The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-26 00:00:00

THE LATE FATAL ENCOUNTE.R IN
NORTHUIMBERLAIVD-STREET.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.
• (Continued from The Sun of yesterday.)
On the reassembling of the jury some letters addressed by
Mrs. Murray to the deceased were read. They were
couched in affectionate terms, and frequently adverted to
the happy days they had spent together. Letters of a simi-
lar character from Roberts to Mrs. Murray were read, in
which he spoke of his "absurd folly," and which also con-
tained expressions of love for her.
Mr. Painter, surgeon, of Brydges-street, said—l have re-
ceived a razor, a shirt, one towel, and two pairs of socks,
with marks upon them. The marks on the wearing appa-
rel are blood. The dark brown substance on the razor had
the appearance of blood. I took portions of it and placed
them on slides of glass in various' solutions, and
examined them under the microscope this morn-
ing. No evidence of blood globules was discern-
ible. It was a substance on the razor not soluble in
water. Professor Taylor also agrees with me that the marks
on the razor were not those of blood.
Mrs. Murray (recalled)—The letter placed in my hand I
should think was written about two years and a half ago.
I had known Mr. Roberts at that time for 12 months.
About 10 months after he made the dishonourable proposal
to me. The letter was written from St. John's-wood, and
transmitted to Roberts through the post. He always ap-
peared to mistrust me. By that I mean that he always ap-
peared mistrustful ; that in the event of my wanting any
recreation I should prefer asking others to asking him.
The expressions of love in the letter were mere
craft. He had sent presents to the child, and I was
obliged to accept them through fear, though I would
much rather have refused them. Roberts had often said to
me, "If you would only say dear' to me I should be
satisfied ; for you are so cold to me, whilst you speak kindly
and warmly to others," For this reason I did write
" dear," but I was in debt to him, and I was in fear of his
exposing the circumstance that I had borrowed money of
him. Ido not disguise the fact that I wrote the tender ex-
pressions in the letter to please him. I never cared for him
at all. I was actually afraid of him.
By Mr. Humphreys—l was always in fear of Roberts, as
he was constantly asking me to go off with him.
The jury then proceeded to one of the upper wards of the
institution, when
Major Murray was examined.
On the oath being tendered him, he repeated audibly
"So help me God." He said—l live at 33, Holles-street,
and at Tottenham. I have sold out of the army. I was a
Major in the 10th Hussars. I know a little of what has
passed about this matter.
The Coroner having explained to Major. Murray his
position,
The Major replied that he understood his position, and
he had nothing to keep or disguise. On Friday morn-
ing, the 12th, 1 left London-bridge by the pennyjoat
for Hungerford. I left London-bridge about half-past
eleven; as I was going down the righthand side of the mar-
ket a man came up to me from behind on my left hand side
and said, I believe lam speaking to Major Murray. I said
yes, that is my name, and he then said I believe you are a
director of the Grosvenor Hotel Company. I said yes, and
pray who are you ? He said his name was Grey. I never
saw the man before. I asked him how he knew me, and
he said from seeing me at the public meetings of the com-
pany. I asked him if he was a shareholder. He said no;
but he had a client who had a large sum of money to lend,
and :as he understood the company wanted money, his
client was anxious to get the investment. I said I have no
power in the matter, as lam only one of 10. But if you
give me your name and address, I'm going to the offices
this morning, and I will there mention what you wish. He
said that would do, but he would feel greatly obliged if I
would go to his office for a minute, as he had 'a few
other questions to put. I asked him where his
office was, and he said close round the corner. I then re-
peated to him that I was but one of ten, and that any ques-
tion I answered I did so without implying any responsi-
bility on the company. He said he understood that
perfectly, but he would like to get an insight into what we
required. He then said, there's one thing I wish to ask
you at once, and that is, do the directors give any person
security in addition to the security of the building ? I said
—Decidedly not. Beyond our individual stakes in the
concern we give no security ; mine is a heavy one. He
said—l know you are ono of the largest shareholders in
the company. I told him there were several gentlemen had
as much as I had in shares, but I believed 1 was
correct in saying lam one of the largest shareholders. By
this time we had got to his office or house, and he asked
me to walk up, and showed me into a back room, and
pointing to a chair told me to be seated. I had never been
in that house before. I took a seat, and he then said,
" Would you excuse me one moment," and left the room.
I sat in front of the table facing the window, with my back
nearly to the folding doors, which were shut. When he
left the room I took a look, and thought it appeared to be
the most extraordinary place I had ever seen. Torn up
paper broken bottles, and other things, lying about in all
directions. He then came in and took a seat in front of
me, and took a pen in his hand and said, I should be glad
to know what interest you would give. I said I was not in
a position to say ; I would hear what his client would
take. He said—Oh, then the offer is to come from us. I
said, certainly not, for under any circumstances we should
not give more than 5 per cent. He said that would do very
well; and I then asked him for his card of address. He
said, immediately. He got up, went to a square sort of desk,
and began rummaging about the papers. I thought he was
looking for his card-case and took no notice of what he was
doing. Presently I felt a slight touch on the head, a report
of a pistol, and fell off the chair on to the floor. I felt per-
fectly paralysed. I could not move my hands or feet—my
head alone was perfectly clear. When he fired the pistol
I think heleft the room, but can't be certain of that. After
a little I felt returning life in my left arm. I was just
rising myself up on my arm when I heard a door open, and
he came in. He walked up behind me, fired a pistol into
my right temple, and I dropped back oil the carpet, and
blood came out in a regular torrent. He knelt down over
me, for I could feel his breath, and watched to see if I was
dead. I pretended to be so. I felt life comina• back, and I
felt a tingling all over my body. I knew if ecould get on
my feet I should be able to make a fight for it. After
he knelt behind me fur a short time ha got up and
walked away. I then opened my eyes and looked, and saw
a pair of tongs a few inches from my hand. Feeling that
my strength had returned to me, and that there was the
whole length of the room between us, I seiz-d the tongs
and sprung to my feet. He was then standing at the win-
dow. Hearing me get up, he turned round and faced me.
I riLled at him, and made a blow at him, which did not
take effect. I seized the tongs by the middle, and made a
dash into his chest and face, and knocked him over on his
back. As soon as he was on his back I got upon his chest
and tried to smash his head with the tongs, but he got hold
of them with both hands. I struggled for some time, but
finding he was as strong as I was I could not do it, so I
looked round to see if there was anything shorter I could
hit him with. Close to my right I saw a large black bottle,
which I took in my right hend, and seeing that he had
hold of the tongs, I hit him with the bottle sight in the
middle of the forehead, which broke the bottle all to pieces.
That made him quiver all over, but it was not sufficient, so
I got hold of a metal vase, which I threw at him but missed
him. Then, as there was nothing else at hand, I set to
work to get the mastery of the tongs, 'which he was hold-
ing all this time. He was lying on his back close under the
window. After several strong wrenches and a good struggle
I got the tongs. As I got them I fell back, but was on my
legs in an instant again. By that time he was rising into
a sitting position, which gave me a fair, full blow at his
head with the tongs, which I gave him with all my might
and main. I repeated it three or four times. He had his head
down to avoid the blow, and I then struck him across the back.
In order to disable his hands I hit over the wrists. _ I then

thought he was disabled, and tried to get out, but I found
the door locked. I was coming through the folding doors

when I met him coming towards me. hstepped back to get
the full swing of the tongs, and I struck him a blow on the
head, and he fell forward as if he was dead. He lay between
the two rooms. I took up his feet, and pushed them into
the front room, shut the door, and went to the window,
where I saw two men, whom I told I was being murdered
and asked to come to my assistance. I had one leg out on
the widow sill. They called out they would come if I
opened the door. At first I was inclined to do so, but
then I thought that for men who had heard pistol shots,
and to take no notice, they might be in league with the
murderer, so I did not choose to trust them. As I heard
them coming up I looked through the window to see my
best means of escape. I first tried to get down a square
wooden pipe, but found I had not strength to do so. I
then hung en the window silPwith my hands, put my feet
on the window frame beloiv, and took my measure
for a spring upon two wicker baskets below. I
succeeded in getting on to them and clambered over
the wall of the next house, went through the passage and
got into the street. I saw a policeman standing on the op-
posite side of the street, and told him to go in and take
charge of a man who had been attempting to murder
me, but he said that he could not. He said he
was watching the house, but would send for assist-
ance. A gentleman then came up, and he told
me I was badly wounded, and that I had better get surgical
aid. I was taken to a chemist's shop in Hungerford-market,
and from there I came here. No angry words passed be-
•
tween us before the encounter. I have not the wildest
notion as to what could have been his motive.,
I 'lever had a conversation with the man, good, bad,
or indifferent. I did not know there was such a man in
existence.
By Mr. Humphreys—lt was an ordinary kind of chair.
I don't recollect anyone taking hold of my coat. I don't
think I lost much blood from my wounds. I think what
I did lose brought life back to me. I recollect in the early
part of this year receiving an anonymous letter. I burnt
it. I showed it to a gentleman named Thomas. It reflected
on the character of another man, and offered to give me in-
formation. As it was anonymous I put it in the fire. I
think it wanted me to meet the writer near some archway
about Spring-gardens. The person mentioned was one of
the directors of the Grosvenor Hotel Company. I received
the letter at the Army and Navy Club.
By Mr. Sleigh—l never saw Mr. Roberts at the Grosve-
nor Hotel. I never heard or knew anything about Roberts
before his decease. What I have heard about this matter
has been communicated to me by my friends. The con-
versation was carried on while I stood, the remainder took
place as we were going to the house. I
berlandid not hesi-
tate to accompany Roberts. Northumd-street
is a very respectable ' street and I did not dream
of an attempt on my
life at l 2 o'clock in the
day. The only question he asked me while we were at the
table was about the interest for the loan. I did not scream
out when I was shot. I never tried my voice ; and when
you, sir, have to fight for your life I advise you to
fight in silence, and not to lose your power in talking.
It is the first time that I ever was engaged in such a
murderous encounter. When I threw the metal vase at
him, Roberts said—" That won't do Master William."
When I hit him with the tongs he said—" Give me fair
play." The first actual blow I gave him was from the
bottle. I pushed him down, if you call that striking,
while he had hold of the tongs. The tongs were broken
by the blows I dealt Roberts. During the encounter I made no
alarm, and all he said was, Give me fair play. Mrs.
Murray knew the fact that the company wished to raise a
loan. I only used one bottle in the struggle.
By Mr. Humphreys—l had had conversation with Mrs.
Murray about the Hotel Company. I used to talk to her
about the business when I got home. I used to make ob-
servations as to how our loan was getting on, whether
favourable or otherwise.
Mr. Humphreys—Then what you did was simply to pre-
serve your own life ?
reserve my lie.
Major Murray—What I did I did to pasf
of
If I had not got the better of him I w a ea man or
certain. I felt my only hope was in. getting the better

him.
Mr. J. T. Dark—l am secretary of the Grosvenor Hotel
Company. Major Murray is one of the directors, of which
there are 10. I never saw the deceased present at any of
our meetings. Major Murray had no power of negotiating
a loan. No director has any power to do so.
By Mr. Sleigh--I never saw the deceased before. I saw
him when the jury viewed his body, but I am confident
Reb3rts was never present at a board meeting. No one but
the directors were present on those occasions.
Reinagpudley—l am A WediC.4 student at tlwhopital,