The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-14 00:00:00

TEE SUSPECTED MURDRR AT BAMPTON
COU-RT.

Yesterday Mr. Wskley, coroner for West Middlesex,
accompanied by his deputy, Mr. Brent, proceeded with
the adjourned inquiry at ,the Mitre Hotel, Hampton
Court, touching the death of a man who, since the pre-
vious sitting of the jury, had been identified as Lewis
Solomon•, lately returned froin A ustralia, aged 34. (The
circumstances attending the discovery of deceased's body
la the river Thames have a:ready appeared in the Sun.)
Mr. Joseph Arnold, residing at No. 2, Henry-strew,
Blandford-square, an upholsterer, identified the deceased,
whom he last saw alive on the evening of Thursday, the
24th ult. Deceased bad been boarding and lodging with
him since
,his return from Australia. Deceased married
witness's niece. The,deceased, since hie return, appeared
in a distressed and excited state of mind, and was conti-
nually drinking brandy. However, on no occasion d.d he
hear deceased thrdaten to destroy himself. On one occa-
sion deceaed wished himself out of the world. Witness
spoke calmly to him, and this impression was eventually
wholly removed frons his mind. Deceased was in the
habit of going out as he did on the last occasion, without
his waistcoat and watch. Witneia here handed in a
letter which was addressed to a person at Bendigo, Aus-
tralia, and which deceased had left with the witness's
wife to be forwarded by an earlk:Atail. In it deceased
expressed a.avish to Lis frigad tsa4dre some money- he
had left in Australia foi• his children, tied send it over to
witness, whom he left as their guardian. He spoke in the
letter of his wife as " a wretch," saying she should have
no more of his money, as what had been stated of her was
correct, and at the same time expressed his intention of
again shortly quitting England for Australia.
Mrs. Anne Arnold, wife of the last witness, corrobo-
rated his evidence, and added that when the deceased
went out after lunch she asked him where he was going,
and how long he would be gone. He replied, as he usu-
ally did, that.he did not know; but lie expressed his in-
tention ofbeiug in, if not to dinner, before tea. Witness
had never seen any dagger, pistol, or poison, in the de-
ceased's possession, and she never heard him threaten to
commit suicide. -
Mr. Robert Jefferies, fruiterer, &c., of 32, SherLe,rne-
street, Blandford-square, proved speaking to the de-
ceased-after his quitting home on the day in question.
He called at witness's shop, and on deceased's invitation
they went out and had some brandy. To pay for the
refreshment the deceased took a small canvas bag out of
his pocket, containing, witness should think, from 14 to
15 sovereigns, and got change for halt a sovereign. On
taking leave the deceased said most positively that he
would return early in the evening and have a smoke
with witness. He did not say where he was going, and
he appeared in an exceedingly composed state of mind.
Witness did not see any weapon in his possession at the
time.

A. felt wide awake cap was here produced, which In-
spector Rapsey stated was found near the river, but it
was not proved to be deceased's, which was still missing.
Louisa SOlomons, a morose-looking person, was next
examined—She stated that she resided at 14, Essex-
street, CommerciaLroad, and was the deceased's widow.
She saw the deceased at her house on
,the 18th ult.,
when upon leaving he said she should see him in a fe
days again. He said he was gding to her aunt's resi-
dance in Henry-street, Blandford-square. On parting
with her she observed he had some sovereigns—four or
five—and some silver in his poeseseioa. Generally he,
was a sober man, but since he went abroad she could
prove that he had bpcorue a great drunkard. When he
first arrived in England he threatened to destroy him-
self, but he banished that idea altogether from his mind,
and at length became very composed, and she congratu-
lated him on his being able to go and enjoy himself at
Southampton, as he did for a day on the 18th. She
saw a pistol in his possession. She • expressed her sur-
prise at his carrying so much money, as he might be
murdered or robbed ; but he replied no one would harm
him. He also took some documents, which she consi-
dered were Australian shares, and the right to some landed
property in that country, out of his pocket, and observed
that neither she nor the children should ever want,
He said he had provided for her and her children.
Mr. Abraham Davis, carrying on a china and glass
business at 103, Tottenham-court-road, was then sworn,
and he deposed that the deceased was his brother-in-law.
The last time he saw him alive was on the 10th ofJune,
1853, when he went out-to Australia with his (witness's)
son from Gravesend. He said the deceased acted as his
agent and his son's guardian, the latter being then 17
years of age. Witness paid 1761. for their passage meney,
and at the same time sent over -stocks to thee .o.le.
of
1,0001. for them to trade with. Before leaving witness
had arranged to allow the deceaSed's wire, far the sup-
port of herself and family, 255. a week until his return.
HoweAr, no s•ioner had deceased left than a man named
Grey visited his wife at the place of tru,ioess witness had
lett her to superintend in Union-street, Bishopsgate-
street. She at first introc'uced Grey as her husband's
friend, but from what he witnessed he at le ,gtb, as her
guardian during the deceased's absence, forbade Grey
entering the house. Upon this she flew into the most
violent passion, and would have stabbed him with a
carving knife only for the interference of his mother-in•
law, and his protecting himself with a chair. At length
her conduct became from time to time so violent that he
could do nothing more with her, and she left her home
to live with Grey, who was a married man with a family.
The witness having deposed to the misconduct of the
deceased in Australia, by which he (witness) had been
driven to bankruptcy, proceeded to state that in conse-
quence of the continued diegraceful proceedings of de-
ceased's wife witness wrote to the deceased, informing
him of the whole circumstance, and begging him to send
home no more money to his wife. Upon this he received
the letter produced from the deceased, in which,' with
the most dreadful eatbir, he threatened to take immedi-
ate vengeance on him for the false statements made
against his "dear Idolise." (The letter was read, and
created the utmost horror in the court, the language
used being of the most terrible character.) In conclu-
sion, the witness said that fortunately the deceased did
not call upon him upon first landing in England.
The Coroner asked the witness if he could throw any
light upon the deceased's death. The unfortunate man
had been found with a frightful wound in his side, and
they wanted to learn under what circumstances the vio-
lence took place.
The witness replied that he could not enligten the
jury on this subject.
The Coroner said that the witness might congratulate
himself on having a most narrow escape of being mur-
dered by the deceased, and the witness replied he felt
perfectly the perilous position he had been placed in.'
The deceased's widow was ordered to be in court dur-
ing the witness's examination, and she heard the whole
unmoved.

Hannah Solomon; a widow, and deceased's sister-in-
law, residing at 16, Red Lion-street, Holborn, said that
the deceased called upon her shortly after his arrival in
England, in company with Mrs. Grey, wife of the man
who was living with his wife. He appeared much affected
on hearing of the death of his brother, and wept bitterly
on acc mnt of his wife. Mrs. Grey gave her the dagger
produced (a kind of bowie knife), which she had taken
from deceased, observing that he had brought it to Eng-
land for an ornament. Mrs. Grey also said he hal a
pistol in his possession which she should get from him.
The dagger had remained in witness's possession ever
since.

Sarah Grey, 10, Victoria road, :Borough, gave similar
evidence. The witness added that her husband had been
all through and was at present living with the deceased's
wife. For the last two weeks he had refused to allow
witness any maintenance for herself and five children,
her husband's earnings being 255, a week..
In cross-examination the witness said she had no sus-
picion agaiast any one on account of the deceased's
death, but before that event her husband told several
persons that Mrs. Solomons might consider herself a
widow, as he intended to marry her. The deceased
allowed her to take the pistol and dagger produced
from him, as he said she was as much the injured per-
son as himself. She heard her Ira-band say that the de-
ceased should never take Mrs. Solomons to Australia as
long as he had an arm on his body. A neighbour replied
that he should go and lire with his wife again, and de-
ceased could take his own away, when he said, " He'
never shall take her away."
Frances Tyler having deposed to deceased's despond-
ing, and at times excited state after his return From Aus-
tralia, and to his admission that he had fully intended
to kill witness and her husband, had his (deceased's)
wife been innocent, said that . Grey called on witness,
and in his wife's presence said, "Louisa (meaning the
deceased's wife) may consider herself a widow, as no
other man shall have her in this world but me." (Sen.
cation.) Mr. Davis also called at witness's house with
two pistols in his possession, to see the deceased. The
pistols were not loaded, and he said he only brought
them to frighten the deceased, for although he had ruined
him he did not care if he would tell him what became of
his son in Australia. The deceased was not at home at
the time, so that Mr. Davis did not see him. After a
few days the deceased became more collected, but still
from the circumstance preying on his mind witness did
not consider him right in his mind.
Several other witnesses were examined, who proved
that the deceased, on his arrival in England, was in a
very excited state on account of the conduct of his wife,
but after calm reflection he appeared to become quite
composed, and resolved to return to Australia again,
for which purpose he went to takd a passage in a vessel
proceeding to that colony, where it seems he possessed
several shares in the gold mines at Bendigo, as also a
quantity of land.

- The Court was now cleared of strangers, and the man
Grey was questioned by the jury. After a fep minutes
further deliberation with closed doors the inquiry was
further adjourned to enable the police to make more
searching inquiries respecting the whole transaction.
While the jury were in deliberation a most painful
scene took place outside the court, through the lifeless
man's sister beirg seized with several severe epileptic
fits, so acutely did she feel her brother's distressing end.
The supposition appeared to be that the deceased, if
murdered, was assassinated in London, and then con-
veyed up the river to the spot where his body was dis-
covered.