The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-17 00:00:00

MURDEA AT THE GUILDHALL
COFFEE-HOUSE

On Saturday. while the Lord Mayor was engaged in
the routine business of :he Marsi,,n House, In,pector
Woodruffe, of the City police, informed his I...,rd,hip
tha; the cook at the Gui dhall Coffee-house, had just
cut the throat of the kitchen-mold, and that she was
dead. •

Soon after' John Smith, the person ac,used or th. 4
murder, was. brought in to the justice room and placed
at the bur. He is about thirty years of age. He seemed
to be in a state of excessive m,ntal agony..

The following witnesses were then calls d :
William H. zin stated as follows : I s►n boots at the
Guil shall Coffee-house. The prisoner was cook in the
same service, and tne deceased, whom we called Susan,
was acting as kitchenmaid. About half pint twelve
o'clock this day I was cleaning one of the windows
of the folding doors of the front entrance of the
coffee house, in Gresha►n street, when I saw the
kitchenmaid come screaming from the kitchen up
to the corner of the stair., with the blood run-
ning from her throat. I ran towards her, and she
fall before I got to her. She had a knifs in her
hand. She said nothing, and died almost instantly.
There is a back entrance to the kitchen, as w,ll as the
one from which she came. I had not been in the kitelvn
for an hour before. At that time the prisoner was in
the kitchen, dressed in a brown jacket and apron (his
cook's dress), and the deceased and two other persons,
nanaf,ly, the scullery►naid and a lit'le girl who assists in
the kitchen. Immediately upon the deceased falling, I
went into the kitchen, leaving her upon the ground, and
there I saw the prisoner alone. He walked from the
table (upon which I observed the cook's dress, and also
a knife covered with blood, lying) to meet we, and I
said, " Dear me, what is the matter ?" He said to me.
" I have done it, and I wish you to give me in charge."
He looked very pale and ghastly.
The LORD MlYon—Did you hear whether there had
been any quarrel between the prisoner and the d, ceased?
Witnes.,—l heard that there !nail been a previous quarrel
between them, but I heard nothing of it myself.
The LORD MAYOR—Did you hear that there
had been a quarrel between them recently ?
Witness—l heard that there was quarrelling between
them on the previous night. I have heard them quer-
relline• together. Sometimes they were on good t, rms
together, and sometimes the reverse. The prisoner is
a married man, and I am not aware of any intimacy be
tween the prisoner and the deceased. The prison-r has
been in his situation several years, and had served his
apprenticeship to Mr. Withers, the proprietor of the
Guildhall Coffee house. The deceased was in Mr.
Walters's service about twelve months. I have heard
that the deceased was some relative to the prisoner's
wife. When I saw her come along, I call, d out as hind
as I could for Mr. Walters, our master, awl s nme of the
servants carne down. Before the prisoner came up to
where the deceased was lying, he said. •' I was drove to
do it." A policeman came in immediately afterwards,
and the prisoner gave himself into custody in the pas-
sage, near the spot on which the deceased was lying.
The prisoner said to the p rliceman, " I have done it—l
have done it," and he was then taken into custody. The
deceased was not touched t ll the d, ctor came.

The Lord MAYOR—Prisoner, do you wish to ask the
witness any questions ?—The pris_mer heaved a deep
sigh, and said. "No."

Tlnspector Woodruffe said I am an inspector of the
City of London police. This day, about half-past
twelve o'clock, the prisoner was brought to the staion
house at Bow-lane on a charge of murder, in the custody
ot. John Dillon, No. 433. The prisoner said to me,
" Mr. Woodruff', you know me very well," (at that time
I knew
.the nature of the charge against the prisoner).
I said it was a bad job ; and he replied, " I did it." I
asked him in what way ? He said, " I cut her throat
with a knife." I asked him whether they had been
quarrelling ? He said, " Yes, we h id." I asked him
where the knife was ? He said, "I have left it in the
kitchen." I then went to the Guildhall Coff-e-hon,e,
where I found the dec,iased lying on her back at the
bottom of the staircase, near the fry nt entrance. I then
went into the kitchen and the constable (Gel!atly)g,ave me
the black-handled knife I produce, which Ni as then quite
wet, and covered with blood. I thin left the kitchen,
and went to the deceased, and from her ri,:ht hand I
took a knife (a white-handled blunt kni e). which she
had firmly grasped. At that time she was dad. The
doctor was then present.
The prisoner, upon being asked whether he had any
question to ask of Mr. Woodruff., replied, shaking his
head, " None."

John Dillon: I am a city of London cons'able (433)
About twenty minutes past twelve this day I was called
into the Guildhall Coffee-house, and I saw the deceased
lying at the le,tiom of the staircase in the passage.
Prisoner, who was standing close by, said, " I have done
it, and I give myself in charge." I then took him to
Bow-lane station-house. In going to the station-house
I asked him the question, how he came to do it ? He
.aid, "I was drove to do it." She had been calling me
all the rogues she ceuid think of all the morning. I hare
a wife and tour children, and was afraid I should lose my
place at night from what see had said." When I got him
to the station-house I heard him address the in>pe aor.
He said .‘ You know me, Mr. Woedrutfe ; I ha e done
it." I th n reefrned to the Guildhall Coffee-house,
where Ce flatly (policem,n) was.
Thomas Gcliady policeman, 137) said, about
twenty minutes past twelve o'clock to-chy I was called
o the Guildhall Coffee-heuee or, entering 'he hues,
I. saw the deceased lying at the bottom of the stairs,
with her throat cut. I then went into the ki!chen With
itozin (the boots) and saw the black-handl. d k ife lyii g
on the table covt:red with wen t blood. Blood had spirted
over the table, and there was a track of blood from the
Table to the place in which the deceased was lying.
['here were some French beans lying on the table in a
;leap. There did not api:ear to be any confusion in the
urniture o' the kitchen, or in anything about. I ob-
served the conk's dress, consisting of two aprons,
marked J. P. 5.," a jacket end a cap,- spotted with
lying on the table, an I I took posse-shin of them
showed them to Inspcctor oodeuffe when he came
in. I gave th knee. an I I took the clothes.
Here H win (the hoot ) st,ce I that when he saw the
prisoner before the deceased was knied he did not ap-
pear to be excited.
Mr. Coulson, the eminent ;roe, was matt ex-
amined. He said—This day, about a q .art -r-past
teelve o'clock, I was sent for to the Guilohall C ff e
house. I went thither without a moment's delay, and
upon entering the house I saw, at the foot of the main
staircase, a woman lying on her back, with her clothes
.11 covered with blood, and a t',W,l put across her neck
to staunch the blood, and in her right hand a dessert
knife. She was quite dead. On removing the Iowa! I
found a laree and deep gash across the throat, begiening
fie in the extreme rigor, and extendmg actress the neck.
The carotid artery and jugular ,ein were divided, which
would leave caueal alines. instantaneous death. It. was
too deep a gash, I should think, to have been infhwee
by the deceased herself. There was a smaller wound
under the wound I have des ,rib:d, but that did net
divide any importaut vessel. Two wounds had, it was
quite evident, been inflicted. The black.han.led knife
which had been produced would have caused such
wounds. The white-handled knife (that found in the
hand of the deceased) I should think would be mu-•h le.s
likely to cause them. I applied some brandy and oth- r
things, but she was quite dead.
Thomas Phillips, waiter at the Guildhall Coffee house,
said—l was in the ;:itehen about five minutes beto e the
catastrophe occurred. At that tme there were in the
kitchen the prisoner, a little girl who occasienelly as-
sists, and the deceased, who was sit:ing on a stool at the
table, preparing Some vegetables. The deceased was
cutting French beans. I was there but about a minute,
and I did not hear anything unpleaeant between the pri-
soner and the deceased. The prisoner had some ducks,
but I did net observe any knife in his hand, and he had
his cook's dress on at the time. I left the kitchen, and
the little girl was then in the kitchen with the prisoner
and the deceased.

The LORD MAYOR—Did you hear any quarrelling be-
tween them ? Witness—l did nut.

The Loan MAYOR—Have you heard that there ex-
isted a bad feeling between them ? Witness—l have,
but I never saw an) thing of it myself. Ab,iut five minutes
afterwards I was coming along the passage, and saw the
deceased running out of the kitchen. 1 ran up to h«r,
and as she fell I laid her on the mat, and placed my
towel on her neck, to staunch the bl,eding. About ti
minutes afterwards I saw the priloner standing in th‘•
passage, and I heard him say to :he policeman, i• I ha% e
done it, and I give myself into your charge," and he svus
taken away by th- p liceu an.
The LORD MAYOR : Did you hear of the cause of
any dispute or qtL rrel between them 2—Witness : The
deceased told mo before the prisoner came this morning,
that she had bought a i;ound of tea for her mother. and
she believed that John (meaning the prisoner) had
taken it the night before.
The LORD MAYOR : DA you remember anything else
that she said ? Witness : She told me that she would
tax him with it when he came. _

The LORD MAYOR : Did you hear anything of the
kind between them ?—Witness : I did not.
The LORD MAYOR : Nor any quarrel between them ?
—Witness : I did not.

_
The LORD MAYOR : Prisoner, have you any questions
to put to this witnr.s. ?—The prisoner, without rai ing
his head, replied that he had no question at all to ask.
Emma Gr. en, barmaid at the Guildhall Coliee-hous,.
said—A after twelve o'clock. the little girl aho
assists in the kitchen came to me at the bar de ectly
after Phillips went into the coffee ro,.m. and she stood
at the bar waiting for sums egg-, ail ut thrt e
or four minutes. Direetty after I gave them to her, stir
went towards the kitchen, and as she vv4s going, she
screamed out, and I &lit ectiy atterwat ds ,t Lath deeeised,
Susan Tolloday, rushing towards the paige, ldeediuz,
and lifting up her hands. She m. rely said, " 01," seal
I was so alarmed that I ran back into the bar. I have
never heard the deceased and the tirisooer quarrelling
but once.
The Loan MAvon —Was it this day jot heard them
quarrelling? Witness—Oh. tear ! no.
Inspector lVoodrutfe sa d the lit tie girl who had been
spoken of as I ving b- en present in the kitchen for
same time during the morning had been taken
weuld home
not ill
from the coif e room ;she had fainted. and ,
in all probability, be able to give evidence during the
day.
The LORD MAYOR. Prisoner, as it will be necessary
to know exactly the name of the deceased, and also to
hear the evidence of the little girl, who is now unable
to attend, I shall not commit you this evening. I shall
remand you till Tuesday next, and I advise you, in the
meantime, to get legal assistance, for the charge against
you, as you must be aware, is one of the most serious
nature.
The prisoner, who seemed during the examiration,
which was very long, to kry)w nO remis.ion of mental
suffering, was then c ,nvereti to the Compter.

THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
On Saturday ni4ht an inquest ,4as held on the body
of the deLeased, in the Guildhall Coffee-house, before
Mr. Payne, the City coroner. One of the witnesses, a