The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-26 00:00:00

TILE:737A TE

'E MYSTERY

• EXTI i.AOEDINARY CONFESSION.
_ The Waterloo 'Bridge rnys:ery, which so long ago died
a natural death; has been reinstated in Plaistow amid the
greatest. excitement ; but, although the matter is in the
hands of the pol ice, it is not regarded with any degree of
great interest by 'that body. Of two things there is not the
slightest doubt:L. Ist. That a woman has made a confession,
and 2nct.: That, he points out a person, by whom, she
alleges, she was sir tployed.. As nearly as can be gathered,
the following are • the only reliable circumstances :—For
some years past nn old Irish woman has sold fruit in and
about Plaistow' 'and'. the neighbourhood •of the Barking-
ioad. Latterly she rtad a fruit stall on the Iron-bridge,
crossing. the-Creek, az td still more lately, -in consequence of
a hail with the toll-k eeper, she had one at the foot of the
Barking-road Railw: Ly Station Bridge. This woman was
known ae " Old Bidd:)r," and it is by her: and through her
that the, Waterloo B. ridge Mystery has. been. revived. A
day or two since she vas taken seriously ill, and a person
was employed •to nulrse her at her house, in the Lower
Mardi, Plaistow. On Saturday she 'became* very much
worse azid said she could not rest until she had
made a. confession. A priest was sent for and
Upon-- his arrival the nurse was desired to quit
the room.• This she did ; but actuated by 'womanly curiosity
Applied her ear to the key-hole, and was there caught by
the Holi ather. However, she heard sufficient to warrant
her itt applying to the police, and' two. constables visited
" Old Biddy." This woman says, that upon the night of
the "mysterious occurrence," she was employed by two
men to cry the' carpet bag, which She describes minutely;
and she herself launched it from Waterloo-bridge, and re-
ceived for.doing so twa sovereigns. She even mentions tho
riamerrof -these men, and says that marls since dead. AS
in the present' stage of the affair it would be extremely
ipjudicioys to give them, these names are withheld, though
known te.our in:fermant. The strangest part of the affair
is that the woman is a very ignorant and uneducated per-
Son, and• it is deeMed extremely singular that she should
have hit upon this subject. The general opinion is that the
matter should be strictly investigated, and that tlie person
accused should .be faced with the accuser. One fact may
bre addedrthat this " Old Biddy" is not unlike the vague
description given•of the bridge visitor by the toll-keeper—
she haviiii; a mole (peculiar) on_ her
_Aye, ancj generally
ailoworing.tho dpcorip4ioa. Sl o hnA 1.1e6s vioi4oci
physicians.

The police are•engaged making inquiries this morning,,
and it is mooted that the Waterloo-bridge torl:kaeper will
be taken to see a Old Biddy."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-(TRIS .DAY.

' • MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
"I:l)Aiir. IT MILD."—AN UNDESIVABLE .LODGEII.--
Paddy M.tillings, a dissipated Irish farrier, who, prior to
the case being called, kept bobbing his rough-looking head
in and rout• of the'doer of the court, creating thereby some
amuseinent, and who, on the complainant getting into the
witness-bcbt requested "him to " draw it 1541 d," was charged
with being :drunK and setting fire to the chimney of the
house, -10, great St. Andrew's-street. , ,

Mr. -Beajamin—Booth, the accused's landlord, said his
worship might retnezeber that on the previous day he ap-
plied to him foi'a summons against the prisoner for an
assault, ari4 for 4i,reatening to set.the house on fire. In the
course of theafternoon, perceiving that adarge quantity of
smoke was proceeding frpm the prisoner's chimney and
filling the street, he `went to his' room and there found him
sitting in a.drunken State with a large pile of wood" ross
the grate-..the wood blazing away,. and the. chironeyon fire,
anti on .sweeps arriving, the prison} ref Used to allow
them to put theifire out.
The prisoner, who even now seemed scarcely recovered,
said he was frying a red herring and the fat got on fire.
;(Lkughter.)
The landlord said all he wished was to get rid of him.
The prisoner having undertaken to leave the house at-
once was discharged.
, .