The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-11 00:00:00

THE TRAGICAL OCCURRENCE AT
BALL'S POND.

Yesterday Mr. Wakley, Coroner for the western
division of Middlesex, held an inquest on the bodies
of John Clement Carvell, aged 34, and Elizabeth
Freshfield, aged 30, whose deaths took place under
the most frightfully tragical and distressing cir-
cumstances, at No. 65, Mildmay-terrace, early on
the morning of Sunday last.
It was understood that the deceased parties
were somewhat highly connected, a circumstance
which probably induced the attempts made not
only to conceal their own proper names, but also
those of their relations, thus adding to the diffi-
culty of obtaining information in reference to the
shocking affair.

The jury having been sworn, the coroner in-
quired if any of the relatives were present to iden-
tify the bodies, whereupon a gentleman, whose
name did not transpire, said that he knew the de-
ceased persons, but that none of the deceased's
friends were present. He was direeted to view the
bodies, and quitted the room with Tubbs, the beadle,
who returned in a few minutes, saying that the
gentleman had refused to see the bodies, and had
off in an omnibus.

In the absence of other evidence, Mr. Morgan,
undertaker, of Liverpool-road, was examined, and
said he received instructions on Sunday to furnish
the coffins for the deceased parties, and last night
he received further orders for the interment of the
lady. lie received them, and was to be paid by the
gentleman who had just stated that he was ac-
quainted with the deceased.

Coroner—What were the names of the deceased
given to you ?
Witness said he had simply received a card which
he had given to the summoning officer. The party
refused to give him any name whatever, and he
had been unable to get them.
Tubbs said that he had been also unable to obtain
any information as to the names or addresses of any
of the relations.
The gentleman referred to returned, accompanied
by the brother of the deceased lady, at a subse-
quent part of the proceedings.
Nathaniel Pierce Hodson said he was landlord of

the house, 65, Mildmay-terrace, and a solicitor's
clerk. The deceased lady and gentleman had
lodged at his house since last Monday week, on
which day they engaged oue parlour and one bed-
room furnished. The gave their names as Mr.
and Mrs. Webster. They gave no reference, and
lived as man and wife. Did not know them by any
other name but since their death had found two
towels marked with the name of " Freshfield.”
Coroner—Has any person related to or acquainted
with the deceased called since this dreadful occur-
rence ?
Witness—The brother, I understand, of the gen-
tleman came and saw the deceased on Sunday
morning. He gave the deceased man's name as
Clement John Carnell. He gave no address but one
verbally to the police-sergeant who accompanied
him. Heard the address, and believed it to have
been Surrey place, Old Kent-road, or Surrey-ter-
race, New Kent-road.
The Sergeant here said it was 10, Sussex-terrace,
Lorrimore•road, Walworth.

Witness continued—Was called up by the male
deceased about 12 o'clock on Saturday night. He
came into the back kitchen and said, "For God's
sake, Mrs. Hodson, come upstairs, my wife is cry
bad." Witness's wife went up, and he followed
her. He (witness) at once saw the dreadful and
dying state the female was in, and said, " I shall
fetch Dr. Williamson," and, without being asked,
went for that gentleman, who at his urgent re-
quest immediately accompanied him back to his
house. When he saw her he asked who had been
attending, and witness's wife replied, she believed
that Dr. Medcalfe had been called in by Mr. Web-
ster about 11 o'clock on Saturday morning. Dr.
Williamson said he should like to see Dr. Medcalfe.
The male deceased said he would fetch Dr. Med-
calfe, and witness accompanied him to the door and
said to him, " Be quick," to which he replied " I
will." He came back in a few minutes, saying Dr.
Medcalfe would arrive presently. Dr. Medcalfe
shortly after arrived, and the two medical gentle-
men consulted together. The deceased female was
still breathing, but she died just before one o'clock.
The male deceased remained in the room up to the
time of the death, and when she was dead he thre w
his hands over his head and exclaimed, "My God,
my God !" Witness went up to him, and said " You
are guilty of this woman's death;" and his wife
also charged him with the same, upon which
he clasped his hands and beat his breast violently,
exclaiming incoherently that he knew nothing
about it. The male deceased then left the room,
went into the front parlour, and after pacing up
and down a few minutes, he deliberately went
down stairs, and through the back kitchen into the
garden. Witness then asked Dr. Williamson if he
would be justified in charging him, and he replied
" Yes." At that time the male deceased was how-
ling in the garden, making a dreadful noise, and
exclaiming, Oh, my God !" and " Oh, my wife !"
Witness went into the garden, and found deceased
running about the paths howling frantically. rie
said to him, "For God's sake come in, Mr. Web-
ster, and calm yourself;" to which he replied,
"Oh, no, I an cutting my throat," and put his
hand to his neck. Witness immediately seized his
hands, and shouted for help. With much strug-
gling he managed to remove his hands from his
throat, when the blood poured out in a continual
stream from a frightful wound. The deceased man,
however, continued crying, and seeing witness was
determined to keep his hand from his throat, he
suddenly threw witness with the strength of a
giant upon his head, a distance of two cr three
yards, and finding himself unable to cope with him,
witness ran into the house and exclaimed, " For
God's sake come down, he is cutting his throat,"
and Dr. Medcalfe and a police-officer arrived at the
spot, and found the deceased still alive, but he died
immediately after.
By the Coroner—l asked Dr. Williamson if I
was justified in giving the male deceased in charge,
because he believed that he had caused the fe-
male's death by attempting to effect abortion.
He had previously had his suspicions aroused,
which were strengthened by Mr. Webster telling
his wife, Mrs. Hodson, about eight o'clock on
Thursday morning, that his wife had miscar-
ried during the night. Mrs. Hodson said, " Why
did you not call me P" and he said, " Oh, dear, no,
it is nothing. My father was a medical man, and
I understand such matters." Witness on hearing
this, determined to speak to him, and at 11 o'clock
that night he spoke to him, telling him his suspi-
cions, which deceased vehemently denied, and
threatened him with proceedings. He, however,
retained his sugpicions so strongly that he went to
the police station. The officer on duty said he
could do nothing on those suspicions, unless he
(witness) charged him, and that he declined to do.
He said that be had thrown what came from his
wife down the water-closet.
A box of letters, in various hands, was here pro-
duced, said to belong to the deceased lady, bearing
the superscription—" Miss Freshfield, West-street,
Harwich."
The Coroner remarked that they could see at a
later stage of the proceedings if it was necessary to
read these letters.
Sergeant Crisp, 3 N, deposed to being called in
about one o'clock on Sunday morning. Found de-
ceased in the garden of first witness's house. Drs.
Williamson and Medcalfe were with him, *and he
died almost immediately. He found on him a
portemonnaie, containing a sovereign, two half-
sovereigns, a shilling, and an address, " Miss Fresh-
field, at Mr. CarnelPs, 10, Sussex-terrace, Lorri-
more-road, Walworth."
Dr. Williamson said, when called to see the de-
cerwed ]ady he found her in a state of, complete col-
lapse. She died in about half art hour,r in the pre-
sence of Dr. Medcalfe. From the way in which
the male deceased described the case he concluded"
he was a. medical man, but he did not say he was.
He said she had miscarried. Made
with D
Dr.
Medcalfe. a post-7nortem examination of the body.
on Monday afternoon. The immediate a use of
death was hemorrhage,which was occasionecdp partly
from miscarriage and laceration, which he believeda
to have bum canoed by instruments. No doubt
existed but that it was caused by a foreign body.
The instrumantg, might have been used by the
female herself, but the laceration being on the right
hand side, he could scarcely entertain that belief.
In a carpet bag in the room was found an ounce.
phial of chleroferin, half full, And four powders,