The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-21 00:00:00

1, SPAPER
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WALTHAM, MONDAY. Al --Af -4,
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This day, Mr. C. C. Lewis, coroner for the district, 'Ail --c :::" • )4`"
and the jury previously empanelled, re-assembled. ..--,-.4t7r.,V41, Irzil
at the Wake Arms, Epping-road, Epping ForeSt;: 5-. ';... ',47,
in the parish of Loughton, for the purpose of further ,K a s
proceeding with the investigation touching the
death of the female and child whose lifeless bodies
were found 12 a pond in the Forest, about a mile !
distant from the Wake Arms, about three weeks
since.

THE 311 STERIOUS TRAGEDY IN
_EPPING FOREST.

The dreadful affair continues enveloped in the
greatest mystery, and the utmost excitement pre-
vails throughout not only the neighbourhoods of
Waltham and Epping, but the whole of the sur-
rounding district, and this has been enhanced
through a suspicion gaining ground that the shock-
ing occurrence is not simply one of murder and
suicide, but the act of a third person.
Mr. Superintendent Clark, of the county consta-
bulary, together with Mr. Inspector Thompson and
Sergeant Brenchly, of the K division of police, who
have been most actively engaged endeavouring to
glean some clue to the identification of the deceased
and the circumstances under which they came by
their deaths, attended the investigation.
The Coroner, upon interrogating the officers a
to whether any identification had taken place, was
informed that although the bodies had remained
exposed at the Waltham Cemetery, no person had
as yet come forward to identify the deceased.
Mr. Inspector Thompson handed in a description
of the deceased, which had been sent round to the
various police stations. The notice described the
woman as stout•built, with dark hair, and about
25 years of age, while the child, a male, was about
four months old. The latter was neatly and re-
spectably clad, while the woman's attire betokened
that of a person in a humble station of life.
Owing to the painful mystery hanging over the
matter, it was thought necessary to have the pond
emptied in which the bodies were found, in order
to see if any bludgeon had been thrown in, or if
there were any stump* at the .bottom that could
account for certain severe injuries about the female's
head. This operation was commenced on Saturday,
and was proceeding with to-day, a large body of
men being enpa[zed at the work, in the hope that
the pond might have been emptied in time for the
Court to receive evidence in the matter, as to any
discovery that might be made ; but the pond is a
large and deep one, covering about a quarter of an
acre, and between seven or eight feet deep in some
parts, so that it will take some time to draw and
pump the water off. The clearing of the pond and
an examination of the bottom is rendered essen-
tially necessary, owing to the turn the medical
evidence has taken, which distinctly proves that
the child met his death by violence prior to
immersion.
The principal witness examined was Mr, Joseph
Clegg, surgeon, of Epping, who deposed as to the
result of the post-mortem examination he had made
of both deceased, and stated that he had found
marks of blows on the person of each. As regarded
the child, his opinion was that its death was attribu-
table to a blow on the head. The woman had died
from suffocation in the water, but there was a blow
on the forehead which he could not say had been
inflicted before or after immersion.
The inquiry was again adjourned.

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