The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-03 00:00:00

SHOCKING MURDER OF A
POLICEMAN AT BRISTOL.
BRISTOL, TUESDAY MORNING.
The inquest upon the unfortunate man White was
commenced yesterday, before Mr. J. B. Grindon, Co-
roner. The excitement during the whole of the day was
very great, several thousands of people congregating
round the police-station, in which place the unhappy
woman, Ferris, who committed the foul deed, was con-
fined, and also round the house in which the inquest
was held. The jury, after being sworn, proceeded to
view the body, which presented an awful spectacle, the
gash in the throat extending from ear to ear. On their
return the following evidence was adduced :
Henry P. Webb, inspector of police, after deposing to
the fact of deceased being a member of the police force,
with which he had been connected about seven years,
said that, on Sunday evening, I was in the charge room
at the St. Philip's station, on duty, about half-past five,
and a fly drove up to the door, and Mrs. Ferris got out
of it. She rushed into the office in a frantic manner,
saying, " Oh, Mr. Webb, you must take me into cus-
tody." I asked her what for. She said, " I have cut a
man's throat." She did not say what man's. She was
affected with drink. I asked what she meant, when she
said " The man at my house ; go to him, go to him.'
I immediately set out, accompanied by a ser-
geant, and on the road was informed that
White was dead. Upon that I returned to the
station, and placed Ferris in custody. I afterwards went
to Lion-street, and found deceased lying on a press
bedstead. He was quite dead. I noticed a large wound
in his throat, and also that his shirt was saturated with
blood. It was evident that parties in the house had
been drinking, as there were glasses and spirit bottles on
the table.
Charles Sainsbury deposed—l reside at 42, Prinees-
street, and am son of John gainsbury, publican, of that
street. I did not know deceased. Yesterday evening I
was at a house in Lion-street. I went with James Ed-
wards to see his sister. I was invited by Edwards to go
there. We arrived there about four o'clock. I found
his sister in the back room on the ground floor, and a
young woman whose name I did not hear. We sat down,
and in about two minutes the deceased, a policeman,
came down stairs from an upper room. He joined our
party, sitting by the fireplace, and with his back to the
window. He sat in an arm-chair, and sent for a quart
of beer. Elizabeth Jones went for it, at Mrs. Ferris's
request:. Deceased said he ,was glad to sse Edwards,
shook hands with him, and handed him a glass of beer.
Mrs. Ferris spoke to her brother and to me, but not to
the policeman. As soon as the beer was brought in
Jones had a little, and then left the room. I did not see
her afterwards. No dispute arose between any of the
parties. The conversation was kept up between Ed-
wards and his sister upon family affairs, whilst I talked
with the policeman. The latter had neither coat nor
waistcoat on, neither had he a neckerchief on. After
in
to
the had been there about an hour Mrs. Ferris went
the back kitchen, which adjoins the sitting room. Within
two minute's she returned. On entering the room she
went behind the policeman, and put her right arm round
his right shoulder, as though she was about to whisper
to him. At this time I was conversing with Edwards,
and sitting opposite to the policeman. In a short time
I heard him make a sort of groaning noise. Upon
looking at him, I saw he was bleeding very much. He
was standing up. Edwards immediately jumped-up and
said, " Louisa ! my God, what have you done ?" I did
not see that Mrs. Ferris had anything in her hand. It
was getting dark, and there was no fire or candle. I was
very much frightened, and instantly left the house. I
did not assist the wounded man, because I had not power
to do so. I heard a noise on the floor as of blood run-
ning from hits. It was clear that he had received some
injury, but I did not know the nature of it, neither could
I state whether he had done it himself, or Mrs. Ferris
had done it. It must have been one or the other. De-
ceased appeared to be perfectly sober. Mrs. Ferris slid
not make any answer when her brother said
" Louisa ! my God, what have you done ?'' I have no
doubt upon my mind but that she inflicted the injury.
She appeared to be sober. I had never seen her before.
We had half a pint of rum as well as the beer. After
I walked away from Lion-street, and had reached the St.
Philip's police-station, I heard a fly behind me, and on
turning round I saw Edwards driving, having his sister
inside. She put her head out of the window, and called
out, " Jem, stop at the station-house." At the time the
injury was done, that is at the time Mrs. Ferris put her
arm over his shoulder, I believe the policeman was
smoking.
James Edwards deposed—l am brother to Mrs.
Ferris. lam not aware that I ever saw deceased in my
life before yesterday. My sister is a married woman,
but her husband and her do not live together. They
have been separated about twelve months. My sister
had several times invited me to see her, and yesterday I
went, accompanied by a friend, Charles Sainsbury. I
was let in by my sister, who appeared to me to have been
drinking. She also appeared as if she had just got up-
I said, " Holloa, what's the matter?" when she replied,
" Oh, it's my birth-day, Jem."About five minutes after I got
into the house a policeman, who appeared to be lodging•
in the house, joined us. He was without coat, waist-
coat, or neckerchief. We talked together, and drank
some beer and rum, and, apparently, everything was
friendly amongst us. After drinking some of the beer,
Elizabeth Jones, who had fetched it, left the room.
About twenty minutes afterwards the policeman also
left the room. A few minutes after my sister also left
the room, leaving me and Sainsbury and a little girl in
the room. In a short time she returned, in a dreadful
state of agitation, and said, " Oh, that wretch, is this
your promise? they be both upstairs on the bed." My
sister again left the room. White returned, and seated
himself where he had sat before. My sister soon also re-
turned. She kept on exclaiming, " Oh, you wretch,
you nasty wretch, is this your promise?" She rushed
behind me as I was in the act of pouring out a glass of
beer, and as I went to put down the glass of beer I saw
her hand coming from the policeman's throat. I did not
see anything in her hand, it was done so quick. She
immediately left the room towards the front.
Sainsbury was frightened, and ran out of
the back door. I was left alone, and saw and
heard the blood flowing from deceased, and I hastened to
assist him. He was falling forward. I tried to hold
him upon his chair, but he would not be held. He crept
on his hands and knees along the passage into the street,
the front door being open. I looked for Sainsbury,, but
could not see him. I saw the neighbours, five or six, or
more, coming up to assist. I stated what had taken
place, and whilst I was so employed my sister came from
the back of the house, and said, " Jem, drive me to the
station-house." Considering that the policeman would
be taken care of, and in the agitation of the moment, I
did so. She surrendered herself at the station-house,
and I went to tell my mother, who is the housekeeper at
the station-house. Deceased had been smoking, but was
not smoking at the time. I believe that my sister was
very much intoxicated.
Elizabeth Jones deposed—l live in Lion-street, and
am a single woman. Ilodged in the house of Mrs. Ferris.
William Stone and William Ferris lived there, also a
policeman named Patrick White. Yesterday afternoon,
between four and five o'clock, I was at home. I did not
hear any quarrel between Mrs. Ferris and the police-
man. I did not hear her express herself angrily towards
him.
.After giving evidence as to the arrival of Edwards
and Sainsbury, she proceeded to say—l did not fetch
any liquor for them ; as soon as they came in I went
upstairs to bed. I fetched two quarts of strong beer at
half-past one o'clock, and a third quart between three
and four. This the policeman and Mrs. Ferris had been
playing at. dominoes for, and he bad won it. The beer
was forced upon Mrs. Ferris and me by White ; he took
very little. What I had drank affected my head. I was
iesensible when I went to bed. I recollect afterwards
seeing Mrs. Ferris holding the door of the room.
White was at that time standing at my bed-
side. She left the room instantly, and so did
White. I did not hear her speak. The next time
I saw White he was crawling on his hands and
knees on the causeway outside the front door. I went
into the next house, and from thence into a house oppo-
site. As I was coming from my own bed-room down
stairs, Mrs. Ferris mel me nearly at the bottom. She
caught hold of me, and said she had a mind to serve me
in the same manner, but she did not say in what manner.
I then ran out and found that there was blood upon my
neck, but Ido not know how it came there. (The wit-
ness took off her bonnet, when it was evident that a
wound had been inflicted lust below the back part of the
right ear.)
Robert Combes said—Yesterday afternoon I saw a fly
in Lion-street. Two young men who were with it inquired
for Mrs. Ferris. I directed them, and they went there.
They remained about half an hour, and then went away,
returning in about ten minutes. Between half-past four
and a quarter to five I heard the rattling of the doors of
a pony car. I went to the door of my house, and heard
a Hyman say, "Oh dear, he 'a a dead man ' I looked
round and saw deceased crawling across the road. He
muttered something, but I could not tell what. As I
ran towards him I saw the blood flowing from a wound
in his neck. By the time I reached him Mr. Griffiths
caught hold of him, and was wiping blood from
his neck with a handkerchief. Deceased at-
tempted to speak. Mr. Griffiths pressed the wound
closely with his hands, and then White said, " Mrs.
Ferris has cut my throat with a razor ; pray for me."
Mr. Griffiths said, " Pray for yourself, my good fellow,"
and he then said distinctly, " Lord have mercy on my
soul." He muttered that three times afterwards. We
placed his head on a pillow in the streets. He was then
dying fast. Mr. Griffiths and myself went to search the
house. We saw a great quantity of blood on the floor
of the back parlour, and a razor on a chest of drawers.
When the razor was opened I saw some hair and marks
of blood upon it. We then returned to White, and saw
that he was dead. A medical man had arrived in the
mean time, but could render no assistance.
Richard Griffiths gave simile'. testimony to that de-
posed to by the last witnes.
The CORONERremarked that, though no doubt pro-
bably existed in the minds of the jury as to the cause
was of death, yet it desirable that an important point
should be proved, namely, that. death was not occasioned
by internal disease, for i's-
illation. The inquiry
sary to have a post „wrier
examination.
adjourned would be neces-
be adjournetrn
ptihne following day.
would, therefore,
Louisa Ferris was brought
moved to Bridewell to abide the result
C,c.litcle, and re.
e inquest.

Major-General Sir Henry Pottinger, the newly
appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief at the
Cape, will not, according to the latest arrangements
leave before the middle of this month. It is expected
that ho will embark at Southampton.
His Excellency the Earl of Elgin, thane w Governor-
General of Canada, arrivtd in town on Saturday last
from his Lordship's seat in Scotland. No day is yet
fixed for his Lordship's departure for North Anieric?.

ADELPHI THEATRE,