The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-11 00:00:00

MURDER AT BETHNAL GREEN.

CORONER'S INQUEST.-( THIS DAY.)
An inquisition was commenced this morning, at eleven o'clock,
at the sign of the Lord Collingwood, North-street, Bethnal-
green, before Mr. BAKEIt and a respectable Jury, on the body of
Jane Markham, who was inhumanly murdered in her own
dwelling. Considerable excitement prevailed in the neighbour.
hood, and a large crowd was collected in front of the house where
the inquest was held.
The Jury having viewed the body, and inspected the premises,
the following evidence was received:—
As soon as the Jury had been sworn, the Coroner addressed
them, stating the law relative to murder, and cautioning them
against allowing their minds to be influenced by the statements
which they might have seen in the newspapers.
The body of the deceased was lying in a small room at the
back of the shop, and presented a horrid spectacle from the
wounds that had been inflicted about the face and forehead.
Mr. William Lincoln deposed that he was a tailor, and resided
at No. 12, Anchor street, Bethnal Green. He was distantly re-
lated to the deceased, who was a widow, aged 67 years. She had
been twice married; her first husband was named Dexter, and
by him she had a son and a daughter, both of whom were grown
up and settled in life; their names were Samuel and Nancy; the
former was about 45 years old. She was afterwards married to
John Markham, by whom she had three children, a son and two
daughters, all of whom are still living, Witness did not know
the residence of Samuel Dexter. The deceased was pt ssessed of
a leasehold house, in Devonshire-street, which she had pur-
chased since the death of her last husband, and the house in which
she lived was also her's upon a long lease, subject only to the pay-
ment of a trifling ground rent. A book was found in her drawers
from which it appeared she had deposited a sum of 401. in a sav-
ings bank. She kept a broker's shop, and bought and sold old
furniture. Her habits were very retired, and she lived in the
house by herself. She used occasionally to attend sales, and
when she did so, the shop was closed up. The house in which
she lived contained three rooms, besides the shop and a wash-
house. The room in which the body was found was called the
kitchen. Witness could not tell upon what terms the deceased
was with the family, or what intercourse she had with them.
From all that he had heard, he believed she was on friendly
terms with him.

Anthony Rawlings deposed, that he lived in Tottenham-court-
road ; he was a son-in-law of the deceased, having married her
(laughter Jane Markham ; the deceased's eldest son is named
S tmuel Dexter ; he is a jobbing painter and glazier, but witness
does not know where he lives; He always understood that the
deceased and this son were on good terms, and that he used to
visit her occasionally. It was nearly A month since he last saw
her alive.

Anthony Rawlings in continuation.—He first heard of the de.
ceased's death about twelve o'clock on Thursday morning.
Mrs. Mallard informed him of it. Witness's wife immediately
fainted away. A note had been received by witness's wife on
the Wednesday evening, but they could not make out what it
was about.

(The note was here produced; it was badly written and spelt,
and by what could be gathered from it, it alluded to to a melan-
choly catastrophe, and a death in the family. It was signed with
the name of the deceased's son, John Markham, but was under-
stood not to be in his hand-writing.
John Markham, the son of the deceased was here called, and
shown the note, which he immediately said was not his hand-
writing, but was written by a policeman, at his request,on Wed-
nesday afternoon. Witness could write, but was too much agi-
tated at the time to do so. It was written in the house of the
deceased, after he had become acquainted with her death.
The examination was proceeding when we went to press, and
appeared likely to last the entire day.