The Sun.
London, England, 1818-03-21 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

On Friday evening an Inquest was held at the
Britannia 'Tavern, Camden Town, before Tnomas
STIRLING, Esq. Coroner, on the body of a man
unknown, who was endeavouring to escape from
his pursuers, after. committing a burglary, and
was drowned in the Regent's Canal, as will ap-
pear by the following evidence :
Mr. Adingbrook Churley, swore, said, he is a
builder, and had a contract to erect some houses
in the Regent's Park, and for the protection of
them and the property therein, he slept in one of
the rooms on the second floor with a youth named
Bull, whose father lives its a cottage near the
budding. On NVednesday evening last, about five
o'clock, after paying one of his men and securing
the doors by locking and fastening ?hem, and
likewise the windows, he gave him the key to
leave at the Black Dog (where witness occasionally
lodged for hint) on his return from London,
where lie went to receive some money due to
him ; during his absence in town he felt very
notch perplexed, fearing his building might be
robbed (having been served so at various times
before) ; on his return he went to the Black Dug
to pay a debt, but they forgot to give him the
key, and he forgot to ask for it, and left the place
with the youth 8011, who slept with him, to go
to bed, and took with him some iron goods that
he had bought in London. On going along the
fields, which are very lonely, he felt notch agitated,
and something told hint all was not right, he
cautioned Bull not to say a word, thinking, it there
were thieves, they might hear them talking ; they
walked quietly to the building, anti on feeling for
the.key, in his pockets lie did not find it ; he
heard a noise as it thieves were in the house, and
he told the boy Bull to go for his father,
and likewise the patroie, in a whispering
voice, both of whom came to his assistance,
and he stationed them both at ditiereut places
ie order to prevent the thieves front escaping.
Witness thinking that the villains had entered at
the street door, which he thought they had fas-
tened at the inside, and arming himself with some
missile weapons, proceeded to the door, its
order to knock down the first person who came
Out ; but, after remaining in that situation some
time, and finding no person came out, he ex-
claimed, " You villains, come out, if you are
men, and surrender yourselves !" to which he
received no answer, and all was quiet. In a short
time after the two men who were stationed at the
opposite sides of the house observed a mats com-
ing out of an aperture made in the brick wall at
the back part of the building, and ruts away, down
to the bank of the Canal, - about 2 or 300 yards
distance, into which, on being closely pursued,
he lumped, and was seen struggling for several
minutes in the water, and at last sunk. Not be-
hog aide to procure drags, it was upwards of
three-quarters of an hour before be was.got out
of the Canal, being then quite dead. He was a
stout looking man, about 35 years of age. The
body was takers to the Britannia, in order to he
owned, but no person came forward to identify
it. Witness is sure there were oilier persons with
hint, there being a pair of sheets; blankets, and
pillow-cases missing ; and they mast have es,
taped while they were in pursuit of the deceased.
The deceased was searched, am! its his pocket was
found three duplicates, 4s. 11(1., and implements
for house-breaking. Witness says that any per-
son could have entered in the same manner with-
out his hearing them, and murder birth He al-
ways kept loaded pistols in his room, which were
found there after the' robbery ; a box in the room
was broke open, but nothing of valet was in it.
They also broke open a cupboard, from whence
they stole several articles. Witness has"not since
slept in the place.
James Demon, the patrole, and Mr. John Bal-
land, his sots, who accompanied the witness at •
the time, corroborated the above testimony.
At the conclusion of the evidence, the Coroner
and the. Jury congratulated • Mr. Churley on his
narrow escape of ben.e_ murdered, as it must jj
itteritably have been the case had he beets in bed
when the robbers entered the house. The Jury
consulted for some time, and being of opinion that
the deceasel's intention was/to have ssvam over
the, Canal, in order to make his escape, they re-
turned a verdict of " Accidental Death from

drowning."
After the verdict was recorded and the Jury se-
parated, the body was owned by the wife of the
deceased, when it proved;tha(his name was --
Duncan, a cabinet-maker, residing in Chariton-
street, Somers Town, 'and- is supposed to be one
of the persons concerned In the former robberies
on Mr. Churley's premises. • •