The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-10 00:00:00

SUICIDE AND MURDER.

A most melancholy event has just happened in
Leigh. The following are the brief particulars
hastily collected together. On Tuesday morning, a
young female, named Elizabeth Eaton, committed the
double crime of murder and suicide by leaping into
the Leigh and Wigan Canal with her child. The.
spot she selected for her purpose is close to the Leigh-
bridge, crossing the canal, near the centre of the town,
and it is a matter of surprise that she should have
accomplished the deed without detection, as it is sup-
posed that she must have jumped into the water
about five o'clock, an hour when many operatives
are beginning to proceed to their employment. A
youth in the emlpoyment of Messrs. Farnworth,
named Peter Speakman, was plssing the spot about
twenty minutes pas six, and saw something dark
floating on the 'water, which he mistook for the
body of a man. He went and awakened Mr.
Richard lliggins, at the Bridgewater Canal office,
who got up and fetched a shaft, and with the assist-
ance of Richard Wilkinson, pulled the body of the
unfortunate woman on the banks of the canal. Im-
mediate information was given to the police, and they
removed the body to the house of Mr. Thos. Green-
ough, Boat-house, where it was shortly afterwards
identified by the woman with whom the deceased
lodged at Thospe's Houses, near the 'Wesleyan Cha-
pel, and the body was conveyed to her lodgings. It
was then discovered that the child was missing, and a
search was commenced for the body in the canal,
where it was found in the course of half an hour by
a man named James Duke. The woman was only
partially dressed, and her child was in its night
clothes. The child was an illegitimate one, and was
about three or four months old. Its maintenance had
much embarrassed the mother, although she had re-
cently affiliated the child upon its putative father.
The woman was a silk weaver, in the employment of
Messrs. Walker. An inquest has been held on the
bodies, when the jury returned a verdict of " Found
drowned."

ANOTHER CHARGE AGAINST DENHAM,
WHO IS IN CUSTODY FOR THE ATTACK
OZ MR. CURE TON.
When Henry Denham was removed from the dock
at the Mansion-house yesterday, after being re-
mended by Mr. Alderman Gibbs on the charge of
being concerned in the recent attack on Mr. Cure-
ton, he was 'taken down to the cell upon the ground
floor, which he had scarcely reached, when Haydon
informed the Alderman that there was a gentleman
in the courewho had, upon looking at the prisoner, at
once identified him as one of a gang• who had endea-
voured to choke him with an instrument exactly like
that which was exibited in the justice-room on the last
day's examination.
Alderman Gibbs immediately directed that the pri-
soner should be again put to the bar, and that the
new complainant should enter the witness-box ; and
the Alderman narrowly observed the countenance of
the prisoner when informed that there was another
accusation against him. •
A gentleman, who appeared to be in great agitation,
then presented himself, and, after a glass of cold water '
was administered to him, said—My name is Thomas
Miller, and I am an artist's colourman, and paint '
manufacturer, at No. 56, Long-acre. It is now
rather more than a month ego, to the best of my re-
collection, since an attempt was made to rob me. One
Friday evening I returned towards my house from
Chelsea along the King's-road. I arrived at St. James's
Park as the clock struck 12. I then made the best of
my way from the park to Long-acre, where I have
resided forty years, and as I was passing by Rose-
street, the entrance to which is a sort of covered way,
I was seized by three or four men. I saw an instru-
ment in the Bow-lane station-house having a life-
preserver at the top. It represented a walking stick,
and appeared to be made of gut, or something of a
pliable description, and with just such•an instrument I
was caught round the throat.
Alderman Gibbs—Did one of the men of the corner
of Rose-street put the instrument round your neck ?
Witness—Certainly; and the compression was so
great that a person under its operation would feel as
if throttled immediately.
Aldeman Gibbs—Do not say what would be the
probable effect of the application of the instrument
upon another person. Let us know merely what its
effect was upon you.
Witness—l had a sense of suffocation immediately,
and I was thrown with violence upon the kerb-stone.
Otne of my teeth was broken, and my chin was se-
riously injured at the same time.
Alderman Gibbs—Look at the prisoner at the bar,
and say whether you know anything about him.
Witness—l have no hesitation in saying that the
prisoner is one of those who attacked me. I have a
recollection of the face from the strong reflection from
the gasiamp upon it. My recollection was so strong
that the moment I looked at him at the bar I was
almost ready to sink.
The prisoner--Oh Lord ! oh Lord ! how wicked !
Alderman Gibbs—Do you apprehend that be was
the man who put the instrument round your neck ?
Witness—l do.
Alderman Gibbs—Did you lose any property ?
Witness—No. My pockets were tightly buttoned
up. I struggled and struck one of my assailants,
and I think I must have marked his face with my
knuckles.
Alderman Gibbs—How many were at you, to the
best of your belief? "Witness—l believe there were
three at me, and that one was on the look-out. When
I was assaulted it was a quarter-past twelve to a
moment.
The prisoner—Oh it's a cruel thing—a most cruel
thing. No sooner does one charge fail than another
`Nicked charge is brought on. Oh, I was not out of
my bed at the time he speaks of. I was seriously ill
at the time, and I can prove it.
'%Vitness—l wish to see the prisoner with his hat on
his head.
The prisoner put on his hat.
Witness (having looked stedfastly at the prisoner)—
I cannot alter my opinion as to his identity.
The prisoner—lt was only a few moments ago I
had my solicitor here. Why was not this charge
brought forward in his presence? Oh, you may as
well hang a dog as give him a bad name. I know
nothing at all about these wicked charges.
Alderman Gibbs—The absence of your solicitor
will not affect you at all. You stand remanded until
the time I mentioned.

FIRE-DAMP EXPLOSION.—On Saturday last the
men engaged at the Cood Poeth Coal Pits went down to
their work as usual, and becoming conscious of the pre-
sence of fire-damp they immediately endeavoured to effect
their escape; before this could be accomplished an explosion
took place. Three men were killed, and two others are in
hopeless state.
On Thursday morning last the first down train to
Chester ran through the gates on the crossing at Whitting-
ton station (on the Shrewsbury and Chester line) ard
smashed them. The signal lamp had gone out. The porter
at the station was just coming through the cottage-door at
the-time of the smash. No one was hurt.