The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-22 00:00:00

TBE SUN_ LONDOira. TUESpAY EVENING, OCTOBER 22, *67

THE FENIAN ASSASSINATION IN
BLOOMSBURY•

ADJOURNED INQUEST-THIS DAY.

The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances con-
nected with tho assaszination of Edward M'Donnell
was held to-day at the Vestry Hall, King's-road,
St. Pancras.

Mr. Poland appeared for the Crown, and Mr.
Sleigh for the accused man, Groves.
The first witness called was IVilliam Jentnan,
who said he Eyed at 4, King-street, Grosvenor-
square, and tbat on the 27th of S_Ttember he and
his w;f: we .t to the Amphitheatre in Holborn.
After the p:rformance was over he and his wife
quarrelled on their way home about his taking too
much to drink. He left her to walk home ;,4 lono,
just by the Bull'and Anchor. She got home about
two o'clock in the morning. Ile asked her where
she had been, and she said waiting about for him.
She also told him she had heard two men quarrel,
and that the tallest turned up the street.
The Coroner—Your wife told you what you had
read in the papers ?
Witness continued—He did not trouble himself
about what he read in the papers. his wife told
him she had heard the tall man say he would shoot
somebody. The tall man, she also told him, she
heard say " Come on Groves, its time we
were off ;" she added that she also heard
him say he wished he had fired again, and shot the
right one. When she 'told him he said he wished
it had been her, as she ought to have been home.
In the following morning his wife reported the
matter to him, and he told her to say nothing about
the matter as it was no business of her's. On the
6th of October she told him she had seen a man at
the top of George-street, Oxford-street, and while
there saw two others come up and say, " Good
morning Joe, how's John getting on?" to whick
one replied, " It's too true, they have got the poor
fellow." lle went to Scotland-yard with his wife
and waited outside, while she went in. She did not
afterwardi tell him what she said to Thompson.
By Mr. Poland—The first publichouso be went
into the night of the murder was near the theatre,
and the next near Middle-row. He quarrelled with
his wife because she objected to his having more
drink. He was quite sure ho went home alone the
night of the murder. He did not stand quarrelling
with her at the door that night on their arrival
home. He did not hear of the murder until the
following 6th of October, because he a nd his wife
went to Chichester. Ho knew nothing about his
wife writing to Furber. He and his wife went to
Chichester on the Sunday. Ho returned on Sun-
day, and she the following Monday. They
did not go to bury his wife's mother.
He did not know -where the mourning letter
paper and envelope the letter written on were. He
thought there was some lying about at home. He
gave his wife half-a-sovereign when they went to
Chichester to pay the fare. When he read the ac-
count in the newspapers he forbade his wife talking
or telling anybody about what she had heard, be-
cause ho did not wish to get into trouble. When
he read the account in the paper he saw no-
thing about the reward. He knew nothing about
her writing the letter to Thompson. Ho gave her
permission to tell the whole story when he went
with her to Scotland-yard on the Tuesday.

By Mr. Sleigh—lle had been married five years
ago, but he could not say he had been out of work
during that time for about two years. He would
not swear it was not that time, as he had been ill.
He never knew anything about the reward being
offered until the Sunday, week following, when he
read the account of the murder in Lloyd's paper.
He never told his wife about the reward, neither
did she tell him. It was not true that up to the
13th of October he had forbade his wife to speak
about the murder. He thought it was up
to the Bth when he imagined she would tell
all when she went to Scotland-yard. He forbade
his wife spealiing about it, because he thought it
would injure his character. lie had not troubled
himself since the murder to read the newspapers.
lie was not afraid of being shot by the dark man,
although his wife had told him she had heard him
say he would shoot anybody who gave evidence
even in the witness-box. He did not think it was
his business to try to discover the murder.
The Coroner—Do you think it's right for an
Englishman to consult his own feelings rather than
discover a murder ?
Witness—Well, yea I think so.

By a Juror—He never earned any money by
working on job, but be had not done some. He
pawned to get the money for his wife to go into
the country. He never saw anybody near the Bull
and Anchor like those his wife had described.

Mrs. Jenman was again called and re-sworn, and,
in answer to various questions put to her by Mr.
Poland, said she paid the railway fare with her own
money, although her husband had given her half a
sovereign to do so. The fare to Portfield was about
Bs. They went by the excursion train. They
went to Elizabeth Jonman's. She slept on
Thursday at Chichester with a friend of
her's, whose maiden name is Walker, at
Chichester. She went to Chichester on that occa-
fion on private business, which she did not think
she was bound to speak about. She signed the
letter in the name of Williams because she thought
she had a right to do so, as her mother was married
twice. She did not go to bury her mother ; she
did not go to Disc because sho could not got the
money to bury her mother. She was aware in-
quiries had been made at Disc, and she thought it
shameful that her parents and those of her husband
should be brought into such a disgraceful business.
Tho Coroner—lnquiries have been made to see
whether your evidence is to be trusted.
Witness continued—l am to be trusted, and I
have spoken nothing but the truth in what I have
stated, and I am sorry now I ever had anything to
do in the matter.

Mr. Poland—Were you at Lanaportin 1862, and
did you know a corporal there in that year named
Hayes.

Witness—No.
Mr. Poland—Do you know a surgeon named
Bloxham?
Witness—No.

Mr. Poland—Did you never charge a corporal
name Hayes in the 55th regiment with committing
a rape on you ?
Witness (in a very excited maLner)—l will not
answer such questions. What I did was right, and
I'll not answer another question about the matter.
It's a disgrace and a shame that every action in my
life should be brought up, and I be disgraced be-
fore a lot of gentlemen. It's a shame and a dis-
grare. What I did was right and just. I brought
the man to justice, and if the magistrates dismissed
the case against the man, his officers did not.
Mr. Poland—Then the charge was dismissed.

Witness—Yes ; but I'll not answer another
question. on the matter. Y(;.1 may do what you
like. I'm only sorry now I've had anything to do
with the case. Mr. Garforth has been trying all he
can to bring disgrace upon me, and it's a great
shame that I am to be disgraced in this manner.

Mr. Poland—Were you ever in custody upon a
charge of committing suicide?
Witness—l'll not answer the question. I am
being treated in a shameful manner. I will not
say another word upon sueh:questions, and I don't
a
know whether I will Baynything more about the
matter either before judge and jury, and you can
do what you like with me.
Mr. Sleigh—Do you know a person named
Everitt?

Witness—Yes, I do ; and ho wanted £5OO of my
money ; but he's like a great many more detectives,
they get all they can out of you, and then turn
round and backbite you. My money is in my own
hands, and nobody else's. He said he wanted £5OO,
but I was not going to give it him. lie came up to
London on his own account to look after the money,
but he was not clever enough to find it out. Everitt
never came up to London on my business. It's not
the business of an inspector of police to look after
fortunes, that's the business of a lawyer, and not a
policeman. Everett said he came up to London
about my business, but he never did anything of
the kind. Ile never sued my latsband to my know-
ledge. I don't recollect that he did, and if I did I
shan't tell you about it,