The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-02 00:00:00

HORRIBLE AND MYSTERIOUS

MURDER.

Since Wednesday last the greatest excitement has pre-
vailed in the western portion of the metroplis in conse-
quence of the discovery of the trunk of a human body,
under circumstances which leave no doubt of the commit-
tal of a most barbarous and horrid murder.

On Saturday morning an inquest was appointed to be
held. The following is the evidence of the medical de-
ponents :—Mr. Girdwood, surgeon, of No. 148, Edgware-
road, previous to ()icing his evidence, observed that, as the
Inquest had not been held for several days after the find-
ing of the body, he had suggested to the Churchwardens
the propriety of having the body examined internally. That
had been done, in the presence of several other surgeons,
and he was, in consequence, enabled to give such evidence
on the subject, as he otherwise could not have done. He
then read the following from a paper which he held in
his hand :—" On the afternoon of Wednesday last, I was
called to see the remains ; I found them in the dead-house
at the poor-house ; the body was tied round with a cord,
binding the arms flat across the abdomen, squeezing them
deep upon the surface, and in this manlier it was stuffed
into a bag ; the bag was very dirty, and of a very coarse
texture, not closely stitched together at the edges : there
were shreds of wood shavings clinging to the ragged edge of
the seams, principally mahogany, and the bag was much
saturated with blood at its lower part : on measuring the
trunk, its length, from the posterior spinous process of the
seven cerrica vertebrae to the point of the coccyx, is 24
inches ; in front, measured from the superior edge of the
sternum to the inferior edge of the symphrsis pubig, is 21
inches ; the skin is fair, and a considerable layer of fat exists
under it throughout ; there is an unusually small quantity of
hair, of a light colour, on parts where it is usually abundant :
the parts in question want their usual development ; there is
a slight acchymesis, about the size of a pin's head, on the
right labium ; the breasts are somewhat corrugated on the
surface, the skin not now being so much distended over them
by the plumpness beneath, as at an earlier period of life it
mnst have been ; there is no hair on the oxilla ; there is not
the development of the nipple, nor are there the streated
marks on the surface of the abdomen, nor does there exist
any separation of the recti muscle, indicative of the female
having ever been pregnant ; the hand is a full woman's size,
and dirty ; there is no mark of needlework on the left fore-
finger ; the mark of a ring exists on the left ring-finger ; the
nails of the fingers of both hands are blue towards the tips ;
the left, however, has to that superadded on all four a red
streak, immediately beyond the union of the nail with the
flesh ; the muscles of the arms were rigidly contracted ; the
length of the arm, measured from the acromion point to the
tip of the middle finger, is 30 inches ; there are no marks of
violence on the body, excepting on the right side of the ab-
domen two inches above the groin, there exists a super-
ficial cut in a slanting direction, removing the skin an inch
and a half. The head is severed from the trunk anteriorly,
about three inches above the sternum. The fifth conical
vertebra is sawn through, leaving only about the tenth of
an inch of that bone. The legs are cut off immediately
under the hip joint ; the cut does not present a ragged
appearance. The thigh-bone on both sides, about an inch
under the trochanter, is sawn through from within, out-
wardly half through, and then broken off. A superficial
cut on the left thigh running for three inches parallel to
and about one inch distant from the one that removes the
limbs. A similar cut exists on the right side of the
skin of the neck. On opening the body, the viscera pre-
sented generally this remarkable appearance—they were
completely ensanguinated—no congestion in the lungs—no
coagula in the heart—no blood flowed, nor were there any
bleeding points in the liver or the spleen when cut into.
All these organs presented a healthy appearance, ex-
cepting one or two points of adhesion were observed on
the pleura, the result •of some long proceeding inflam-
matory action. There was no effusion in its cavity. The
stomach was about a third part filled with fluid, and half-
digested matter. In the smaller bowels was a considerable
quantity of the saltaceous matter, called chyme, and from
them would be traced, proceeding along the mysentery,
the lacteal vessels, filled with chyle. The surface of this
portion of the intestinal canal, had a slight purplish blush on
its outer surface, and there was scattered over it small dark
purple spots, termed ecchy moses. The gullet presented
internally a healthy appearance ; the bladder was void of
urine, and rigidly contracted. Our attention was now ar-
rested by the remarkable fact that this female had no uterus.
The vagina was about two inches long, and terminated in
a cul de sac, having a slightly puckered appearance, where
ought to have existed the osceteri, the oviceries existed in
a fold of the peritoneum, on each side on the brim of the
pelvis. The frimbrated extremities of the fallopian tubes
were not loose, but were matted down to the peritoneum,
and tracing their course downwards into the basin of the
pelvis, they were found to be joined behind the bladder by
the round ligaments of either side proceeding in their usual
course from the inguinal ring ; and the point of junction of
those four ligaments was indicated by a slight fullness, and
puckered, flat, longitudinal, and occupying the natural posi-
tion of the uterus.

A gentleman begged to be allowed to put a question to
Mr. Girdwood as to whether or not the deceased had, in
his opinion, borne a child.
Witness—She never had borne one.
Dr. Hunter Lane, of No. 37, Euston-square, Lecturer
on Medical Jurisprudence, &c., at the Hunterian School of
Medicine, sworn.—The stomach received from Mr. Gird-
wood, through Mr. Guy, I opened, and found to contain a
quantity of meat not changed by digestion, as also a quantity
of vegetable food, as potatoes and pastry, which were par-
tially digested ; the contents were marked by a spirituous
smell ; the stomach itself was in all respects healthy, but in
the part near to the gullet a redness was observable ; this
appearance was not sufficient in any way to explain the
cause of the death, as it was in all probability attributable
to the condition of the organ necessary to the process of

digestion, which at the time of death must have been pro-
ceeding ; I subjected the contents to analysis, and found no
proofs of any poison. r" was not in such quantity
as to have caused d- • thereforp 4,
I arri. mom th-

After two other witnesses were exatolued, the Coroner
addressed the Jury, " You have," he. said, " had a great
deal of evidence brought before you, more especially me-
dical evidence, in which the medical gentlemen have given
it as their opinion that the deceased did not die of natural
disease, and also that her throat had been cut before depth.
or immediately afterwards, and then the head_ had en.
off in the manner you have seen. I will have the whole
of the evidence read over to you, if you with it ; but, if
you are of opinion that her throat has beet, cut beforr
death, that would of course be murder by some person f
whom you have no trace. If, on the contrary, you I.lti,
she died from natural causes, you will returr. such an op.
nion accordingly. The weight of medical evidence is, how-
ever, to the effect that, if her threl-t bad been cut after
death, the body would not have been drained of blood in' the
manner you have heard stated. It does not appear en!
the deceased was intoxicated. HoW the mutilations oc-
curred which you have seen is enveloped in darkness ; and
if you return a verdict of wilful murder against some pe.
son or persons unknown, it will not interfere with th
course of justice, should any person at any time be brought
forward, charged with having been concerned in this hor-
rible affair, as the Magistrates have the power of commit-
ting hini for trial at the Central Criminal Court, should
they see fit. Now, gentlemen, consider your verdict."
The Jury then retired to the further end of the room,
and, after consulting together, unanimously returned a vet--
diet of " Wilful Murder against some per: on or persons
unknown."
The inquiry occupied upwards of seven boars.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We alluded on Saturday to the representation of the
county of Anglesey, which Sir R. Bulkeley has declared his
intention to resign. In another column will be found the ad-
dress which Mr. Fuller Meyrick, a high Tory, has already
issued. It is to be regretted that the Reformers are not in the
field as soon as the Tories, for we are assured if they only
bestir themselves they may easily beat their opponents. Sir
R. Bulkeley has a large estate and possesses much influence
in the county, and rumour says that he will not support Mr.
Meyrick. Lord Dinorben has a large estate, and the Marquess
of Anglesey a still larger. Sir John Stanley, of Alderley, in
Cheshire, has also a large estate in Anglesey. Besides these
there are many small landed proprietors strongly attached to
Reform principles. We stated on Saturday that Colorol
James Hughes, brother of Lord Dinorben, and one of the
Pagets, were spoken of ; but we are not awaie that either of
them has yet come forward. Though the Tories have been
suffered to be first in the field, we are assured that the victory
will be easy if the Reformers only do their duty.--Mornin
Chronicle.

New York papers to the Bth of Dedmber inclusive reacbc
us last night. They contain the Message of the President
Congress, on Tuesday, the 6th .of December, the Senate
the Huse of Representatives having assembled on the p
vieus day. Neither our space, nor time at the hour when
received it, permit us to enter into a detailed investigation
its contents—we shall do so to-morrow. For the present
quit the subject with a glance at some of its more promin(
and important features. These may be briefly recapitulate
The army is to be inereased,.and its pay augmented. T
duties on imports are to be reduced, until the amount deriv,
from them do not exceed the expenses of the Federal Gover
ment. Au important change is to be made in the prose
mode of disposal of the public lands. Of one of the results 0.
the large and accumulating funds produced from this source,
the Government of the United States may well be proud.
There is wsurplus in the annual revenue of more than one-
half. This fact ought to make the financial roues of worn-out
Europe blush—if they can blush. It is sufficient to make the
crazy, debt-incumbered Governments of the old world totter
to their foundations.—Morning Advertiser.