The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-24 00:00:00

THE RECENT MURDER AND

SUICIDE AT LAMBETH.
CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE TWO BODIES.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. William Carter, coroner for
Surrey, and a respectable jury, assembled at the Hero of
Waterloo, Waterloo-road, Lambeth, for the purpose of
inquiring into the circumstances connected with the
respective deaths of Hannah Red, aged 30, and of
William Heed, aged eleven months, who were found
drowned in such a mysterious manner on the forenoon
of Monday last.
The jury having been sworn, they proceeded, with the
Coroner, to view the bodies, which were lying in the
vaults of St. John's Church.

Upon the return of the jury, the first witness called
was—

Richard Pierse, a lad of 17, who said that on Monday
forenoon he was in company with another lad, named
Thomas Martin, looking for pieces of coal at the river
side. When off West's wharf they discovered the
bodies under circumstances previously described in this
journal.

Frederick Anderson, a son of one of the beadles of the
parish, said that, is consequence of information he
received, he went to the water side, and there saw the
bodies. The child was tied round the woman's waist
with a piece of laycord, which was passed round the two
bodies twice, and finally fastened to the woman's bonnet
and cap strings. The cord was also passed over the
child's arms and shoulders. He had the deceased re-
moved to the vaults of St. John's Church.

Ann Jones, of 39, New-street, Webber-street, Lam-
beth, said that she had known the deceased about fit teen
months. She had been living in the same room with
witness during the last three months. She had no male
protector, but had been maintained by witness as well as
she could afford. She had no means of supporting her-
self and child, but she received Is. 6d. per week from
St. Dunstan's parish. Witness saw the deceased alive
for the last time on Thursday evening. She went out
at seven o'clock, saying at the same time that she was
going to meet the father of her child ; and she expected
her home the same night, but she did not return again.
On Tuesday she heard of her death.
The CORONER—Did you ever hear her threaten to
destroy herself ? Witness—Yes ; a month ago I lward
her say if her circumstances did not alter she would
drown herself. She also said, if she did so she would
drown her child also. I told her at the time how wrong
it was to talk in that manner, when she replied, " Ah I
you don't know my feelings." I have often seen her
crying, and my belief is that she destroyed the life of her
child, and also her own life.

A letter, written by the unfortunate female, was here
identified by the witness ; it was found in her box, and
was as follows :

"I do not wish you to put on a black hat-band for me,
as you have been so unkind to me in life. What few
rags I leave behind me and my tickets, let not your wife
touch, for if she does, may the retribution of Heaven be
upon her ! If Ann thinks fit to accept of them, she is
quite welcome for her kindness to me and my dear babe.
He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.' I die
in peace with those who are my enemies—may Heaven
forgive them ! James, I now take my pen in hand to
address a few lines to you for the last time. I certainly
find your unkindness to exceed more than what I once
could have thought. You have allowed me to have been
driven houseless, with a dear babe at my breast, by a
base wicked woman. You have not so much as even
inquired about me. I should have thought you would,
on account of the dear child, when you professed so
much love, which must have been deceit. Mark me, the
day is not far distant when she who claims you ts her
husband may and will want a home and bread, as bad
as I should if it had not been for Ann and her husband.
You have said a great deal about them, but they have
been much greater friends to me than ever you were.
I am now about to commit a deed which my very soul
shudders at ; but I cannot lire any longer as I now am
living. Perhaps it will be pleasing to you to hear of
my body and that of my dear babe being picked up.
Consider your unkindness and poverty have driven
me to the deed. As to your wife, I hope she will feel
her conscience prick her when lam in the grave. My
dear babe will go to heaven, and I hope the Lord will
forgive me and take my sod to himself. lam now your
unhappy, but when this you receive I shall be no more.
I forgive you all your wickedness."
The letter was addressed to her brother James, but was
not signed nor dated.
Mary Smith, a sister-in-law of the deceased, said that
three months since she heard deceased threaten to destroy
herself. She believed hes circumstances had caused her
mind to become impaired.
The wife of the brother, to whom the above letter was
addressed, said that she was unable to keep the de-
ceased; she had only one room for her own family, and
she did not think it prudent for another female to sleep
in the same apartment. She offered to take the child if
it was weaned, and the mother went to service, which she
refused.

The Learned CORONER having summed up, he ex-
plained the law bearing upon the case in a very clear
manner, when the court was cleared of strangers, and
after some time consulting together, the jury returned a
verdict, " That Hannah Reed had wilfully murdered
William Reed, and destroyed her own life, she being at
the time of unsound mind."

THE WEATHEll.—Yesterday morning the sky was
densely charged with black clouds, with the wind keen
ann cutting from the east. The day was throughout a
wet one, and as the afternoon advanced, the wind, which
had veered to the N.N.E., became intensely cold, and
there was a fall of sleet and particles of ice, which was
fol'o ved by snow. The night remained cold, with snow.
THE FRENCH PLATS.—Their Royal Highnesses
the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by
Prince Frederick of Hesse, and attended by Mr. Edmund
St. John Mildmay, honoured the French plays with
their presence last evening.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEA'S BEACH, Dec. 23.
HOOPER P. LAMB.
This was an action brought by Mr. Hooper, the wen:-
known advertisement agent, to recover from Mr. Lamb,
one of the provisional committee of the Great West, rn,
Eastern Counties, and Ipswich and Southampton Rail-
ways, 61/., but virtually for 20/, that b&ng his share of
the excenses incurred for advertising in the different
daily and weekly newspapers.
Mr. Martin, Q.C., and another Learned Gentleman,
appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Butt, Q.C., and Mr.
Wart en, ler the defendant.
Mr. MARTIN opened the case, and stated that several
members of the committee Shad subscribed their quota,
and discharged part of the claim.
Captain James Patrick M'Dougall, one of the pro.
visional committeemen, proved having on the 20th of
September, 184!, received Mr. Lamb's consent to insert
his name in the prospectus of the company.
Mr. Graham, the secretary, produced the minute-
books, and proved that the managing committee directed
him to give Mr. Hooper in-tractions trapublish the ad-
vertisement. The plaintiff had r, ceived 3001. from the
compatty, and a balance of 611. was stil due. The first
general meeting of the committee was held on the 15th
Septemter, 1845, and at that meeting a committee of
management was appointed. At this pAit:d the defend-
ant had not become a provisional commute, man.
Mr. BUTT contended that there was U 0 evidence to fix
the defendant with this liability. He had been sum-
moned to no meeting, attended none, and bail no com-
munication with any parties connected with the scheme.
All he had done was merely to give his eensent to his
name beirg added to tha provisional committee. The
authority for the insertion of the advertisements pro-
ceeded from the managing committee appointed on the
15th September, which was before the defendant became
connected with the company. Mr. Justice Cresswell had
held that, in such a case, there was no evidence of lia-
bility, and, therefore, he submitted, under his Lord-
ship's direction, that the defendant was entitled to their
verdict.

Lord DENMAN said the first consideration in such
cases was to do juFtice between the parties, and it would
be for the jury to say, whether the plaintiff had been
employed by the defendant to do the particular work he
did. He apprehended that the defendant was aware,
when he gave authority to have his name put down as a
provisional committeeman, that it would be made
known to the world in that character. Then
they would consider what inference a person employed
by the undertaking had a right to draw with respect
to the liability of the defendant, and whether the acts of
the managing committee in the formation of the com-
pany were binding upon all. The prospectus held out
that it was a desirable investment, and proceeded to say
that p ,wers would be applied for in the Bill to allow in-
terest at the rato of 41. per cent., &c. All men
understond by that, that a Bill for the formation of the
company was to be applied for in Parliament. So, in
the same way, if the words provisional committee were
used, it meant for the purpose of forming -a company,
and therefore it was inferred that a person
who had become a member sought persons
who were ready to form contracts to do the ne-
cessary works. If advertisements were essential to the
formation of a company, and these advertisements must
be ordered, not by the whole of the committee, but as
the necessities of the case required, their verdict would
be for the plaintiff, because he had a right to look to
every person on the provisional committee as persons
liable for the work he had done.

A verdict was found for the plaintiff for Gil., with
Execution only for 201., being the defendant's share in
the transaction. A bill of excepticns was tendered by
the counsel for the defendant.
HOOPER V. BYROM.-1100PER V. UPFILL.
These were actions of a similar nature, the defendants
being two provisional committeemen in the same
company.
The parties agreed to a similar verdict. A bill of
exceptions was tendered as in the last ca-e.

REED BROTHERS V. SOMERS.
The plaintiffs in this case are wine-merchants, in
Suffolk-street, and the defendant, Mr. Patrick Somers,
M.P. for Sligo. .

Mr. Merrewether appeared for the plaintiffs, and
Mr. Humfrey, Q.C., for the defendant.
The action was brought to recover the sum of 81/. for
wines supplied to the plaintiff in April and July
of last year. The defence set up was that the defendant
purchased the wines with the express understanding that
they were not to be paid for until the Christmas follow-
ing, whereas on the 10th September the defendant,
without having received any previous intimation by.letter
or otherwise, was served with a writ for the amount.
A friend of Mr. Somers, who was allowed a commission
on the wines he sold for the plaintiffs, was called, and
stated that he had induced the defendant to rurchase
the wines on such an understanding.
Lord DENMAN left it to the jury to say whether they
were of opinion that the wines were sold to be paid on
request, or on an understanding that payment would not
be required until Christmas next.
The jury gave a verdict for the defendant.
His LORDSHIP intimated to the jury that their labours
were at a close.

The Court then rose, and will not sit again until next
:erre.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Dec. 23.
This being the last day of the sittings after term, the
Lord Chiet Justice, who presided, took common jury
causes, and disposed of several undefended onest The
remainder of the day was occupied with a horse case,
arising out of a sale at Aldridge's repository, the particu-
lars of which were of interest only to the parties con-
cerned.