and in the breast of the
woman was found a box of ointment, for the healing of sores
and wounds. It was labelled " William Hunt, Camberwell :
zinc ointment," the words "zinc ointment" being written.
The police have waited upon Mr. Hunt, and he at once said
that the ointment had been purchased at his shop, and that
the writing was his own, but he could not remember to
whom he sold it, as it was an article that was frequently
asked for. From the clean appearance of the box Mr. Hunt
informed the police that he had not the slightest doubt but
that it had come from his house within the past few days.
The cabman has made a statement to the police to the
effect that he did not think the parties had arrived from the
country, for although he was engaged in the station-yard
yet the woman first came from the " departure" side, and
not from the "arrival" side. His impression from the
hurried way in which ho was addressed was that the woman
had missed the train and was anxious to hasten home. The
police have had four pots handed to them by Mr. Parsons,
of the Green Dragon wine and spirit stores, Bishopsgate
street Without, one of which, it was stated, was the one
taken out by the cabman. They have been examined, but
Nothing poisonous has been found in them; but this may
be accounted for by the fact which the cabman states that
when the man handed him the pot from the cab window
he held it upside down, so that the dregs went on to the
pavement. No notice was taken of the pot by the landlord
when it was taken inside.

The cabman, in answer to inquiries as to whether he saw
who drunk from the pot, replied that he could not say, as
he had a small quantity of gin, for which the man paid, and
while his passengers had the pot inside he was standing at
his horse's head. To account for his not seeing whether
the woman and children were alive when the man got out
at Furnival's -inn, he states that the man, when he got out
shut the door, and went and spoke to hiin on the box.
There was nothing particular in the man's appearance to
excite his suspicion, and when he handed him the additional
sixpence he did so in a joking manner, and told him to be
sure and drive fast, In the inside of the cab a small cork
was found, bnt no bottle mu' l be discovered.

Last evening, about 7 o'clock, a person from the railway
attended at the dead-house, but failed in identifying the de-
ceased, and the police are as far as ever from getting any
clue to the murder.

In addition to the description of the deceased woman
given by the police, it may be stated that she wore false
curls, had a scar on the right side of the head just behind
the ear, as if from a scald or a burn, and had very dark
eyebrows and eyelashes. The woman and the children
were stout, and were apparently in perfect bodily health.
While the police were engaged endeavouring to appre-
hend the man who was in the cab, information was received
at the police-station that a man answering the description
given by the cab-driver had been found dead in bed at a
coffee-house in Southwark, and that he had committed
suicide by taking laudanum. The cabman was as soon as
possible taken to the coffee-house, but he at once said that
the deceased was not the man who rode in his cab.

THE MERSEY IRONCLADS.—We believe that in
accordance with instructions from the Government
the steam rams El Toussin and El Monnassir have been
valued. The valuer was Mr. C. W. Kellock (Curry, Kel-
lock, and Co., of Liverpool), assisted by Mr. Jordan, sur-
veyor to the Liverpool underwriters, and Messrs. Luke and
Hobbs, of the Admiralty. We hear that El Toussin was
valued at £106,000, and the unfinished El Monnassir at
£SO,OOO. The builders' measurement of each vossel is 1,800
tons. Messrs. Laird refused to disclose the contract price.
It is stated that the British Government wish to purchase
the vessels from the French owners, Messrs. Bravey. El
Monnassir will probably be taken into the river to• day.
ANECDOTE OF KING GEORGE'S BANISH
MENTOR, M. SPONNF.CK, indicative of that gentle-
man's promptness of decision when thwarted by minute re-
gulations. On his late passage by packet from Copenha-
gen to Hamburg his dog was dashed overboard. Stoppage
of the ship was refused, on the ground that mere animals
were not entitled to rescue, the by-laws only applying to
passengers or crew. In a twinkling M. Sponueck jumped
overboard, and Oaimed for self and dog the benefit of the
lauueh-boat.