The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-17 00:00:00

THE LATE MURDER and SUICIDE
AT BERMONDSEY.
Thursday evening 111. W. ..:arter h-ld an inquest at the
King's Arms, Hickman's-folly, Bermondsey, on the
bodies of Henry Thomas P•irker, aged 21, and Matilda
Griffin, aged 19, some particulars of whose dreadful
deaths appeared in this journal on Wednesday.
Mary Ann Griffin said that her husband was a cooper,
and resided at No. 6, Hickman's-folly. The female ce.
ceased was her daughter, and followed the occupation
of a laundress. The deceased male was an assistant
linendraper and lodged in her house, She had known
him about sixteen months. He was acquainted
with witness's daughter and kept company with her.
On Tuesday afternoon, about a quarter past four,o'clock,
her daughter went up stairs from the kitchen to the
attic ter the purpose of making the btds. Parker at
that time was writing a latter in the back room on the
ground floor. Shortly afterwards Parker came into the
kitchen, snd asked witness to give him a piece of sealing-
wax to seal a letter. Witness asked him to whom he
had written the letter, and he replied, to his sister.
He then left the kitchen, and in the course of a few
minutes went up stairs. About twenty minutes after
that period she went into the back parlour to see if her
daughter had come down, but finding she had
not, she went up into the back attic, and
found Parker lying on the floor, and also her daughter.
The latter was lying on her left side in a quan-
tity of blood. She called for assistance, which
brought up some of the lodgers to the room. It was
ascertained that both parties were dead. He came in
and out during Tuesday morning oftener than he had
been in the habit of previously doing, and refused to sit
down to dinner, and looked so at her daughter as to ex-
cite her suspicions that he contemplated something bad,
and she told her daughter to be careful of him. Whilst
she was standing at the door she came to witness and
said, " Mother, what do you think Henry says ? Ile
threatens never to leave the house unless he is carried
out." Witness expostuhred with Parker, and told him
that perhaps he would meet with some one he liked
better than her daughter; but he answered, " No; if I
live for seventy years, I shall never forget her."
The CORONZR —Did you hear him say anything about
cutting throat.? Witness—No; but I have beard him
say that if she did not become his wife, she never should
be the wife of another.
The CORONER—Having heard that, did it create in
your mind any fear ? Witness—Not at first; not until
I saw him look so strangely through the window.
The CORONER—Then, having found your daughter
dead, what is your opinion as to who caused her death?
'Vitness—My impression is that Parker did it. I have
no doubt on that point whatever.
By the CORONER— My daughter told me that she had
been to the fancy fair with a hair. dresser named Thomas
Neville. On Monday last Parker had a suspicion that
she had been in Mr. Neville's company, and he told me
on Tuesday morning that he believed she had been out.
with him. Parker was naturally of a jealous dis-
position. He had been out of employment about a
fortnight.
Some other witnesses having described the circum-
stances under which the bodies were found, the razor
was produced, and identified by Mrs. Griffin as being
one her husband borrowed on Sunday morning last, to
shave himselt with, and which was deposited on a shelf
in the kitchen. Parker had access to that room.
Mr. Charles Martin, surgeon, of the Neckinger House,
Bermondsey, who was called to the deceased, said that
the female had an extensive wound in the throat, which
bad divided the whole of the principal vessels. Upon
Parker's throat there were no fewer than three deep and
extensive cuts. He thought the man had first cut the
female's throat, and afterwards his own.
A lttter, written by Parker, was read, in which he
alluded to the dreadful deed, but of too disgusting a
character to be made public.
The jury returned the following verdict :—" That
Matilda Griffin was wilfully murdered by Henry Thomas
Parker, and that he, the said Henry Thomas Parker, did
felonioa-ly d,stroy his own life, he being, therefore,
guilty of jelo de se."
The CORONER ordered Mr. Slow, the beadle, to take
charge of Parker's body, and he would send up his war-
rant for its interment on Friday night without Christian
rites.

DELAY OF THE OBSEQUIES OF

O'CONNELL.

A letter has been received from the Rev. Dr. Miley,
dated Sienna, July 3, 1847, from which we have been
favoured with the following extract:—
. We are unfortunately detained here by the sudden
_ _

illr.ess of the Hon. b1•-mber for Dundalk, Mr. DaniA
O'Connell. This will explain the contretemps which has
caused the sailing of the Montrose steamer from Genoa
without the remains of O'Connell."

SUSPECTED HIGHWAY ROB
BEItY AND ATTENIPT TO MURDER.
(From the Bury Herald.)
On Thursday morning last, a man of the name of
Michael MiDearmed, from Dundalk, county or Armagh
was discovered lying on the London-road, with a fright-
ful fracture of the skull. Ile was removed to the Suffolk
General Hospital, where every care and attention has
been paid to him, and we understand that this morning
(Tuesday) M'Dearmed is considered by his medical
attendants to be better. Suspicon having fallen upon a
man of the name of Welham, a drover, employed by
M•Dearmecl, he was taken into custody at Lavenham,
and brought to Bury. On Monday an examination of
the prisoner took place before Dr. Probart, when the ful-
-1
lowing evidence was adduced.
Robert Mann, of Bradfield Combust, labourer, hav-
ing been sworn, deposed—On Thursday, the Bth inst.,
between five and six o'clock in the morning, as I was
going from my own house to Chapel-hill, on the turn-
pike-road, I saw a man lying flat on his back, on the
bank at the left hand side of the road. His head rested
against the bank in the direction of Bury, and the re-
mainder of his body lay in the road in the direction et
Brivifield. His hands were close to his side. He had
nothing on his head. His face was covered with blood.
I spoke to him He opened his eyes, but made no answer.
He then turned himself on his right side, and put his
left hand on a wound which I saw on the left side of
his head. I saw a hat about eight yards off, on the
opposite side of the road, and at that spot was a great
quantity of blood in four different places within a small
distance of each other. In the hat were two handker;
chiefs, upon which I did not observe any blood what=
ever. I put one of the handkerchiefs on the wound, and
the other I put loosely over his head. I put his hat on
his head, and left him. I took no notice of his dress or
of his pockets. Ido not know who the man was.
William Mower, of Bradfield Combust, constable,
sworn—Last Thursday morning, about six o'clock, in
consequence of information I received, I went to a man
whom I found lying on his right side. I saw a large
stone upon which I could see a hair or two, and there
seemed to be a speck of blood. I gave this stone to the
policeman. I have known the prisoner from boyhood;
he is a drover, living at Lavenham, and has been in the
habit for many years of driving beasts for strangers who
come to Bury market.
Robert Jacob, keeper of the Bell tap, sworn—On
Wednesday afternoon, about half-past four o'clock, a
man came into my tap. Another person, ast anger,
came in with him, who sold the man some bullocks, and
tne man paid the stranger 631. 12s. 6d. The stranger
gave the man back a sovereign. The man had five other
10/. Bank of England notes which he put into a print
bag, which he pat into an inside waistcoat pocket. The
bag looked like a gown piece, and was of a dark colour.
He lett my house about five o'clock. I have since seen
this man at the hospital—it is the same man. The
stranger was at my house till half-past eight. The man,
I think, was affected by liquor.
Mr. Colbrant sworn—On Wednesday night I was re-
turning home, and about four or five minutes after ten
o'clock I met some bullocks coming from Bury towards
Bradfield Combust. There were two men on foot driv-
ing the bullocks. One of the men had on a hat—he
appeared affected with liquor. The other man had on a
cap, and was leading the man with the hat on by the
arm. The prisoner was the man who had on the cap,
and was leading the other man. I came straight on
home, and do not recollect meeting any one between the
fourth mile-stone and the turnpike road. I saw no one
lying by the road side. My son was with me.
Peter Egan, one of the rural police, sworn—On
Thursday afternoon, between twelve and one o'clock, I
apprehended the prisoner in Lavenham-street. He was
driving 40 heads of bullocks towards Colchester. I
asked him where he was going with the cattle. He said
"to Colchester." I asked him to come into the Lion,
which was close by. We went in. I told him there
had been a man severely injured, who had cattle in his
possession, between Lavenham and Bury. lat arched
him, and then took him in my cart, and drove him off to
Bury. As we were going along, I asked him where be
1 eft his master. He said he would show me. When we
got to the bottom of Chapel-hill, he said he left his
master there, pointing to the hedge on the left-hand side
of the road as you go to Bury. I then asked him why
he left his master there. He said "he was drunk;" and
his master said to him, " I shall go no further ; take
care of the cattle." The prisoner said he had not seen
his master since he left him there.
Charles Case Smith, Esq., gave evidence as to the
nature of the injuries, and stated that the wounded man
would not be in a condition to be removed in less than a
fortnight.
The prisoner then made a statement, to the effect that
he lett his master (the wounded man) on the road in
consequence of his being intoxicated, and directing him
(the prisoner) to go on with the cattle. He added that
a youngish man walked up to his master, and heard his
master mutter something, " What are you after here?"
The prisoner was then remanded for a fortnight.

THE MAILS —SOUTHAMPTON, JULT 15. The
Oriental nnpany's steam-ship Madrid, Captain Weeks,
arrived at 8 P.M. last evening, from Gibraltar, with the
Peninsular and other mails, which were landed under
charge of Lieutenant Wewenham, R.N., and forwarded
to London by the 1 A.M. train this day. The dates are—
Gibraltar,July sth; Cadiz,6th; Lisbon. 9th; Oporto,loth;
and Vigo, 11th. The Madrid brought 46 passengers and a
very full cargo of fruit. The American Company's steam.
ship Washington, Captain Hewit, having taken in fresh
coal and completed her repairs, left the docks this day at 4
P.m., with the American mails, for New York, ender
charge of Mr. W. IV. Hinchen, A.N. The Washington
takes out a full cargo of 500 tons and above 140 passen-
gers. The Royal West India mail packet Dee, Captain
Allan, will leave the port on the 17th, with the West
e,
of
India and Gulf mails. The Montrose, Captain Olive, is
hourly expected from Genoa, Leghorn, Civita Vecchia,
andßrit
and Gibraltar.
r The East India and China Association have re-
ntlpublished their comparative statement of the
number rt hei n
the limits of the i clearedsh
East sh o
d
inwards o
ir
utwar s r
awdci toilfmotmahiel
sdtcohtnoanrpat glearec' nmtefsreowieth
Ist of January to the 13
y
and 1847. 30th of June, in the years 1143