The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-27 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUESt.

Yesterday evening, at half-past six o'cloCk, an
inquisition was taken before THOMAS HIGGs, Esq.
ori the bodies of E!iabeth Caftans, aged twenty-.
ten, and her infant, Sarah Cart erns, aged six months,
who were found drowned in the Serpentine.
Widiam Birch, of No. 9, Harcourt-street, Bryan-
t stone-square, went to bathe in the Serpentine River,
about four o'clock that morning; he saw the de-
I ceased infant floating on the top of the water, near
the gratings, on the east side, near the waterfall. Ile
immediately went in arid took the body out; it was
quite dead; he laid it on a stone, and went to in-
form the officers of the Humane Society of the cir-
cumstance. On his return be found the body had
been removed to the watch-house.
James Bastin, in the employ' of the Humane So-
ciety, was informed of the circumstance by the first
witness, and immediately got the drags, to try arid
find if any other body was in the water, but without
success. Afterwards he heard some soldiers' wives

mention that they had seen a female and child cry-
ing in the park about four o'clock in the afternoon,
and a man informed him that he had seen a female
and child near the spot between nine and ten
o'clock on the. previous evening. This information
caused him to drag again, and about a quarter to
twelve o'clock at noon he found the body of the
mother of the deceased infant. The body was
about 12 yards from the shore, and about 10 yards
from the grating where the infant was found. The
water about seven feet deep. In her pockets he
found seven duplicates, chiefly for articles of dress
of trifling value, and pawned for small sums from
9d. to 3d.

Eliza Bates stated, that the deceased Elizabeth
was her sister-in-law. She lived with her husband
at Males's-rents, Chiswick. He WitS a brickl iyer's
labourer, and earned about 16s. a week. She was
not given to drinking; but had frequently Fawned
her husband's clothes and run him in debt. The
deceased had another child besides, Sarah, who Was
about two years old.

CoRoNER—Did she appear to be of weak mind
Witness—No, Sir, she was as much in her senses
I am.

Elizabeth Wyse stated, that the deceased was
her daughter-in-law. She had run her husband
considerably in debt. There was a bill at the ba-
ker's for 3/. 15s. 10d., which be knew nothing of;
and also 16 months rent, one half of which he be-
lieved she had paid. She had made him out false
bilk, which appeared to have been settled.

John Catteins, a bricklayer's labourer, stated,
that the deceased anti her infant were his wife and
child; she often pawned his things when he was at
work. Last Tuesday week he Warned her for giv-
ing him a false account of some money which she
had paid; she trembled very much, and appeared
much agitated as if she was deranged; he told her
she must clear it up. She went away that night,
and did not return until the following Tuesday at
night with her sister; he again asked her what she
had done with the money; she refused to tell him
then, but said that she would the next day, when
she said that the devil had got hold of her, and she
did not know what to do; she again left him on the
Wednesday, and he saw no more of her until he
heard that both her and the child had been found
in the Serpentine.

Juror—Had you ever any words with your wife ?
Witness—We had about the money sometimes.
Juror—Did you always give her the money you
earned every week ? Wiwess—Always, when I
was in work, which was about I6s. per week.
Jtiror—Was your %►ife given to drinking? Wit-
ness—Not in the least : she was a very sober woman.
Juror—Did you 'ever beat your wife ? Witness—
I believe I have only struck her twice since we have
been married, which is nearly four years.
This being the whole of the evidence, the CO-
RONER observed, that although the presumption was
that the unfortunate woman had destroyed herself
and infant, yet there was no evidence to prove how
they came into the water:,

The Jury coincided, and remarked, that the poor
woman had expended the money, and got into debt
to support her family, and did not like to let her.
husband know.

After a short consultation, the Jury returned a
verdict—" That the
_deceased mother and infant

were found drowned; but how they came there was
not known to the jurors."

OPENING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.—On
Tuesday the noble edifice which the liberality of the Cor-
poration of the City of Edinburgh and the classical genius
of Mr. HAMILTON has provided for the accommodation of

this ancient and distinguished seminary, was opened rite
et solenniter, in the mode which had been previously ar-
ranged, and with all the pomp and circumstances which
the occasion tequired.— Caledonian Mercury.

Some time ago Mr. C. R. PEMBERTON, a
gentleman of considerable talent, gave some interesting
lectures on elocution in this town. Since that period he
made his debut at Covent-garden Theatre, itt the highest
walk of tragedy; and we understand he now appears in a
new character, that of a husband, havin:; lately married a
lady of family and fortune in Norfolk.— ChebnsibrdChron.

SINGULAR CHARGE.—?I young surgeon
• was apprehended last week at Sheffield, under a warrant
charging him with having stolen a pair of stockings, a
flannel petticoat, a dimity petticoat, a satin sl;p, and a bon-
net ! It appeared that he had, in fact, stolen a young
lady, and hail been married to her at Gretna Green, and
that her mother, not relishing the connexion, had gone be-
fore a Magistrate, and preferred a charge of stealing the
clothes in which the fair fugitive was attired at the time
altar flight. What became of the case is not mentioned
in any of the Sheffield papers that we have seen.—Stoch_
port Advertiser.

In the Insolvent Debtors' Court, yesterday,
TIENRY RICJIA RD MATTHEWS, late of No. 3, Hones-street,
Cavendish-square, and 107, Oxford-street, linen-draper,
was opposed on behalf of Mess's. LADEROKE, the bankers.
It appeared that one of the insolvent's bills had come into

the Wands of Mess's. LA unnoxic, and having been dis-
honoured, they commenced proceedings against the insol-
vent for the amount; the insolvent, by pleading the gene-
ral issue, put Messrs. LADBROKE. to considerable expellee,
and then rendered to prison. He was remanded for four
months.

RICHARDSON, the author of the " Anecdotes
on Paintings," used to relate the following encouragement
to frankness :—A gentleman called to invite him to-his
house. " I have," says he, " a picture by RUBENS, and
a rare fine one. There is little H--, the other day,
came to see it, and says it is a copy. If any one says so
.again I'll break his load. Pray, Mr. RICHARI,SON, do
me the favour to come and give me your real opinion of it."
We arc sorry to announce that a most dis•
tressing accident, by which two individuals have lost their
lives, occurred on Saturday week, about three o'clock in
the afternoon, at one end of the coal-pits d Lord DERBY,
at Eccleston, near Prescot. It appears that two men,
named RICHARD HAYES and WILLIAM EDDLESTON, were
engaged in the sinking of a new pit, which had already
been sunk to the depth of about 64 yards, and having
prepared a mine at the bottom for blasting the rock with
gunpowder, bad ascended to the mouth of the pit for the
purpose of igniting the train, which, it seems, is usually
done by means of a heated wire, let down by a string.
The men were standing on a stage, at the mouth of the
pit, when the gunpowder was ignited, and this unfortu-
nately communicated with the inflammable air of fire-
damp, with which the pit appears to have been tilled, and
caused a most tremendous explosion, which shook the
neighbouring town, and was heard for several miles
mound. The brick-work in the interior of the shaft, the
wooden stage at the mouth, and the unfortunate men who
were standing upon it, were thrown into the air to a
great height, as if from the mouth of a cannon, and tie'
fragments of the men and the materials were afterwards
found scattered around, at a great distance from the pit.
HAYES was found in one of the buildings attached to a
pottery, about 40 or 50 yards distant from the place where
he was thrown, having, in his fall, broken through tl e
roof, which was formed of timber and slate. One of the
unfortunate man's less was found on the mot. of the
building, the other in an adjoining garden. The body of
WILLIAM EDDLESTON was lOUrld in a contrary direction,
about SO yards from the pit; he also was shockingly
mangled. Tivo other persons were hurt, but not seri-
ously. A horse, which was at work close by the, mouth,
emtaned unhurt_ Lcadv