The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-08 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.

At three o'clock yesterday afternoon an inquisi-
tion was taken before Mr. NEWMAN, the Coroner,
at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of a
very fine young woman, named Eliza Leach, aged
22, who destroyed herself by taking a quantity of
arsenic, under the following afflicting circumstances :
The Jury having viewed the body, which was
lying in the dead-house, the following evidence was
detailed by the witnesses :
Mrs. Catherine Browne, wife of Mr. W. Tomlin-
son Browne, residing in Barnard's-inn, Holborn, con-
ductor of the business at the White Horse Inn,
Fetter-lane, deposed that she had know the deceased
for the last seven years, and she had lived with her
as a servant for about a month prior to her death.
She was between 22 and 23 years of age. When
she first came into her service she was in very low
spirits, she having been engaged to a young man,
who courted her by way of marriageo3he banns had
been published in church, and the day fixed for the
nuptials, but she received a letter from the young
man, stating that his aunt and grandfather wished
the marriage to he put off. She grew more low-
spirited, and she (witness) sent fer the young mart,
and requested him to fulfil his promise. He made
no -answer, and shortly after went away, promising
to come egain on the Sunday to state hie determi-
nation. He did not come, however, but sent a
letter, of which the following is a literal copy :
" Respected Madam,—l hope you will pardon
my boldness in presuming to address you ; but as
you take such an apparent interest in Elza's wel-
fare, and as some apology is certainly due from me
for not keeping my appointment, I hope you will
excuse rue. My failure on Sunday was caused by
going down to Blackheath to consult my father on
a very delicate subject. As you hare wished me to
give a decisive answer to poor Eliza, all that I can
say is, that I regret to say that it is impossible that
I can ever marry her ; nor should I have delayed
communicating as much to her before now, were it
not from reluctance to part for ever with her, to
spare her wounded feelings, and a hope that I
might get over my difficulties, which hope has now
completely vaniehed.
" I am aware that I am placed in a peculiarly
suspicious situation, end that whatever I advance
may with propriety be doubted. I repeat that I
regret being unable to unite myself with Din. I
have no complaint to make of her; she has always
conducted herself, as far as my knowledge extends,
with the strictest virtue ami propriety. Neither do
I doubt her affection, or her capabilities to under-
take the ditties of a wife. She has behaved to my
satisfaction in every respect, nor did my intentions
experience arty change until the last month. Hea-
ven knows I loved her dearly, and love her still.
She hinted that I never hamlet] to marry her.
What other motive could I have ? I call upon her
to testify if I ever, by o ord or deed, gave her cause
to blush, Great difficulty I bad to persuade my
relatives to give their consent; and to the tardy
consent of my aunt I attribute all the misery of
having the feelings and affections of my heart torn
asunder—of being stigmatised with the name of de-
ceiver and liar. I cannot write to her, and when
in her company, were I to suffer death I cannot say
We must part. Will you, madam, have the kind-
ness to inform her, in as gentle a manner as pos.,
sible, of the fact. I ant determined not to state the
exact reason, and resign myself to the consequences.
I am aware of the importance that may be attached
to this letter ; but if punishment is her object, I
will patiently submit to it, whether imprisonment
or personal castigation ; the former may per-
haps be a charity, and as for the latter the
stings of conscience are much more painful, and the
more severe she is tire less %s ill it upbraid me. One
thing greatly distresses me and tills me with remorse
—her deserted state. Good God, it maddens ire
to think what a fool I have been ! I have toiled
hard to bring every thing to bear, and when all was
accomplished to let the cup slip from my lips ! I
deceived her when I told her my aunt refused to
consent. If she was to go to Edmonton, perhaps
tl!ey might bestow on her that portion of love I feel
convinced they will now withdraw'from me. Would
that it could be so Honoured lady, Eliza says you
were offended at my silence when you condescended
to talk to me. I hope, Madam, you will not attri-
bute it to disrespect. I really knew not what to
say ; I could not but assent to the truth and just-
ness of your remarks, but I was so surrounded with
difficulties I could not say yes; and while a shadow
of hope retnaieed I would trot refuse. I sheuld
certainly have come this evening, but from Eliza's
words, and a circumstance or two lira came to my
knowledge, I thought it was a premeditated meet-
ing, and I expected to meet others whom I. should
be sorry to affront.
" With great respect, I remain, honoured lady,
yoor obedient servant,
A. WILLIS.
" Mrs. Brown, No. 2, B.:l.:lard's-ion, Fetter-lane, London."
Post-mark—High Holborn, Sept. IS.
Examination continued—She mentioned his de-
termination to her next day, and she became ex
ecetlingly distressed ; and she afterwards very fre-
quently expressed tier intention of destroying her.
self by drowning. Oa the Thursday before she took
the poison she went to the lodgings cf the young
Man (haring heard that he had married another),
and endeavoured to see his wife, but he would riot
let her, and she came home in a very dejected state.
On the following Saturday (Saturday week) she
left her house, and went to the !muse of Mr. Price,
it Dualett's-buildings.
$

By the CORONEIZ—From the Thursday to the
Saturday she talked incoherently, and did nut appear
to know• what she did.

MN. Jane Brookes, wife of John Brookes, resid-
ing at No. 5, Wcll-yard, Little Britain, box-carrier
at St. Bartholomew"sliospital, deposed that she had
iittgwn the 4mtaseti about two years. On Satur-
day seinnight she met the deceased in the square of
the hospital, and sber.told her she had taken a penny-
worth of arsenic. Witness was much alarmed, and
a,ked her where she had got it ? She said at Dr.
Dle's, in Holborn. Witness asked hei• why she
h.ul taken it 9 She replied dill not know—sbe
was mad. Y6tness tools her into the hospital 4 and
the stomach pump was applied, and he remained
there till her death.

Mrs, Mary Godfrey, residing at No. 2, Blewitt's-
buildings, Fette-lane, stated that she had known'
the deceased eight years. She had been out-asked
in church to a young man named Willis, and her
wedding-dress zas made; she had also taken a
room in Dean-street, Fetter-lane, for herself and in-
tended 4.094 cilq4 toil wiipps.s the ring was
bought. She said afterwards, that on Sunday she
was to be married, her intended had taken another
woman to church and married her by licence. She
1:44 ttct been right in her mind ever since that
event. On S4tord4Y sq'tP!iglq came to the
Witness front hcr mistress, snld slip the; aiiperptt
much agitated, and said she did not intends to go
back again ; that it was of no use, fur she hid taken
some arsenic. She went with her immediately to
the hospital. She had told her before that she
could not rest—that she should drown het self. She
was a very good and virtuous girl, and was beloved
b-• e-Tvr•• T.: arson who knew her,
# • •
Mr. George Soulby, dreser to Mr. Vincent, one
of the sividens of Cl:is hospital, deposed, that on
pSi%lllr,daly se'nnight he saw the deceased in the host
and she told burn she had taken a tea-spoonful
bf a?s,;;:i% lL apnlied the stomaeb-nump, and the
S lilad a yery n'eee.SS'a';): .rerrteliliFSlNlVcrt used. he
very inflammation in the stomach and the andOminal
viscera, lie contitiord to visit her until her death,

which happened on Monday night. Upon a post
lnortenz -examination, there Nv'ere fOund 'sloughing
ulcers in the stomach, and such morbid appearances
presented themselves that are obiervable in patients
who ;lad died from arsenic.

The young man, who was present, was then called
and examined.—lle said his name was William
lis, and lived at No. 16, Gate-street, Lincoln's-inn-
fields, and was a compositor. I have nothing to say
respecting the death of Eliza Leach. lam married.
Juror—How long was you acquainted with the
unhappy girl ? Willis--A matter of two years.
Juror—Did you publish her marriage ? Willis—l
did, Sir.
Juror—And the day fixed for the nuptials ? Wil-
lis—No, S'r, it was not; neither was the ring or
the wedding-dress bought.
Juror—Were you actually keeping company with
this woman you have married at the time ? Wil-
lis—l hope you will not press that question, Sir.
CORONER—You are not bound to answer any
question that may criminate yourself.
Juror—Had you any particular remon for break-
ing off the correspondence with the deceased ?
Willis—l had, Sir, but nothing prejudicial to her
character.

Juror--Did you consider she was attached to you ?
Willis—Yes, Sir, I have every reason to think so.

Juror—llad she any knowledge of the person
you have married ? Willis—Yes, Sir, but she was
rot aware of my marriage.
Juror—Has your wife any property ?
None whatever. •
_ _ _

Juror—When were your married to this woman ?
Willis declined answering this question.
There being no further evidence, the Foreman of
the Jury, in very strong terms, expressed the indig.
nation of the d nry at the treacherous conduct of
Willis, and the duplicity with which be had acted
towards the tinfortuture young woman. If there
was no punishment iu this world for him there would
be hereafter, unless, by due repentance, he atoned
for his wickedness in being instrumental to the death
of the hapless girl whom he had so grossly deceived.
Willis, who is rather a genteel-looking young
man, appeared to feel intensely the force of the
foreman', remark, and said no man could feel more
acutely at the deplorable event than he did at that
moment.

The Jury returned a verdict " That. deceased,
Eliza Leach, destroyed herself in a state of insanity;
and they at the same time think it right to express,
thiit there is some blame attached to the conduct of
Mr. Dale, of Holborn, for selling the arsenic, 513 also
for the unheard-of crud conduct of the young msn,
William Willis. Their opinion is so decidedly
against him, that they have not words to express
tht:lnselve,."

The inveqigat;on excited the deepest interest.

EFFECTS OF THE TIDE ON REMOVING

OLD LONDON BRIDGE.

In Class M. of the voluminous mass of ac-
counts and papers regarding all the city of Lon-
don's Corporation property (now just printed),
appear the " Reports of Surveyors in relation to
the rebuilding of London•bridge, and ►caking
Approaches thereto :" among which there arc
Reports from Mr. Nash, Mr. Telford, Mr.
Rennie, &c. _ _

As much apprehension is entertained about
the effects of the tide after the removal of the
old bridge and its piers, upon property above
as well as below bridge, it cannot fail to be in-
teresting, and may be very useful, to make some
extracts from the Report of Alr. Telford on this
exceedingly important subject, and about which
there is so much anxiety.
Thomas Telford, EN., in reporting " On the
effects which will be produced on the river
Thames by the rebuilding of London-bridge,"
observes that he took an accurate survey of the
river, aided by two persons. experienced in
making similar surveys; one surveyed the dis-
trict from London-bridge' to Putney, and the
other from Putney to Teddington-lock ; and, in
order to ensure at.curacy and proper connection
and uniformity, Mr. Telford caused one of his
own assistants, also accustomed to river surreys,
to carry levels from London-bridge to Tedding-
ton-lock ; and Mr. Telford personally superin-
itended and occasionally surveyed the proceed-
ngs. He then reports "As to the state of the
river at high water, it appears, from the Table of
Observations of the Height of the Tides at the
several bridges in 1820 and 1822, that the aver-
age fall through London-bridge at high water was
from eight to thirteen inches ; that by those of
1823, since the removal of the waterworks, the
fall, instead of eight inche3, is now only from
three to four inches ; I think, therefore, it is fair
to conclude, that, with a still leSs obstructed
waterway, there will be little or no fall at high
water, and that hereafter high tides in the western
parts of the city will, even in calm weather, be at
least on the same level as below bridge. I find
that the level of the wharfs below bridge is from
two feet and a half to four feet above the Trinity
datum, and that those of two feet and a half arc
occasionally flooded. The average level of the
wharfs above bridge is from one and a half to
two feet above the Trinity datum, and the ex-

traordinary flood of IS2I, which rose at Ted-
dington seven feet, rose at Putney only two feet,
and at Lambeth one foot eleven inches above

the said datum. Therefore, it appears that there
is more reason at present to dread the elevation
arming from the tide below bridge than from the
floods above, and that the floods of the Thames
are not sufficient, in the present state of things,
to fill the lagoon or pond above the narrows of
the bridge to the height which some of the tides
do below, and which, there is reason to believe,
they also would above, were the channel unob-
structed. It may be supposed that the quantity
of tide coming in at the Nore being given, the
additional space provided for it by opening the
upper part of the river will prevent it from rising
so high as it now does near the bridge, and that,
therefore, not only is there a probability of no
greater elevation occurring there than at present,
but that it in similar circumstances, be
lower below bridge—consequently, that no dan•
gar can arise above.
When it is high water at the Nore we have. it
within two hours high water at London-bridge,
at the distance of forty miles, so that the high
water passes up at the rate or 20 miles per hour,
so much more rapidly than any known velocity
of the river, that its effects are not to be ac-
the flowing of the curent merely,
4costitzllifporsb4l4,,so
the case in filling up the
pond to Tedduigton through the arches of Lon-
don-bridge.
• In this last case we have levelled along the
banks of the river, and find, alter correcting the
expressing Trinity datum, that the lowest
fitqfae;: o; high Water iz at Putney ; that it rises
about one foot at Teddington, and nearly as
much 2t. L011(1011-docks ; but this is liable to
considerable variation. .

There runs, at present, through London-
bridge, between the lowest chb and high water
o ordinary fiprinp (or 4 feet tides) ab,ve
brilge, 58,2. millions cubic feet (5814342,710),
and if London-bridge be removed, so that these
be no material dam at low water, we have also
to fill the pond now caused by that darn. This
pant is fronl four to six fe (leen at 0:9. h•-icige
at lour; water, and we iind tliat the level of low
Waterabove) rid
he meets at the bottom of. the

Thames between Putney and Kew, viz. ten and
a half milei above taking this as the
head of the pond, the average breadth at 600
feet at low water, the mean depth to be filled at
two feet, we hare an addition of 75 millions of
cubic feet or 1-57th of the quantity of tide water
between London and Gravesend, or only 1-284th
of the whole quantity of tide water within the
Nore ; therefore the whole water n hich must
pass the new bridge, to raise the upper river to
the level of high water below bridge, is 657 mil-
lions, or 1-3.2 d of the entire quantity of tide
water within the Nore below bridge.

It is a well-known fact that the tide in nar-
row channels with funnel-shaped mouths, or
against coasts which oppose its regular course,
rises considerably higher than at the places which
are situated in retired bays, or under the wake
of projecting points; thus the Atlantic tide run-
ning up the channel rises six or seven fathoms
against the French coast, near St. Melo and
Havre, while on the opposite English coast,.at
Portland and Poole, we have only one fathom rise.
In St. George's Channel the tides, at Mil-
ford and along the Welsh coast, rise four fa-
thoms ; on the opposite Irish coast, from Cam-
sore Point to Wicklow, hardly one fathom ;
many similar instances might be given.
The general set of the current up the Thames
forms a branch, which at the Nore at noon,
rises, as we have • said, 14 feet, but from thence
the funnel-shape produces a gradual increase in
the oscillation until we arrive near London ;
that at Gravesend, at one, the rise is 16 feet ; at
Woolwich, at three-quarters past one, it is 18
feet ; at Deptford, at two o'clock, we have 18i
feet, but at Billingsgate, at a quarter past two
o'clock, there is a rise of 17 feet only. The
action of the tide is now affected by the bridges,
the regular progress of this wave being checked,
and the surface of the high water declines all the
way to Putney, where it is high water at -a quar-
ter past three o'clock ; but from thence again
there is a rise of one foot to Teddingtcn, where
it is. high water at three-quarters past four ;
Ileum observe, that from Billingsgate to Ted-
dington the wave passes at the rate of eight
miles per hour only, while below Billingsgate the
same wave of high water passes at the rate of 20
miles per hour, or, more particularly—
From Niles. Hour. Min. Miles.

The Nore to Grarezend IS i❑ 1 0 IS per how
Gravesend to Wooh.ich 15 in 0 45 20

Woolwich to Deptfird... 63.- in 0 15 22
Deptford to Bilingsgate 4 in 0 15 16
Billing,gate to Swan _

Stairs n loss of 0 in 0 10
Sw.ln Stair, to Putney 7 in 0 b 9 Si

Putney t,) TeAington... 11 in 1 SO 71 -Sd
It is obvious, then, that this rapid diminution
of the velocity of high water is caused by the
narrow at London-bridge, and that were that
obstruction removed there is every reason to be-
lieve the velocity in the upper river would be
greatly increased.
It must also be observed that the fall or dif-
ference of height between the surfaces above and
below bridge at high water, must not alone be
taken as the proper measure of the obstruction,
and used as a datum throughout a calculation,
because the fall through the whole tide is much
greater. In one very moderate strong tide,
which I observed on the 26th of May last, when
the WI at high water was only five inches, the
fall through the preceding part of the tide had
been 14 inches.

The high water will therefore go up to the
head of the tideway more speedily, and will tise
higher than at present.

OF THE RIVER AT LOW WATER.

This water must also return with greater ve-
locity; and the removal of the bridge will not
only permit the increased head to pass off at the
ebb, but likewise that portion which is now re-
tained by the obstruction.
Were the flood tide not to return, and the
stream of the river to cease, the bed•would ex-
hibit a series of ponds, at levels gradually in-
creasing in elevation as we pass to the westward,
of which the first would extend to Battersea-
bridge, having a shoal at Westminster-bridge, on
which there will be little or no water, and nearly
2,000 yards in length.
The second pond, from Battersea to Putney;
would be 16 inches higher than the former. At
Putney-bridge would be a rise of 17 inches ;
above Putney to Mortlake is a shallow channel
with small pools; in the deepest passage across
the bars, there is now less than three feet of
water, &c. _ _

The depth over the bar is no where less than
2 feet, or more than fuur feet ; but this depth
is %lid' some difficulty sufficient at present for
navigation to the locks at Teddington.
Were the liver water to be run off above
bridge this naviga ion must cease, unless a new
channel be excavated through the shoals, inde-
pendent of the depression in the lower pond,
which the new bridge will permit, a longer time
will be given for the ebb to empty the upper
reaches, as we may see by inquiring whether the
obstruction of London-bridge occasions any re-
markable deviation from the progress of the ebb,
as we have just found it to do in the case of the
flood tide, whereby we form some judgment of
the probable result of its removal with respect
to the velocity of the ebb stream.

Allowing, therefore, that the tide at the Nore
occupies six hours sixteen minutes, or the regu-
lar half-tide, we find that low water proceeds—

From

Miles.

Hour. Min. Miles.

:
The Norc to Gravesend 18 in 1 21. 13 er hour
Gravesend to Woolwich 15 in 1 8 p
Woolwich to Deptford 6} in 0 37i 10 2.3ds
Deptford teßillingsgate 4 in 0 224- 10
Billingsgate to.oll Swan
a loss of 0 in 0 20
Old Swan in Westminster 2 in 0 224 5
Westminster to Putney 5l in 1 31 3+
Putney to Teddinton 11 in 320 3 1.3 d
which exhibits the same rapid changes of velocity
caused by the bridges as in the case of flood.
Were the bridge removed, therefore, it is
evident• that the velocity of the ebb above the
bridge would mateiially increase, the time of low
water be earlier than at present, the drainage of the
upper ponds more complete, and the navigation,
which is now practicable up :o Teddington,
would cease too early near that place.