The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-10 00:00:00

SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A WIFE.

On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Payne held a long in-
quiry at the Vestry-hall, Fair-street, Horsleydown, on
the body of Ann Roberts, the wife of a greengrocer in
Bermondsey-street, who, it was at first supposed, had
committed suicide, but concerning whose death reports
were subsequently in circulation of a more serious cha-

racter.
On Friday morning the deceased was found in her
bed-room hanging by a gauze veil, and in nearly a kneel-
ing posture. She was quite dead. Her husband gave
the alarm. He had slept on a sofa, having come home
the previous night very drunk. When he called in a
lodger he said, "Good God ! I shall not be long after
her." He had only a short time before come out of
gaol, where he had been undergoing imprisonment for
ill-using his wife.
Mary Duke, who occupied a room underneath, de-
posed to hearing deceased groan in the night.
The sister of the deceased thought she had not laid
violent hands upon herself, as she was always greatly
terrified at death:

Ellen Cooke, the daughter of the deceased, produced
a bundle of letters which her mother had given her. A
short time since her mother told Roberts that he would
soon go back again to gaol for his ill usage of her. He
made use of some very filty expressions, and replied that
the next time he went it would not be for twelve months,
but for two or three years, and perhaps he might go on
to a scaffold for her, as he meant to have her life, at the
same time using most violent language. That was about
three weeks ago.

The coroner then read three letters sent by a woman
alluded to in the course of the investigation, signed
" Eliza Roberts," thereby assuming the name of the
wife, one of them being addressed to Roberts. In this
letter she entreated Roberts to come to her without
delay, stating that she had got an order for the play.
He was to make any excuse to deceive his wife, and if
he found any difficulty in doing so that he must " cook"
her, as they had agreed upon, and then when she was
gone they could live happily together. The two other
letters to the wife were couched in the most filthy lan-
guage, taunting her with having lived with her husband
whilst she was in the workhouse, and that he had spent
many pounds upon her, but having lost his situation at
Somerset•house he had returned to her for convenience,
but that she had made up her mind to have her life, if
she should be hanged for her.

Dr. Challice said he should have great hesitation at
the present moment in stating the cause of death. The
features were exceedingly placid, and there was no
bloodshot about the eyes, as was common where death
occurred from strangulation.

The inquiry was then adjourned for a post mortem ex-
amination to be made.

JUNIOR UNITED SERVICE CLUB.-It is in contem-
plation to purchase the Duke of _Buckingham's late re-
sidence, Chandos-house, Pall-mall, for the site of the
Junior United Service Club ; in which event, Chandos-
house will be taken down, and upon the ground a new
and magnificent structure will be erected. The present
building in Charles-street is totally inadequate to ac-
commodate the members of a club, nearly two thou-
sand officers of the Queen's and Company's services, and
the isle Army Dmpcooli.