The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-16 00:00:00

DECEMBER 16, 1857

Smithers were wilfully murdered by the administration
of poison by William Holton Smithers, and that William
Holton Smithers afterwards committed self-destruction
while suffering under temporary mental derangement.

SUPPOSED MURDER AT MIDDLETON,

NOR FOLK.

Information was received yesterday from the Home-
office to the effect that a strict investigation should take
place into the circumstances attending the finding of a
human skeleton, supposed to be the remains of a gentle-
man named Bell, who was missed at Middleton eight
years ago, and has never since been heard of, and who
was supposed to have been foully murdered at that place.
It appears that this Mr. John Bell, at the time of his
disappearance, was living upon his private means, an I
had reached nearly 80 years. He had several relatives
who exerted themselves to the utmost to discover when
and under what circumstances his disappearance took
place. All, however, that could be elicited was that, on
the 13th Nov., 1849, the old gentleman was seen walk
ing near a bridge in the vicinity of a field called, in the
neighbourhood, the Four-mile-fit I I, on the London-road.
An inquiry was set on foot, and rewards were offered
from time to time till they increased to the sum of 1201.
Even that inducement failed to lead to any satisfactory
result. In addition every river in the neighbourhood for
some miles round was dragged, and every expedient that
the circumstances of the case suggested was adopted.
During these investigations a bat was found that was
supposed to belong to the missing gentleman ; and a
canvas purse and a large knife were also found in a drain
n ar Middleton. The purse, which was quite empty, was
identified by his niece as the property of the missing
real. The search continued for some months, but no
further clue of any kind being obtained it gradually
cooled, and eventually ceased altogether. A few days
ago a human skeleton was accidentally dug up. Toe
site of the discovery is a small triangular shaped piece of
land adjoining Town-lane, leading from the Norwich
turnpike road. The ground was formerly part of the
property of a Mr. Wythes, who some years ago sold it
to Mr. Richard Cleavers. It remained in his possession
some time, and about 18 months ago he sold it to a
Mr. John Wicks, in whose possession it was at the time
of the discovery. In the course of last week Mr.
Wicks ordered some of his labourers to plough this
field ; and while one of the men (Burton) was digging
down about 15 inches below the surface his spade came
in contact with some bones. He proceeded to clear the
earth away, and more became visible, until what ap-
peared to be a whole ekeleton was exposed to view. The
position in which the skeleton was found was peculiar.
It was lying on the back, but the head and legs were
raised rather above the trunk, and one leg was et, seed
over the other near the ancle. It appeared that the body
had been thrust into a hole not sufficiently long to allow
of its lying at full length Upon or near the chest was
found a piece of corroued steel, incrusted with dirt, and
bearing an exact resemblance to an ordinary razor blade.
In fact, from subsequent investigation there is no doubt
that such is the case. The labourers, being ignorant or
careless, did not attach much importance to the disco-
very, and began to re-cover the bones with soil. The
rumour, hOwever, soon spread, and their master, accom-
panied by the Rev. Canpn Kersley, the rector of the
parish, went to the spot and stopped their further pro-
ceedings. The bones were exhumed in the most careful
manner, and decently conveyed to the parish church.
Two medical men, Messrs. Kendall and Coulcher, were
then celled in, and made a minute examination of them,
and they gave it as their opinion that it was the skeleton
of a man who had been buried for some years. The skull
was broken in several pieces, the jaw was fractured ; but
a good set of teeth remained. Supposition immediately
became rife in the neighbourhood that the remains were
those of old Mr. John Bell. or those of some other man
who had been murdered in a mysterious manner, and
whose body had been hastily interred. Information was
conveyed to Mr. Wilkin, the coroner of the district, who
came down, and in the presence of the medical men
and other' viewed the remain. He then summoned a
jury, who have since met, and after a view the coroner
informed them that, as the case was so mysterious, they
could not at present come to any decision, that he
should adjourn the inquiry, and lay the facts of the case
before Sir G. Grey, the Home Secretary, and request the
advice and assistance of the Government upon the sub-
ject. In the meantime the most energetic inqoiries
would be made by the police, and he hoped else next
time they met be should he in a position to lay such evi-
dence before them as would enable them to arrive 'at a
satisfactory solution of this mystery. The jury assented
to this course, and the inquiry was adjourned.

HEALTH OP LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

(From the Report of the Registrar General)

The public health of the metropolitan districts
appears to be returning to a more satisfactory state.
In the previous week the deaths re2istered were
1,428 ; in the week that ended on Saturday (Dec.
12) they fell to 1,240. In the ten years;lBl7-56 the
average number of deaths in the weeks correspond-
ing with last week was 1,297. But, as population
has increased, it is necessary for comparison that
the average should be raised proportionally to the
increase, in which else it will b.7coine 1,427. Tn
consequence of the unnsual prevalence of influenza
in the second week of Dec., 1817, the deaths from
all c,.uses rose to 2,416 ; and if the average is cor-
rected with reference to this circumstance, it will
be found that the rate of mortality now prevailing
differs not much from that which may be expected
at this season when no epidemic is pre,eut.

The births of last week excaed the deaths in the
same period by 563.
The deaths caused by diseases of the respiratory
organs, which in the preceding week were 415, de-
clined last week to 336, which is still, however, a
rather high mortality. Fatal cases of bronchitis
declined in the two weeks from 242 to 185 ; those
of pneumonia were 129 and 119 ; those of asthma
20 and 17. The deaths from phthisis (or consump-
tion) which in the previous week ware 168, were last
week only 114. Influenza was probably more fatal
than the tables indicate ; for the cases returned
under the specific desimatiou in the two weeks
were respectively only 22 and 19.
Scarlatina is at present more fatal than any other
dise Ise in the zymotic class ; it was fatal last week
in 55 cases ; 4 of these oceurrel is the sub-district
of Lambeth church (first part). 36 children died of
measles, and 14 of those in the east district's. Of 47
deaths from whooping-cough, the greatest num-
ber (15) occurred in the north districts, and so many
as 5 of these in the Regent's-park subdistrict,
while only 5 occurred in the south districts. A
man died of cholera in Lambeth, after 4 days'ill-
ness. Two deaths are recorded as the result of in-
sufficient nourishment, while three persons were
the victims of intemperance. seven persons had
attained the age of 90 years or upwards ; one of
those was a man ; the rest were widows, three. of
whom had reached the ago of 94.
Last week the births of 961 boys and 842 girls—
in all 1,803 children—were registered in London.
In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1847-56
the average number was 1,507.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenw'ch, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30.369 in.
The mean daily barometrical re &ding was above 29
on Saturday, the sth inst., and continued above
that point during the whole of last week. The
highest reading was 30.57 in. at the end of the
week. The mean temperature of the week was 45
deg., which is 4.5 deg. ab ve the average of the
same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr.
Glaisher). On Monday the excess of mean tempe-
rature above the average was so great as 10.2 deg.
The highest temperature was 55.3 deg. on Sunday,
the 6th ; the lowest was 35 '3 deg., and occurred en
Tuesday. The mean daily range of the . week was
10'8 deg. On Saturday the range was only 5.6
deg. The mean dew point temperature was 43'3
deg., and the difference between this and the moan
air temperature was 1.7 deg. The mean tempera-
ture of the water of the Thames was 45 9 deg. The
mean degree of humidity of the air was 93, com-
plete saturation being represented by 100. A dense
fog prevailed on Tuesday. The mean temperature
of the air on that day was 417 deg.; that of the
Thames considerab'y higher—viz., 46.2 deg. The
i wind was n the south-west throughout the week.
There was no rain.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED
I' THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DEC. 12
Zymotie Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases . . 162
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Biood•vessels 46
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration 336
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ......
Diseases of the Skin, &c. 1
Malformations , "" 4
Premature Birth and Debility 34
Atrophy
Old Age
fgludden . 21
Violence, Privation, Cold, and intemperance 4O
Causes not specified

DEATHS mom ALL CA113E3
Population Deaths in corm- Deaths
Enumerated. sponding week in the
1851. of 1856. Week.
West Districts
North Districts 490,396
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts 616,635

-- - -----
Totals
Males
Females 617
BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.
_ _ _

Males
Females..

061
842

Total 0011 0-04. 0.1 ••• ••• 1,803