The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-15 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.

Last evening Mr. Bedford, the Coroner, held a pro-
tracted. investigation, at the George Tavern, Carey-
street. Lincoln's Inn-fields, touching the death of Eliza-
beth O'Brien, nged eighteen, who met her death under
the following extraordinary circumstances :
The deceased, who was a remarkably fine young wo-
man, possessing great personal attractions, had recently
led an abandoned life. and appeared to have no fixed,
place of abode. During the last two years she had been
lest sight of by her friends.
Sarah Holt, No. 3, Rel Lion-court, Strand, deposed
that between four and five o'clock on the morning of the
18th ult., deceased came in company with a gentleman.
to her house, for a bed; witness lighted them up stairs,
and they went into the bed-room together. There was
a candle in the room on the wash-hand basin, which
stood in a recess of the wall, and the female appearing a
little inebriated, witness cautioned them about the light.
In a few minutes afterwards witness heard a hustling
noise; and upon proceeding up stairs, saw smoke issuing
from the bed-room door, which was then locked. She
immediately gave an alarm, and assistance having come
forward, the door was broken open, and the deceased
was running about the room enveloped in flames. Her
male companion had made his escape by jumping through
the window into the court.

By the CORONER—The whole of the furniture of the
bed, the top of the bed, and the chairs and hearth-rub
were on fire. The deceased was rescued, and put into a
cab and taken to the King's College Hospital, as soon as
possible.
The CORONER—Do you know who the gentleman was?
Witnemis—No, sir. He appeared to be a Scotch gen.
tleman. After the deceased had been taken to the hos,
pital, he came back fur his clothes, having left the place
with only his shirt and socks on.—(Amazement.)
Mr. Fincham, the house-surgeon of the hospital, stated
that deceased was placed under his charge; she was fear-
fully burned over the back, arms, and legs; her injuries
were such that she never rallied from the moment she
,
was admitted, and died on Monday last. A post mortem . •
*
examination proved death to be the result of inflame:la-
AlditßlED.llef!,A,
lion of the lungs produced by the burns.
es_ •On the 10th inst., at St. Luke, Chelsea, bz -- dsbl'-"C.,
By the CORONER—DeceasA told witness when qu
Gleig, Lionel Ames, Esq of the Hyde ..oedcerjoi,
tioned as to how the fire bad originated, that the gentle- Augusta • Percy, eldest da.u'ghter• of Sir J. M. ' • vtiso4
man, after he had got into bed, drew the candle to him and K.H., of the Roval Hospital, Cheliea- Bev, J• mg*
and lighted his cigar, and shortly afterwards the occur- On the 10th inst., at Crosthwaite, by the ._„, Pil.Ai
ranee took place. 111 A.. James George, eldest son of J. G. Boucac'
.1,13'
The first witness walk then recalled, and said she could Shidfield, to' Charlotte, second daughter of the leir. Ibi
.101 'ter
swear to the stranger if she saws im, but had no means of Dalehead Halt, Cumberland. Nottin4 oc'
,
of finding him. It further appeed that the gentleman On the 13th inst.' ,at St. John's Church, Ol ofd'
in making his escape proceeded towards Brydges-street, therßev. W. Holdswerth, F. L. Sloes, ENE, :ghter
road, Regent's-park, Its Ann Holgate, see° a '+'
running tOwards Covent-garden, when he was stopped
. . '
by the police and taken back to the house. Several Sherborn, Esq., of Ladbroke-square. ek
other witnesses, including a brother of the deceased, were gedaf4
Dila, • B
..„..lig„, 5 gt
examined, but no one appeared to be able to clear up the On the Bth inst., atFenchureh-street,
_0•1711. A."
mystery as to who the gentleman was. On the 9th inst., at Merton College, Oxf ra..,,t.t. ,nie
The ConortEtt then remarked, in a very feeling man-
ner, on the deplorable nature of the case, and thought,t e and Dunchatto, of
agoedn 21,th es ec9;nhd sonin3t.o.f..Dalr.
Aanudte.LrmadoynyChArolao
st
6,te
noe.s-revidieltroli
from the evidence that had been adduced, the jury could G. Macintosh, Esq„.,of uaFipsi _
_.
return no other verdict than one of accidental death. of the late C. M.aciatosh,k.s..l.,
the
T. r .ijo. igha.
of set
A juror (warmly) —I think we ought to embody some On the 10th inst„. aged a , e -
very strong censure upon the conduct of the gentlemam liS esr TalBllnl
who was with this unfortunate girl. On the 10th inst.,, at Bishopsteignton. n
_,...d 76. , tlt 1
at .mhlßagisnhuosps, theEsltsleaxrt.yr, in the. city of Loudon, In
at
Several members of the panel immediately expressed Christian relict of the late A. Gordon, Esq., tis-y, Bea
, ,
theloselvps to the same effeet in strong terms.
The COROER-You cannot do that unless you prove
that there waa culpable negligence on the infOantittdhaeuglOt.itherittfstß....avvt
.Bl3oegiinno,r,a
gEescslettl, rjelAjt tb." 0 0:11111
part of rhoecl 15
gentleman. 1.:3..0a3 n. the3o
ql2tgt ho
mi lei srti.e,,
feeling exhibited by the party, and we consider that ie
A juror—We think that there was a great want of Eglintoup,.and wife of Sir C
in
daughterCjClifford-street,
Lamb, J 3 ":. •ge sg -ifil
31r. J. 00? ,5. jie
On the 12th inst., at Partford, Kent, _ hot to
_.....,
is very culpable. On the 12th inst., aged 23, Jane, claw
WO tliitlit,,grAttblenac G.at':,achecl-fo Esq " ffrrlibury place
__ll°
sotrfeAret,ethhooT lia, xaie
him. ~ o il„ - •
VS 'lgo
---,,---- - YO- 1 i
The jury returned the following special verdict:— gDO ple. gp.
" We, the Jury, find that the deceased died tram the
effects of burns she received when in a bed-room, situate London: Printed and Published V 141 Li office%noW
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at es in rye '-
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoft
on the first floor of the house, No. 3, Red Lion-court, I Middlesex, Thursday, huts 15, WS.