The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-19 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT ISLINGTON.

Yesterday the avenues of the Clerkenwell Poliee•court
were crowded to excess to gain a view of the two pri-
soners charged with the murder of a little girl in Lin-
ton-street. Shortly after 12 o'clock, ;he prisoners, who
were very respectably attired (tbe man, who is a
foreigner, having a very thick red moustache), were
brought up in the custody of Inspector Hatton, of the
N division, and placed at the bar before Mr. Corrie,
when they gave their names as Charles Somner, aged
29, an engraver, and Celestria Semler, his wife, aged
26, and where charged on suspicion of causing the death
of a female child, name unknown, about 14 years of
age, at their residence, No. 13, Linton street, in the
parish of St. Mary, Islington. The prisoners, who are
of short stature, and who appeared quite unconcerned,
were allowed to be seated during the examination. The
first witness called was

Mr. Inspector Hatton, of the N division, who deposed
as follows :- Yesterday afternoon, about half-past four,
in consequence of information I received, I proceeded, in
company with Serjeant Townsend, 23 N, to the house
No. 18, Linton-street, Islington; *hen the door was
opened by a girl about 15 years of age. We proceeded
along the passage, and saw the feteale prisoner coming
up the kitchen stairs. When she saw us she said, " What
do you want ?" I said, "We will tell you after we have
looked into your cellar." She they, said, "Good God !
what de you want to do that for ?' At that moment
the male prisoner came out of the parlour. We then
went down stairs and into the kitchen together. A light
was obtained, and Serjeant Townsend went into the
cella-. He came out shortly aftervatrds and said it is
quite right, the body is there. I then went into the
cellar, and found a child tbera, apparently about 14
years of age, with her throat cut in a very dreadful roan•
ner, and quite dead. Serjeant 'Townsend then took hold
of the female prisoner and sail, "You must consider
yourself in my custody on suspicion of causing the death
of this child." She said, " I did not do it. I know no-
thing about it. I heard something last night near the
railings, but did not know what it was." She then
turned to her husband, and said, "I did not say any-
thing to you about the matter in CASE/ it should make
you timid." Both prisoners were then conveyed to the
station-house.

The prisoners declined to say anything, or to ask this
witness any question.

SerjeanCEdward Townsend, 23 N, said—l accompa-
nied the ;ast witness to the house in question about 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon. At the time I did not
know the prisoners' names. We knocked at the door,
which was opened by a little girl, and upon asking the
names of the prisoners, we proceeded into the passage.
I met the female coming up stairs, when I asked her if
htr name was Semntr ? She said it was, and then asked
what we wanted there ? At that moment the husband
came out of the parlour, and exclaimed, " What is it ?
—what is it you want ?" I then said, "We should like
to look into the cellar of your house." The female said,
" Look into my cellar, good God, what for ?" I made
no answer, but asked her to come down stairs with us.
We then all proceeded to the kitchen, and having pro-
cured a light from the servant girl, I went into the cellar
underneath the pavement, and there I saw a girl about
14 years of age lying dead upon her back. I saw blood
apparently clotted on the neck and on her throat. I
then went into the kitchen, and, addressing the inspec-
tor, said, "It is quite right; the body is there." I then
seized the female prisoner by the wrist, and said, " You
will consider yourself in my custody for having caused
the female's death." She then sail, "Me ? I did not
do it. I know nothing about it." After a short pause
she said, " Ah, yes ; I heard a noise outside the area
railings last night and then, looking towards her hus-
band, she said, " I did not tell you, dear, as I thought
it would make yon timid." Having procured a cab, I
took both prisoners to the station. I afterwards went back
to the house and made a careful search of the various rooms.
On proceeding upstairs I went into the front room, which
was used as a bed-roorn, and under the bed I found an
old black gown with spots of blood upon it, and it ap-
peared to have been partially washed out. I then went to
the cellar with the surgeon, and found the door spotted
with blood. There were also marks of blood on the
kitchen door and on a wafer box. Upon making a far-
ther search, I discovered a spot of blood on tho pillow
of the bed in which the servant slept.
The male prisoner, when asked by Mr. Carrie if he
wished to ask the witness any question, said, "No ; it
is not me. I said at the station-honse that I did not
know anything about it, and I again say here that I
know nothing about it."
The female, in answer to the same question, said,
"No, I don't."
Rachel Mont, an interesting little girl about 14 years
of age, who gave her evidence in the most clear and art-
less manner, deposed as follows :—I am a servant girl
living in the house 18, Linton-street, Islington. I went
into the prisoners' service on the 15th of last Septem-
ber. On Saturday night my mistress went out about
ten o'clock, but before she did so she came and said I
was to go to bed. I did not go to bed, but sat up mak-
ing myself an apron. That was in the kitchen. After
my mistress had been out some time, I heard the key
put in the street door, and then I put out the candle
and got into bed. I heard my mistress come into the
passage, and she had a female with her. She came to
the top of the stairs and said, "Are you abed, Rachel ?"
I made no answer. She then went up stairs, and after-
wards came down and drew the kitchen blind down.
She then left the kitchen and said to the little girl,
" Come down here." The girl did so, and theTs my
mistress went into the cellar, and told the girl to come
to her, but the girl stopped at the kitchen door. Mis-
tress said, " Come here, what are you afraid of ?"
They both came into the kitchen. The girl then said,
"I am not afraid, but it is a strange place to me. I
have not been here before." They then went into the
area, when the little girl said, " Some one wants to
cut my throat." When my mistress said, " Suppose I
was to cut it." The girl said, "Ole, You are going
to kill me," and then called out "Murder." This
she called out several times, and said, " The devil
will take you, the devil will take you ! Yon will
kill me, you will kill me ! I am dying, lam dying !"
The girl then, made a horrid noise, as it she was breath-
ing hard, mei my mistress said "hush" several times.
My mistress then put the candle out, came into the
kitchen, and walked up and down in the dark several
times, and s: tid to herself, " I will kill you." She then
got the lucifer-box, lit the candle, and went into the
cellar again, and was there for some time, but I did not
bear the girl speak again, and all was quiet. A short
time after this she came in, shut the door, and went up
stairs. My master was out at the time, but he came
home about one o'clock. He let himself in with a key.
I know it was about ono o'clock because I did not go to