The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-17 00:00:00

TILE SUSPECTED MURDER OF AN

ARZIST AT PLYMOUTH.

PLYMOUTH, MONDAY.
The inquest on the body of Mr. W. T. Norman,
artist, who was yesterday found dead under myste-
rious circumstances, was held this evening before
A. B. Bone, Esq., coroner.
Evidence of the finding of the body and the ap-
pearances as already detailed having been given,
Henry Ralph gave the following extraordinary
evidence :—Re said that he was a lamplighter, and
at four o'clock or. Sunday morning he went through
the Pennycomequick-archway to put out the lamp,
and near the archway he saw the body of a man
lying on his back across the path, not over the kerb.
He thought he heard him breathing, and took no
notice of him and passed on. It was dark and
raining in torrents. There was a lamp 20 or 30
feet off. He thought the man was drunk.
The witness was cross-examined, but only re-
peated the same story.
The Coroner severely censured him for his utter
want of all consideration in not stopping to see
whether the man was dead or alive. It was the
most extraordinary case of apathy he had ever heard
of, and probably might have cost deceased his life.
Waiters from the Globe and another inn deposed
to having served deceased with refreshments on Sa-
turday evening. Deceased " had been drinking,
but appeared capable of taking care of himself."
At the latter place " he seemed a little the worse
for liquor." He did not there say that he had sold
two paintings that day. He had on a pair of new
boots. (When he left home he had on old ones, and
must have obtained money to buy the others.) He
left home about half-past eleven.
Mr. Be la Rue, surgeon, described the state of
the body and injuries. There were abrasions above
the chin, on the rose, and the left eye; also abra-
sions on the wrist and knee-cap. At the back of
the head, just behind the right ear, was an incised
jagged wound one inch long and half an inch deep,
extending down to the bone. There was no contu-
sion or bruise about the wound. Hemorrhage from
the wound was the immediate cause of death. The
rest of the body was extremely healthy. The de-
ceased might have been alive when the lamplighter
went by.

Mr4dwards was recalled, and, in reply to a jury-
man, stated that there was no blood on the ground
where the body was found.
Several unimportant witnesses having been ex-
amined, the Coroner summed up.
The Jury, after deliberation, returned a verdict
thut William Thomas Norman, on the 14th day of
September inst., was found dead near the Penny-
comequick railway arch. That the said William
T. Norman died from hemorrhage, caused by a
wound upon his head, but how or by what means
such wound was caused, no evidence appears to the
jurors to show.

THE ALLEGED STARVATION OF A

FAMILY.

Yesterday the inquiry respecting the alleged
death from starvation of Mrs. Charlotte Crippin,
aged 45, and the dreadful sufferings of her family,
was resumed by Mr. H. Raffles, Walthew, the
depaty coroner, at the Grasshopper Tavern, Church-
street, Whitecbapel.
It will be recollected that a Mrs. Welland, resid-
ing at No. 12, Wellclose-square, hearing that a
family were perishing from starvation at No. 14,
went there and found Mrs. Crippin and two chil-
dren lying on a mattress, and reduced to mere skin
and bone. Mrs. Crippin said that her husband
had left them in that condition. They were re-
moved to the union-house, where Mrs Crippin died
in a few days. George Crippin, her husband de-
posed that he was not to blame for the calamity,
but was compelled against his urgent entreaties to
remove his wife and children from the union-house,
at a time when he had not a halfpenny to buy them
a morsel of food.

Upon the coroner taking his seat the brother of
George Crippin stated that be was lying danger-
ously ill, and could not be present to-day, but there
was a witness who could corroborate his statement
with reference to the conduct of the workhouse
authorities, whom he would wish to produce.
William Couper, a bricklayer, said that he knew
Crippin and his wife for 17 years, and Crippin was
a very kind husband. About four months since
they were turned out of their lodgings
beca s
for
they could not pay their rent, and deceased ira
a night or two sleeping about on door steps. Crip-
pin tried to get a shilling that was due to him touse
get a bed for her, but not being able to
do so wit-
nesskee
took them into his house, and Pt them for
three or four days, She went into tb workhouse
soon afterwards_ About three months
ago witness
was in Mr. Wilton's, in Welloioiose_square, when
Couper, the officer,
Crippin came in, and said, "6n
has been down
Mr. Eaves, from the workhouse
here and said—' You have got ot them from the a wife and two
children, and you must mope
workhouse by Monday before four o'clock. If
you don't I will get you three months, and only
ke you at once." Crip-
I know you I ought toth te
Monday, and Mrs. Crip-
pin called on Tuespin took them out on the
at witness's house. She
.ness s question, that she
came out of the ,
said, in answer o witness
rkhouse in consequence of the
her
husband remove her. She said
officer making
at
keep
her board of guardians might
that in order the
she told them a lie, that her hu
her in the liand was it'ege habit of ill-using her, and that he
her, end would leave her to die •
bad seen Crippin sometimes
In the streets.
starved
Witness £
. 1 and 255. per give her as
week, but that was 12
much f'' For the last
years ago, ten years he has had no
Yea
regular employment through ill-health and not
being skilful in his trade. Mrs. Crippin eat heartily
when she got food at witness's house, before going
into the workhouse, after she was turned out from
her lodgings.

Mr. J. Eaves, assistant ssistant relieving-officer to the
Whitechapel Union, said—l recollect Mrs. Crippin
aPPlYing for relief on the 4th July. She said her
husband had neglected her, and she was starving
Oa that statement she was admitted the same day.
On the following Tuesday she repeated the state-
ment before the board of guardians, and they or-
dered that proceedings should be taken against the
husband. On the Thursday I went to the Music
Hall, Wellclose-square, and saw Crippin standing
in front of the bar. I put my hand on his shoulder
and called him into the street, and asked him where
was his wife and child:en. He first said " I wish
I could hear she was dead." I said, " She is not
dead, but in the workhouse." " Yes, so I believe,"
he replied. He said- it was not true he had deserted
her, that he was going to take her out, and he had
taken a room at 14, Wellclose-square, to which he
would remove her if he got two or three days' time,
as he had work to go to, I said, "Very well, I will
mention that to the relieving officer, and it will not
be objected to, I dare say." On the Saturday he