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

THE WATERLOO BRIDGE MYSTERY

EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION.

. .
The Waterloo Bridge mystery, 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 police, it is not regarded with any degree of
great interest by that body. Of two things there is not the
slightest doubt—lst. That a woman has made a confession,
and 2nd. That she points out a person, by whom, she
alleges, she was employed. As nearly as can be gathered,
the following are the miry reliable circutnstances :—For
some years past an old Irish woman has sold fruit in and
about Plaistow and the neighbourhood of the Barking-
road. Latterly she had a fruit stall on the Iron-bridge,
crossing the Creek, and still more lately, in consequence of
a hail with the toll-keeper? she had one at the foot of the
Barking-road Railway Station Bridge. This woman was
known as " Oldßiddy," and it is by her and through her
that the Waterloo Bridge Mystery has been revived. A
day or two since she Ni-as taken seriously ill, and a person
witA employed to nurse her at her house, in the Lower
Marsh, Plaistow; OU Saturday she became very much
worse and 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
th.e*room. This she did ; bdt actuated by womanly curiosity
applied her ear to the key-hole, and was there caught by
the Holy Father. However, she heard sufficient to warrant
her.in applying to the police, and two constables visited
" Old Biddy." This woman says, that upon the night of
the' "mysterious occurredco," she was employed by two
men to carry the carpet-bag, which she describes minutely,
and she herself launchod.it from Waterloo-bridge, and re-
ceived for doing so two sovereigns. She even mentions the
names of these men, and says that one is since dead. As
in ' the present stage of The affair it would be extremely
injudicious to give them, base names are withheld, though
known to our informant. . 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 the person
accused should be faced with, the accuser. One fact may
be added, that this " Old Biddy" is not unlike the vague
description given of the bridge visitor by the toll-keeper--
she having a mole (peculiar) on her face, and generally
answering the description. She has been visited by two
physicians.

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

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-(TIIIS DA Y. )

• • MARLE ORO U(4II,.STREE T.
"DRAW IT MILD."—AN "frNDESIRADLE LODGER:—
Paddy Mullings, a . dissipated Irish farrier, who, prior to
the. case being called, kept bobbing his rough- looking head
in and out of the door of the court, creating thereby some
amusement, and who, on the complainant getting into the
witness-box requested him to " draw it mild," was charged
with being drunk and setting fire to the chimney of the
house, 10, Great St. Andrew!s-street.
Mr. Benjamin Booth, the accused's landlord, said his
worship might remember that on the previous day he ap-
plied to him for a summons against the prisoner for an
assault, and for threatening to set the house on fire. In the
course of the afternoon, perceiving that a large quantity of
smoke was proceeding from 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 across
the grate—the wood blazing away, and the chimney on fire,
and on the sweeps arriving, the prisoner refused to allow
them to put the fire out.
The prisoner, who even now seemed scarcely recovered,
said he was flying a red herring and the fat got on fire.
(Laughter )
The landlord said all he wished was to get rid of him.
The prisoner having undertaken to leave the house at
once was discharged.

THAMES.
CHEATING A RECRUITING SERGEANT.—John Mountjoy
was brought before Mr. Yardley charged with deserting
her Majesty's service after he had twice received the enlist-
ment shilling.
Edward Dillon, a recruiting sergeant, stated that he en-
listed the prisoner for the 50th Foot on the 31st of March,
and ho ought to have passed Ihe doctor of the regiment
within four days. On the 13th inst. he enlisted the pri-
soner again, and he had never joined the regiment.
Mr. Yardley—Did you give him a shilling on each occa-
tion

Dillon—l did, sir.
Mr. Yardley—How came you to enlist him twice?
The recruiting sergeant said ho could not tell. It was
some mistake.

The prisoner—l will tell you the reason, sir. We were
both drunk, and he did not know me. I have only had 2s.
of him.

Mr. Yardley said he had never heard of so strange a
proceeding as a recruiting sergeant enlisting one man twice
in the course of three weeks. He committed the prisoner
to the House of Correction, and directed Mr. Bowdler, the
chief clerk, to furnish the War-office with a descriptive re-
turn of the prisoner.

THIS DAYS MARKETS.

HAY MARKETS.

SMITRFIELD.O-111eadOW hay, £2 158 to £4 108 ; clover,
do., £4 Os to £5 Os; and straw, £1 4s to £lBs per load.
Trade rather dull.

CUMBERLAND. —Meadow hay, £2 158 to £4 128; clover
do., £4 Os to £5 5s ; and straw, £1 4s to £1 8s per lead.
A Glow inquiry.
WurrncnArEL.—Meadow hay, £2 103 to £4los ; clover
do., £4 Os to £5 ss; and straw, £1 4s to £1 8s per load.
A heady demand.