The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-06 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 6, 1845.

o'clock, he entered his house, and began to abuse
his wife, threatening to murder her. She ran out of
the tooth and auempted Lo j,
out of his way, when he turned round and kicked
her brutally in the lower part of the abdomen. The
poor woman immediately fell down, insensible, and
her assailant absconded. The eldest of the poor chil-
dren, a girl about nine years of age, finding her
mother speechless and deluged in blood, called in the
wife of the postman, living next door, who imme-
diately obtained the assistance of some of her
neighbours, and conveyed her up stairs. Mr.
Neill, the surgeon, of 150, Bermondsey-street,
was instantly in attendance. He found the
poor woman bleeding profusely from internal
hemorrhage, caused by a violent kick. She
had miscarried only a fortnight ago through her hus-
band's violent conduct towards her, and it was Mr.
Neill's opinion the present injury, coupled with the
former, would cause her death. Late in the after-
noon the accused, Thomas Hines, was brought before
the magistrate, who, after hearing evidence to the
above effect, addressed the prisoner, and informed
him that the charge at preent was merely a violent
assault on his si ife, but he was sorry to say that it
was almost certain his wife's life would fall a sacri-
fice to his violence. He advised him to be silent in
the present stage of the inquiy, as it was his intention
to remand him until Wednesday. The prisoner,
seemed much agitated, was then remanded.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT SALT
PITLL. NTEAR WINT)QnR,

On Saturday die iuquebt ott the body of 6arati
Hart, who came by her death on the evening of Wed-
nesday last, under extraordinary circumstances, was
resumed at the place in which the previous inquest
was held. The excitement in the neighbourhood is
most intense, and is hourly increasing, owing to the
profound mystery in which the matter is enshrouded.
It is impossible to give any idea of the sensation
which the tragical occurrence has created. The
hour of adjournment was ten o'clock, but owing to
the non-arrival, by the early trains, of certain par-
ties interested in the examination, the proceedings
did nct commence until eleven o,clock.
The names of the jury having been called over, the
Coroner called the witnesses. The first was

Mr. Henry Montagu ChampneisLTS ;in— admitted
and practising surgeon in the neighbourhood. On
Wednesday evening, a few minutes before seven, was
eallAd to see the deceased. Did not know her name,
but knew her person. The female who called him
rang violently at his bell. When he opened the door
she said, " Will you come immediately to a woman
who has fallen clown at Bath-place ?" adding, she
was afraid she was dying. Witness went imme-
diately—indeed he ran—to the place, which was about
200 yards from his house. Found the woman, Sarah
Hart, lying on the .ur.d. She was lvii on her
back, with her clothes half way up. The I,.et stock-
ing was down, and torn. Deceased had no cap on,
but a cap was lying on the floor. Her eyes were
fixed. Felt her pulse, and thought he felt three
beats ; but not being continued, he thought he might
he mistaken. She moved her nether jaw slightly,
which he thought to be a dying effort. He then saw that
she was dead ; but to convince himself, he put his hand
to feel her heart, and found there was no pulsation.
Opened a vein, not with the idea of bringing her to
life, but to see her blood, with the view of ascertain-
ing the cause of her death. Saw the person now in
custody at the station shortly afterwards. Had no
conversation with him. Told Mr. Favell to convey
information to London by the telegraph. Then re-
turned to the house of the deceased. Ought to have
mentioned that he saw in the house a porter bottle
on the table, with a brown liquid, half full, in it, and
also a tumbler with a lighter liquid in it. Gave
orders to Mrs. Ashlee, whom he found in the house,
before he left it in the first instance, to take charge
of the bottle and the tumbler. His reason for this
was, that he thought some deleterious matter might
s• I,lon in the liquids. Took the articles himself
},i. r >taro, and had kept them since, until they
had been produced before the Coroner. On the
second day, externally examined the body by order
of the court. Did not find any external mark on
the person of the deceased. Made the examina-
tion in conjunction with Mr. Norblad, another me-
dical gentleman. Has been desired by the Coroner,
in conjunction with the same gentleman, to make a
post nzortern examination. When he applied his
lancet, on first seeing the deceased, there was nothing
unnatural in the appearance of the blood. At the
post mortem examination, he discoved nothing on dis-
secting the head, to account for the death of the de-
ceased. Found the heart, on opening it, perfectly
healthy. Examined the lungs, and, with the excep-
tion of an adhesion on the right lung, they were
healthy. The adhesion could not cause death.
Examined the abdominal viscera, and found it rather
fat, but generally healthy. Removed the stomach
and its contents for the purpose of chemical examina-
tion. The internal surface of the stomach had rather
more mucuous matter than usual. Then reported to
the Coroner that he and Mr. Norblad could come to
no satisfactory conclusion without analysing the con-
tents of the stomach. The .tesult of that exami-
nation was, that the contents of the stomach were
found to be generally acid. The contents of
the stomach were tested for four different poi-
sons. There was no oxalic acid nor sulphuric
acid, nor arsenic. The contents of the stomach were
then examined for prussic acid, and the result proved
that acid to be present. It may not have been prussic
acid by itself, but in conjunction with some salt
nearly allied to it. This experiment was tried twice,
the same result following in each case. Could not
say whether there was sufficient prussic acid to cause
death, but had every reason to believe there was.
Was of opinion it would cause death. The appear-
ance of the stomach would not assist him in coming
to the conclusion that death had been caused by
prussic acid. Neither could they detect the presence
of prussic acid by the smell. Did not think the
prussic acid was administered by itself, lot that it
was administered in a liquid, but could not say what
liquid. Could not tell the quantity of prussic acid
taken. Was of opinion that the quantity of prussic
acid found in the stomach would produce death
speedily, but did not know in what time. Was of
opinion that she died from the effects of this poison.
The liquids in the bottle and tumbler had not been
analysed, because there was not sufficiant time to do
it fully.
. .

By a juryman—We have not discovered what salt,
if any, was present in conjunction with the prussic
acid. The salts of prussic acid have not the same
pungent peculiar odour as prussic acid itself. The
salts of prussic acid would produce death, but he
could not say how quickly.
Cross-examined by Mr. Williams, counsel for the
prisoner—Was about three minutes at the railway
station before he saw the prisoner. Saw him get into
the carriage and go away. Did not pour out the
liquid in the bottle till yesterday. The liquids were
left in the charge of Mrs. Ashlee about an hour and
twenty minutes. Mr. Pickering was also present at
th,. post mortem examination. Witness had seen a
considerable number of persons die from convulsions.
Ilad not seen persons die from prussic acid, but had
seen animals die from the effects of that poison. The
adhesion on the right lung was pretty considerable,
and was evidently old. Even when persons are
violently agitated, such an adhesion on the lung
would not cause death. Enough of prussic acid to
cause death would possibly make a slight difference
in the appearance of the brain. Smelt the breath of
deceased after her death, but there was no smell of
prussic acid. Prussic acid has a violent smell. Could
give no opinion as to the smell which salts of prussic
acid would have, for he did not know much about
them. Could not swear that there was any other
salts in conjunction with the prussic acid at all though
of opinion that there was enough of prussic acid to
cause death, but did not know what the quantity was.
William Marlow was next examined—ls a gar-
dener. Saw deceased on Wednesday evening at a
quarter past six, going towards her house. She
spoke to him first. She said, " Ah, Marlow." She
was running, and he asked her why she was in so
much haste ? She said she had got a friend come in,
and she had been for a bottle of Guinness's stout for
him. She appeared quite well, and in high spirits.
She then ran away again towards her own house.
By a juror—Deceased had nothing else but the
porter in her hand.
Mr. Norblad—ls a practising surgeon in the neigh-
bourhood of Slough. Saw the deceased shortly before
the inquest. Her shoes were off, one of her stockings
down, her legs partly exposed, and her cap off.
Examined the body externally, in conjunction with
Mr. Champneys, but did not find any marks of ex-
ternal violence. There was nothing in the external
appearance of the body which could lead to any sus-
picion of a violent death. By order of the coroner
he then made an internal examination. The result
was that the whole of the interior of the body was
free from existing disease. They removed the
stomach, laid it open, and turned out the contents.
There was no smell of prussic acid whatever. The
stomach was then sealed up, and put in posses-
sion of Mr. Champne:y. s. An examination of the con-
tents was made yesterday. The application of the
tests did not discover any ordinary poison.
They then submitted the contents to the
tests of prussic acid, which was unequivo-
cally proved to be present. From the absence of
disease, the manner of deceased's death, and the pre-
sence of prussic acid, he was of opinion that she died
of prussic acid, or of some one of the salts into the
composition of which prussic acid enters. In conse-
quence of the absence of the odour of prussic acid,
and knowing there is a salt equally poisonous which
gives the same results by chemical analysis, he
qualified the latter part of his evidence. The salt he
referred to would produce death in from two seconds
to a quarter of an hour, according to:the strength of
the poison. There was sufficient poison in the
stomach to cause death. The adhesion on the lungs
was not of the slightest consequence.
Cross-examined by Mr. Williams—The name of the
salt to which he referred was cyanuret of potassium.
A considerable quantity of the elements of prussic
Jeid entered into the composition of this salt.
f eri ne White—ls a single person, residing at Mr.
Botham's hotel. Is barmaid at that establishment.
Recollects deceased coming to the house on Wed-
nesday evening, at half-past six, and having a bottle
of Guinness's stout. Was about ten minutes at the
hotel. Witnessed served the deceased with the stout.
It was a t bottle of the description now produced,
and, she believed, the same bottle. Lent her a cork-
screw. The screw produced was the one she lent
deceased. Deceased did not seem at all agitated.
Seemed quite well. Gave no reason whatever for
asking for the stout.
Mrs. Moss—Derived her knowledge of the prisoner
from the deceased herself. She did not know him
personally.
The CORONER said that, in that case, he would not
ask her any questions.
Mrs. Ashlee examined—ln addition to the bottle
and tumbler on the table there was a glass. The one
produced was the glass. There was froth on the
table, but it had no smell. Never saw the prisoner
until the occasion in question.
Mrs. Burrett deposed that a bottle and two glasses
and part of a bun were lying on the table when she
went into deceased's house. She was fetched by Mrs.
Ashlee. Rinsed one of the glasses, in which there
was some froth, to give a little water to the de-

ceased. It was such a glass as that produced. There
11,1 R rn riTtirli!nr 11

,

oc LoaoNEIL 11,
adjourn the case, and he would fix the adjournment
for Wednesday.
Mr. Williams said, that before the court rose, he
wished to apply to the Coroner for an order to allow
his solicitor to see the prisoner.
The CORONER had no objection to grant the per-
mission sought for, only the interview with the pri-
soner must be in the presence of the officer.

Mr. Williams trusted the Coroner would be satis-
fied if the officer stood outside the door, so as that the
prisoner should not be able to make his escape. He
trusted this request would be granted.
The CORONER —Oh, no ; that will not do. The pri-
soner must not be out of sight of the officer.
Mr. Williams was quite sure that the officer was
far too respectable a man to wish to hear anything
that passed between the prisoner and his legal adviser
in their interviews together.

The CORONER concurred in what Mr. Williams had
just said. All the officer was hound to do, and all
that he would wish him to do, was to take care that
the prisoner was never out of his
At this mom.;nt Mr. Montague Chambers arrived
from London, and begged before the court rose to
make an application to it. A sum of money, and
other articles, which had been found on the pergon of
the prisoner, when taken into cnstody, had been
taken from him. Now, as these could not have any-
thing to do with the guilt or innocence of the prisoner,
he trusted the Coroner would order them to be given
up to him. .

The CORONER said that, as the prisoner required
some money to support him while the present charge
was pending, the 225. in silver found on his person
must be given up to him, but he would not feel justi-
fied in ordering the remainder of the money, or other
property, to be handed to him in the present state of
matters.

Mr. Chambers then applied for copies of the depo-
sitions against the prisoner, in order that he and his
counsel might he able to understand the nature of the
evidence against him.
The CORONER said he could not comply with the
request of the Learned Gentleman. rile prisoner
and his counsel, however, could learn the nature of
the evidence brought before the Court through the
reports which appeared in the newspapers. The in-
quest was adjourned till Wedneday, when much
additional evidence is expected to be brought forward.

The prisoner is a rather tall man, and approaching
his 60th year, but looking older than he is in reality.
His hair is of a greyish colour, and very short. His
face and features are small. The expression of his
countenance is not pleasing; there is something
sinister about it, which may, however, be partly
accounted for from a slight squint in one of his eyes.
The prisoner left this country for New South Wales
many years ago, under very peculiar circumstances.
During his residence in that part of the world he is
said to have amassed a large fortune. He has been
twice married. His first with died some years since.
By, her he had two sons, both of whom, it is said,
were brought up by him for the medical profession ;
but they died in early life. He married a second
time, a little more than a year ago. By his second
wife he has one child. It is said that she visited him
in Windsor Gaol, and manifested the deepest grief
at the distressing circumstances in which he
is placed. It is right to mention that he himself dis-
plays the greatest composure. R hen he arrived
yesterday morning, in the custody or the officer, at
Salt Hill, and entered the room in which the inquest
was to be resumed, he drew out his handkerchief, and
wiping his face with it, remarked with the greatest
coolness, that they had arrived too soon, there being
no appearance of the Coroner or the jury. The house
was crowded all day by persons anxious to get a
sight of him. Indeed, the desire to see him was so
great, that it was with difficulty the officer could
prevent persons forcing themselves into the room ad-
joining that in which the inquest wa, held, in which
he was kept in custody. It is said that the prisoner
has an extensive establishment at Berkhamstead,
keeping no fewer than six servants.

(ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.)
SUNDAY EVENING.—Upon the prisoner being taken to
the house, at Eton, of Perkins, the Superintendent of
the Eton Police, at the conclusion of the proceedings be-
fore the Coroner's jury yesterday afternoon, where he ar-
rived about four o'clock, in a fly, he appeared consider-
ably more depressed in spirits than upon the former
occasion. His sighs and moans, his quivering lip, and
restless (ye, clearly indicated that he was suffering the
most intense mental anguish, although there was not
only an apparent but very manifest effort on his part to
appear to treat the matter with stoical indifference.
While he was waiting in a private room yesterday, at
the Three Tuns, Salt-hill, during the progress of the
inquiry before the Coroner, he appeared extremely
tidgetty and anxious to avoid the gimf, of those who
were present. lie maintains an almost total silence, and
has never once alluded to the mysterious and painful
circumstances connected with the death of his former
servant, Sarah Hart. During the whole of the past
night he was very restless, scarcely obtaining any sleep
till the morning. His appetite has also considerably
fallen off since he was first taken into custody.
Some years ago the prisoner was tried and found
guilty of forgery, and sentenced to be transported for
21 years. The forgery was committed upon a relative
of Mr. Smith, one of the partners in the Uxbridge Bank,
to the amount (as I am informed by a member of the
Society of Friends, who came from Uxbridge yesterday
to attend the inquiry before the Coroner) of 1,000/. His
good conduct while in the colony obtained for him a
ticket of leave after having served seven years of his
time. Ile then set up in business at Sydney as a che-
mist and druggist, and embarked generally in the ship-
ping trade, in which he was so exceedingly successful,
that in the course of a few years he had saved upwards
of 20,0001.—some persons have reported 60,000/.; but I
believe the amount I have mentioned is the most correct.

As soon as the crime of forgery had been clearly es-
tablished against him, he was discarded by th Society
of Friends, and nu longer acknowledged to be a member
of that body. Upon his return to England from Botany
Bay, between six and seven years ago, he applied to the
society to be again admitted amongst them, but was pe-
remptorily refused, his former crime of forgery being an
insuperable barrier, notwithstanding the great effort he
made to be again received Into membership. lie theft
went to live at Croydon, where he rf sided but t very
short time, but where he is well-known. Thence he
went to Berkhatnstead, where about four years ago he
married (but much against the wishes of her family and
connexions) a highly respectable widow, a Quakeress,
named Cutforth. This lady kept a ladies' school at the
time of her marriage, but her extensive establishment
was given up immediately after her union with Mr.
Tawell, who lived with his wife and family in a spacious
house, nearly opposite the church at Berkhatnstead, in
very good style. He had two sons and a daughter by
his first wife. Both the sons have died within the last
five years. The daughter, an interesting girl, about 17
years of age, resided with her father and step-mother, at
Berkhamstead. A child is the fruit of his last marriage,
which is now about 18 months old.

The distressing intelligence of the apprehension of her
husband, upon strong suspicion of his being concerned
in the death of a woman at Salt-hill, was only commu-
nicated to Mrs. Tawell through the medium of the Lon-
don papers of Friday last, which contained a report of
the proceedings before the coroner and jury of the pre-
ceding day. Mrs. Tawell, in state of mind it were
impossible adequately to describe, her feelings wrought
up to the highest pitch of mental excitement at receiving
the acting news, immediately left her home and pro-
ceeded to London by the Birmingham Railway, and from
Paddington, by the four o'clock train, to Slough, by the
Great Western. The interview which took place be-
tween the afflicted wife and her unfortunate husband,
which was of the most harrowing and heartrending
description, I will not attempt to describe. Mrs. Tawell,
after remaining at Eton for upwards of four hours, took
leave of her husband, and returned to London by the last
train from Slough.
It has been stated that the eldest child of the unfor-
tunate deceased Sarah Hart, a boy about five years of
age, bears a close resemblance to the prisoner. From
circumstances which have transpired since the first exa-
mination of the prisoner before the coroner's jury, there
is very little doubt that he is the father of both the
children of his former servant. He was always known,
at the different lodgings occupied by the deceased, as
Mr. Talbot.

A special messenger was sent off from Eton with a
letter from the prisoner to his wife at Berklumastead on
Friday morning ; the messenger, however, did not ar-
rive at that town until after the departure of Mrs.Tawell
to visit her husband. The letter was opened by the
daughter of the prisoner, who was not aware of the
painful situation of her parent. She imnudiately re-
cognised the handwriting, but even then she would
scarcely believe her father was in custody upon suspi-
cion of some offence he had committed at "be-
cause," she said, " her papa never knew any person,
either there or at Slough, and therefore there must be a
mistake." Upon Mrs. Tawell's return, the dreadful
tidings were communicated to her.

Tawell is weillinowiTinthe City, and is now, I
am informed, engaged to some extent in the shipping
trade and exportation of goods. He is a subscriber to
the Hall of Commetce, the Jerusalem Coffee-house, and
other public mercantile establishments, and also to the
Zoological Society.
There is tint the lea-t doubt that all the renreserta-
tiohs made by the deceased to her female to.qMtititances
(with whom she became intimate at the different lodg-
ings she occupied during the past four years) as to her
being the wife of Mr. Tawell's son, who was, us she said,
abroad, and also as to Mr. Talbot (as she always called
him, and not Mr. Tawell) bringing her her husband's
quarterly
allowance, are entirely without foundation. I
have stand that both the prisener's s'm,,l)3 his first
wife., are dead. She also stated to another of her de-
quamtatices that she was the it of a servant of Mr.
jun., who was abroad with his master, and that
a part of his wages was paid to her quarterly by. his
master's father ; but this statement is equally devoid of
truth. The public, however, will be enabled to form
their own opinions as to the nature of the connexion
which existed between the unfortunate woman and her
"friend," the party in custody.
Mr. M. Chambers and Mr. J. J. Williams, barristers-
at law, and also Mr. Bevan, solicitor, of the o.cl Jewry,
have been specially retained to be present at the ad.
journed inquiry on Wednesday next, to watch the pro-
ceedings on behalf of the prisoner. In the meantime
the contents of the bottle and glass found on the table

of the deceased at the time of her mysterious death. and
i.;i;
• it by w inch
the prisoner passed in his route to the Slough station on
the night of the supposed murder, will be carefully ana-
lyzed, and the necessary evidence produced before the
Coroner and jury.
It has been stated that the prisoner is confined in
Windsor gaol. This is not the fact. Windsor is not in
th., same county as that in which the death occurred.
Ile, wa, visit,:d In hi< wife nu her arrivel on Friday
frefr.oon, at the nisei, of Mr. Perkins, the superin-
tendent of the Eton police, in that town, where he will
remain until he is taken again before the Coroner at
the adjourned inquiry to be held on Wednesday.