The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-11 00:00:00

MURDER OF A WOMAN AT ISLETVORTH.

An inquest was held on Saturday by Mr. Bird, at
the Chequers Inn, Isleworth, on the body of a wo-
man who was murdered on Thursday evening last,
about eight o'clock, in Lion-lane, Isleworth, the
bedy having been discovered by a postman, who im-
mediately before had heard the report of e; pistol, and
had seen a man running away. The first witness
examined was Sarah Barnham, who said she was the
mother of the murdered woman. The deceased went
by the name of Barnham, but she was married to a
man who called himself Copeland about four years
ago. The man's real name was Cooper, and he was a
deserter. Her daughter was 25 years of age. She had
not lived with her husband for some months. Wit-
ness last saw her daughter on Thursday, the 7th
inst. She also saw Copeland first at the bottom of
the lane, watching the rifle shooting ; he afterwards
came to the house where she was living with her
father and mother—that is, the
,grandfather and
grandmother of the deceased. He was for about two
hours in the house waiting for her daughter to come
in. Her father then came home, and Copeland ran
into the wash-house to get out of his way. He had
repeatedly threatened to do some mischief to witness
and to her daughter. He had shown her three bul-
lets which he kept in his pocket, and said he would
not trouble Ann (her daughter) much longer. He
added that he had grossly wronged her, but it was
13 years ago that he had married his first wife.
Witness was awfully afraid of him, because she knew
how savagely he behaved sometimes. Before he left
the house her mother called to him and said she
would give him up, meaning that she would inform
against him as being a deserter. Her daughter said
he should not be given up. She then followed him
out of the house. She had been st Richmond all
the day with her sister.
After the examination of the witness was terminated
she started up in a frantic manner, and said, " I am
certain he did it. He stabbed his first wife." The
witness was continuing in an incoherent manner,
when she was removed from the room.
Rosiaa Barnham, who said she was a sister of the
deceased, stated that she was a domestic servant,
and lived at Richmond Green. Her brother-in-law
came once to see her on Sunday last. She was
afraid of being alone with him,as he had frequently
threatened her life. While she was out with him
and the deceased, Copeland showed them three
bullets, and said, " One is for Ann, another for the
old woman, and the third is for the first man that
stops me." He said he had kept them three months
for the purpose. He seemed in a very determined
and revengeful state. She had not seen any pistol
in his possession.
James Auden, a letter-carrier, said that on Thurs-
day evening, about 8 o'clock, he was in the Brazil,
Mill-lane, when he heard the report of firearms.
Upon going on farther he saw the deceased lying
upon the ground, and he observed a man running
away. The man had on a dark frock coat, and a
low-crowned hat. When he found the deceased
lying there, he called for assistance, and carried her
to the union workhouse. She groaned heavily, and
died while they were carry her off. He said to
her, " For God's sake tell me who has done this,"
but she was then insensible, and unable to answer.
Her bonnet, when he got up to her, was on fire,
and he took it off and crushed it under his foot.
Mr. John Machinley, a surgeon, proved finding
a bullet in the brain of the murdered woman,which
undoubtedly had caused her death.
The inquiry was adjourned.

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