The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-31 00:00:00

SUPPOSED MURDER AT WIM-
BLEDON.

On Wednesday a woman named Charlotte Hall, the
wife of a plasterer, was found dead in bed, at her house in
Church-street, Wimbledon, and from the appearances pre-
sented by the body, there is too much reason to fear that
she met her death unnaturally, recourse having been had to
strangulation. The husband of the deceased has absconded.
It was well known in the neighbourhood that the deceased
and her husband passed a very quarrelsome time, and the
neighbours have on more than one occasion had to interfere
between them. lle was in the habit of .getting drunk, and
deceased occasionally inditlged herself. The inmates of the
house where the alleged murder .has taken place were the
man Hall and the deceased, and Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Smith,
sisters, who slept in the next room to deceased and her hus-
band, the child, a little boy, two years of age, sleeping in a bed
by himself in Mrs. Hall's room.
On Monday night the man Hall came home very drunk,
and was-exceedingly violent in his language, not merely to
his wife, but the other inmates bf the house. He went to
work the next morning (Tuesday), and returned about a
quarter to ten o'clock again, in a drunken state. The deceased
was gone to bed, and he proceeded directly up stairs. Words
ensued immediately after he.entered the bed-room, and in a
few minutes afterwards Mrs. Brown .heard the deceased cry
" Murder." She opened her doOr, and asked what was the
matter, but received no answer. She shut and locked it, and
g,2t into bed. The cry did not alarm her, as they were in
.the constant habit of quarrelling. After that time she heard
nothing more, and felFasleep. About a quarter to five o'clock
on Wednesday' morning. Mrs. Brown* states that she was
awoke by ~the man Hall 'going down stairs. At half-
past eight on Wednesday morning the: woman Brown went
to'the door of the deceased's bed-room to call her up, and,
having knocked at the door Several times without receiving
any answer; she opened it. The deceaied appeared to be in
a sound sleep; but when Mrs. Brown went to the bedside for
the purpose of awakening her she was horror-struck at find-
ing her dead, with her face and neck dreadfully discoloured,
as if she 'pad_ died in strong convulsions. This person was
too much affrighted to remain longer in the room, and im-
mediately raft for Mrs. Veal, the deceased's sister-in-law,
Who lives opposite. Mrs. Veal, after having seen the de
Ata.,_<3ed,ran instaatb, for Dr. Bright, who with his partner,
-Nizi-Tenall;.iMmealately attended.
Dr. Bright stated that he found the deceased lying on her
right side in the middle of the bed, apparently in a deep
slumber. The bed had not been lain on on either side of her,
nor had the clothes, so far as he could judge, been disar-
ranged. The deceased had her left arm resting on her cheek,
her eyes were closed, and her mona was only partly open.
There was no distortion of any of the features, but the face
and neck were of a livid appearance. Such appearances
would be produced by strangulation, and also by natural
causes, such as an attack of apoplexy. Dr. Bright thinks
that if the deceased was murdered it was by strangulation,
by means of a pillow placed over her face, and pressed tightly
down, and not by the grasping of or compressing the throat
i
with the hand. It is extremely probable that the instrument
of death was a pillow, as one was found lying by her side.
Dr. Bright says that he cannot give a decided opinion as to
the cause of death, until he has made a post morteth exami-
nation of the body.
It is a somewhat singular circumstance, that the child who
slept in the room was never heard to cry during the night,
and was found fast asleep in the morning.
A labouring man, named Penner, who lives next door to
deceased, said that, between ten and eleven o'clock on Tues •
day night, he heard her scream " Murder" several times, but
thought nothing of it, as deceased and her husband were
constantly quarrelling.
' Sergeant Golding, 13 V, who is the acting inspector for
the district, has been most assiduous in his inquiries amongst
the surrounding neighbourhood, but he has only been enabled
to trace out one person who saw him—a man of the name of
Booth, who states that he met him about five o'clock, near to
the South-Western Railway station He did not stop there,
however, but turned off into the Mitcham road ; he had his
basket of tools slung to his back. Booth, who knew that
Hall was employed at Garrard-lodge, PUtney-park, thought
it a singular circumstance that he should be going in an op-
posite direction, and apparently to work. The presumed
criminal had often spoken of its being his intention to go
to France; and, it is supposed, that when met by Booth,
he was making his way to the Croydon station of the Dover
Railway.
The most active exertions are being made to trace out the
alleged murderer, and Inspector Pearce, of the Detective, is
especially employed. Information has been forwarded to Mr.
Carter, the coroner.

BRIGHTON, MAY 27.—The King of Saxony, who
visits England under the title of the Count de Hohensteine,
will arrive at the York Hotel, to-morrow morning at nine
o'clock, accompanied by the Earl of Delawarr, &c., and im-
mediately proceed to inspect the Pavilion. He will leave
the York Hotel at eleven o'clock for Portsmouth, calling at
Arundel Castle and Chichester on his way, and is expected to
reach London on Saturday afternoon.
REMOVAL OF THE STRAND UNION OFFICES.—The
Guardians of the Strand Union have decided upon remov-
ing their offices of business from Surrey-street, in the Strand,
to premises near the Police- court, in Bow-street. This de-
cision has been forced on them, as the Duke of Norfolk, the
noble owner of the property, has objected to having offices
of business, of a description such as is included in the affairs
of a Poor-law Union, carried on amongst his tenants. No
doubt this has been represented to him by his agents, as
being inimical to the highly respectable inhabitants of the
neighbourhood, as the constant applications at the office—
the disreputable and noisy characters who apply—the obscene
and low language used, and the almost daily breaking of
windows, cannot but be a nuisance of great magnitude.
The new offices are to be in a large house next door but one
to the Bow-street Police-court, and next to Covent-garden
Theatre—and although it is not so commodious as the excel-
lent premises in Surrey-street, yet for the transaction of busi-
ness it will be much preferable. The station-house being just
opposite, will have a great effect in preventing riotous appli-
cants, and in all cases coming before the Magistrate of the
Police-court, immediate applications can be made to the parish
authorities for information. Petty sessions will be held as
usual in the offices, by county magistrates, for the hearingl
affiliation cases, appeals against rates, &c. The removal
witake place almost immediately.
ARRIVAL OF THE GIBRALTAR MAILS.--SOUTHAMP-
TON, MAY 29.—At half-past seven o'clock this evening the
Peninsular Company's steam-ship Little Liverpool, Captain
n
Evans, ai rived at her station in the docks, f Gibraltar,
and landed her mails, which will be forwardedro by the two
o'clock, ELM., train to-morrow ;oremornin dates ac
br
e Gial-
tar, May 19 ; Cadiz, 20 ; Lisbon, 22 ; Opo; 23 ; and Vigo,
24. The Liverpool has thirty-five passengers, a full cargo
of fruit, and some specie. The Great Liverpool, Captain
M'Leod, will leave the docks for Alexandria on Monday, the
3d, instead of the Ist of June. The Royal West India mail
packet, the Trent, will go out of dock on her outward voyage
to the West Indies on Alenday next. Our intelligence from
Portugal to the 22d brings an account of the further prom-
tion of the Cortes to the end of September. The troops
commanded by the Baron de Leiria had returned to Lisbon
from Almeida, and 300 of those of Bomfim, who had surren-
dered on terms, had been sent to the Azores, ultimately des-
tined for the coast of Africa.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT BLACICFRIARS-13RIDGE.—
On Wednesday, about one, a deplorable occurrence took
place at Blacktriars-bridge, which ended in the abnost instant
death of a lad named James Keen, aged ten years, the son of
a shoemaker living- in Plough-court; Fetter-lane. At the
time above-stated, the attention of the police on duty on the
bridge was called to a truck, on which were six men in a
tipsy state, who were being drawn with ropes, of which the
deceased had one, down the declivity of the bridge on the
Surrey side. The velocity with which they descended the
hill was too much for the boys to control, and when opposite
Silcock's wine-vaults the truck struck against young Keen,
who was unable to get out of the way, and being thrown
down the wheel passed over his neck and severely lacerated
the face. He was taken up streaming with blood, and con-
veyed to the surgery of Mr. Doubleday, in the Blackfriars-
road, but he was found to be quite dead, arising from frac-
ture of the vertebrae. The men were taken into custody, and
thebody removed to Christchurch workhouse to await the re-
sult of an inquest. _ .
SINGULAR DUEL.—A curious duel has just taken
place near Mayenne between two women, one armed with a
sickle and the other with a shepherd's crook, with which
they laid about them most intrepidly. One is said to be
grievously wounded.

Captain ROWLAND said the ships were presumed to lte in
the market the moment they arrived, and their papers were
all regularly given in at the time.
The LORD MAYon-And yet they refuse to sell unless at
an enormous price, and they detain these poor men without
paying them for the unreasonable period of their detention,
to the serious injury of their families. Of this unfair and
improper conduct I shall certainly do all I can to
prevent the continuance. The colliers shall not maks .
a warehouse of the Thames. It is quite absurd to suppose
that they would remain forty or fifty days in the ricer with-
out meaning to remunerate themselves for the delay by
drawing upon- the public. It is my instruction to you,
Captain Rowland, to intimate to the captains of all colliers
which come into London, that. if they refuse to sell within •
the three market dar, they must remove out of the bounds,
of my jurisdiction _a_together.

WRECK OF THE RESOLUTION.—Captain Rowland,
the harbour-master of Greenwich, reported to the Lord
Mayor, that according to orders from his Lordship, through
Captain Fisher, he Shad raised the wreck of the Resolution,
and landed her safely on Bankani's Hard, at Gravesend. On%
Saturday last the work was completed, and the Government
stores and lighters returned to the officers at Woolwich dock-
yard. The vessel was loaded with 200 tons of coal, and sank
in the river, about a mile and a half below Tilbury Fort, in
four fathoms water, in February, 1843, directly in the course
of all vessels navigating, both on the flood and ebb against
tide, and Dia which the Jane Sheriff, Vigilant, Dorset, and
many other.vessels, have struck and been injured. His Lord-
ship observed, that the wreck of the Resolution had been re-
moved in a most masterly and satisfactory manner; and he
hoped for the future that all sunken vessels would be weighed
and entirely removed from the navigable water-way,' and
not ho blown into fragments, injurious to the anchorages and
to the nets of the poor fishermen.
A circular is in private .circulation entittled a
"Proposed Equitable Tax on the Transfer oißeal Property
in place of . the Income-tax." The, writer estimates the en-
tire property of England at 6,186,000,0001., and proposes
that all real property- should be taxed with the probate and ,
legacy duty. The produce of such duty would, he thinks; be
about 12,000,0001. annulilly. Were his idea adopted,
.he says
that Sir Robert Peel might dispense with the Income-tax,
and .still have a much larger revenue than he hai 'at present.
' IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUADRANT7REG ENT-STREET.
—Our readers may, have perceived the special constables, or
beadle, in handscale green uniform, in the Quadrant for the •
last two months. We are credibly informed that a great deal of
goOd has been effected by the Quadrant Improvement Society
in removing the outward nuisances that existed in an intole-
rable degree in that beautiful street. The inhabitants themselves
haVe come forward in a very liberal manner with the means for
effecting so desirable an object. The carriages of the nobility
and gentry can now stop in the Quadrant without the owners
being annoyed by dog-fanciers, flower-girls, &c., and ladies
may now pass up and down the Quadrant without being
shocked at the vicious conduct and disgusting language
that it was hardly possible to avoid seeing and hearing dur-
ing any part of the day. The special constables have autho-
rity to take any one into custody who are found in the
Quadrant using bad language, vending flowers, dogs, and
knives. The Society are determined to remove the owners of
all objectionable businesses in the Quadrant, agreeable to the
tenure of the leases from the Woods and Forests.

ACCIDENT TO THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT.—A ru-
mour reached us on Wednesday that his Grace the Duke
of Beaufort had met with an accident of a nature so serious
as to give cause for alarm as to its consequences among his
Grace's numerous personal and political friends. On in.
quiry we learned that while enjoying his usual ride yesterday
afternoon in Hyde-park, his Grace was suddenly thrown
from his horse, and fell upon his head. Though much
stunned and shaken by the fall his Grace was assisted by
the Honourable Captain Forrester, M.P., who witnessed the
accident, into the carriage of Dr. James B. Thompson, who
was passing at the time, and conveyed to his mansion in Ar-
lington-street. His Grace was immediately, as well as sub-
sequently, attended by Dr. Thompson, when it was found
that no serious injury had been sustained. At a late hour
last night the patient, though of course much bruised, was
going on favourably.
SHOCKING ACCIDENT AT THE ETON MONTEM.—
In consequence of the accidents which have occurred at pre-
vious Montems, from the careless use which had been made
of the swords worn by several of the boys, it has been con-
templated by the authorities to interdict their being used
altogether, or to compel those who furnish them to provide
them with wooden blades. Had this salutary precaution
been adopted on Tuesday last, the painful and lamentable
accident to which we are about to refer would have been
avoided. On the morning of the Montem, between 9 and 10
o'clock, two boys, pupils in the establishment of the Rev.
W. L. Elliot, one of the assistant-masters, amused them-
selves by fencing with their dress-swords ; when, by an
unlucky movement, one of them named Fox, a fine lad about
17 years of age, received the point of the sword of his fellow-
pupil in his right eye. Mr. Chapman, surgeon, of Windsor,
was immediately in attendance, who, from the dangerous
nature of the wound, lost no time in proceeding by the rail-
way to London with the sufferer to consult with Mr. Tyrrell,
the eminent surgeon, on the case. We regret to state that
the sight was found to be totally and irrecoverably destroyed,
the sword having completely divided the iris. The unfortu •
nate youth is still suffering the greatest pain ; but it is con-
fidently hoped that the sight of the other eye, which is much
affected, will, through the skilful care and attention of his
medical adviser, Mr. G. Chapman, be preserved.
ONE LONDON WATERMAN AGAINST A FOUR.
OARED FLEMISH CREW.—The boat-race on Monday between
Robert Newell, of Battle-bridge-stairs, and four Flemish
watermen, with a coxswain, terminated, contrary to general
expectation, in favour of the latter. It will be remembered
that the same parties contended about a month since, when
Newell was declared the winner by a very considerable dis-
tance, but as the opposing partattributed their defeat to the
y.
size of their boat, and were desirous of having another trial,
a match was made for 401. aside. The former race had been
rowed from Ostend to Bruges, a distance of twelve miles, but
on the present occasion the starting and winning posts were
reversed. When Newell could contrive to keep under the
shelter of the land he made good way, but otherwise he was
much tossed about to stand a chance, and ultimately lost by
two minutes, the Flemish crew performing the distance in
one hour and fifty-three minutes. Robert Ceombee, the
champion, as before, ran along the towing-path, and kept
pace with his companion, in order to be of assistance to him
at the coming in. Immediately after the race, an English
gentleman offered to back Newell again for 100/. • but the
offer was not accepted. It is but justice to the Flenlish men
to state that they behaved with great kindness to the two
Londoners, and made them a present on their departure.
THE PITMEN'S STRIKE.—We understand that up-
wards of forty men have left the Pitmen's Union, at South
lletton and Murton Collieries, and that twenty-one men have
done the same at Oakwellgate Colliery. These facts, for
which we have good authority, show that the sensible por-,
tion of the pitmen are becoming convinced of the hopeless-
ness of the present strike : indeed, if the interested leaders in
their pay were put out from amongst them, there cannot be
a doubt that this deluded body of men would immediately
resume their employment, on the liberal terms proposed by
the coal-owners. A proposition has, we learn, emanated
from a gentleman connected with the Legislature of the
country, to bring over Irish labourers, who are found most
ready to exchange sixpence a day, potatoes, and a mud cabin,
for the high wages, comfortable dwellings, and Cheviot
mutton of the oppressed pitmen I Matters have, indeed, gone
so far, that we are informed a positive offer has been made
to bring a largo number (from 5,000 to 10,000) of Irish
workmen to Newcastle, the expense of doing which would
be extremely moderate, the steam-boat fare being only 2s. 6d.
per passenger across the Channel, and the workmen would
be landed within five hours' distance of the coal district. We
trust, however, that the coal-owners will not yet have re-
course to this severe alternative, which nothing but extreme
urgency can justify.—Tyne Mercury.
GOOD RESOLUTION.—We hear that so strong
sense of remorse and self-degradation has been excited in
the House of Commons by reflection on its late tergiversation
on the factory question, that a resolution is to be moved, at
its next sitting, to the effect that it be forthwith summoned
before its own bar to answer to itself for bringing itself into
contempt.—Punch.•
FACTS FOIL LORD DEVON.—The Tuam Herald of
Monday states that the police, under the command of C
Hearn, Esq., stipendiary magistrate, dispossessed thirteen families in the village of ashone and their hold-
ings, and handed over the possession to the landlord, the
Rev. John O'Rocke. The journalist describes the scene as
the most heartrending ever witnessed. The Evening Mat.
announces that the Landlord and Tenant Commission 'Will not
make any report during the present session.

t ,

TIM WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, MAY 30.
THERMO3IETER., Lowest, 38 ; Highest, 57 ; Noon, 55.
BAROMETVE 30 05 —WIND N E

NOTE.—The number 32 on the Thermometer denotes the
f-eeding point, and 55 temperate. In Barometers fair is
usually placed opposite 30, and rain at 29.