The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-11 00:00:00

SUPPOSED MURDER.

READING, SATURDAY.—Throughout to-day this town
has been in a state of great excitement, in consequence
of a report gaining ground that on the previous evening
a woman, named Elizabeth Spier, residing at No. 16,
Howard-street, had been found in a lifeless state in the
cellar of the house, under circumstances which led to
the conclusion that she bad come to an untimely end by
the hands of her husband, William Spicer, a journey-
man basket-maker, and who has been taken into custody
on the charge of having caused the death of his wife.
Considerable sensation prevails throughout the town ;
the more so as happily so dreadful a crime has not been
perpetrated in this borough within the remembrance of
the oldest inhabitant.

The inquest was held this evening at the public offiee,
before Mr. G. Morton, Deputy Coroner for the borough,
and a respectable jury, when the following witnesses
were examined :

Martha Aubry deposed—l am on a visit to my sister,
Mrd. Tomkins, of No. 15, I:Toward-street, next door to
Mr. Spicer's. I knew the deceased 11v her coming in
and out or my luster's house ; saw ner auout eleven
o'clock yesterday, when she was in her usual good
health. She came to borrow a clothes-prop of my
sister. We dined between twelve and one o'clock. Whilst
at dinner we heard a noise in the adjoining house, occu-
pied by Mr. and Mrs. Spicer, like something heavy
felling down stairs. My sister said, "Oh ! what can that
be ?—surely that is never Mrs. Spicer falls n down ?"
I said, " Stop, don't you go, I'll run," and instantly ran
out of the door into the front garden, and looked through
Mr. Spicer's window. I there saw Mr. Spider looking
down the cellar stairs, and I concluded that nothing
serious had happened. I distinctly saw Mr. Spicer
standing looking down the stairs. I went back into my
sister's house and said, " Oh, there is nothing the mat-
ter, Mr. Spicer is at home." At the time I saw Mrs.
Spicer in the morning she appeared perfectly sober. I
heard nothing disagreeable pass between them before I
heard the noise.

Henry Tomkins—l live at No. 15. Howard-street,
and am by trade a shoemaker. I live next door to Mr.
Spicer. I have known Mrs. Spicer for about two years.
Last November they were married. I saw Mrs. Spicer
about eleven o'clock yesterday. She came into my
house to borrow a clothes-prop. About half-past twelve
we were at dinner, when we heard a tremendous crash
in the next house, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Spicer.
We were all alarmed, having heard that Mrs. spicer had
a fit some time before. We said, " There is poor Mrs.
Spicer fallen down stairs." I did not see Mrs. Spicer
any time between hearing that noise and eight o'clock
in the evening. About eight o'clock in the evening
Mr. Spicer came out of his front door, and I went out.
He said, " Mr. Tomkins, have you seen anything of my
wife?" I said, " No; is she not at home?" He said,
" I came home to my tea and did not find her. I cannot
make out where she is got to." I said, " Oh dear, it is
not she that has fallen down the cellar." He said,
" Oh dear, I do not know," and went immediately towards
the cellar-door. I was in my own garden at the time.
In about a minute he came out again and said, " Oh dear
me, my wife is dead." It was near eight o'clock,
and he bad no candle. Spicer then immediately got
a light, and Mr. House, who had been in my house,
went in to Spicer's, and took the candle, and both of us
went down the cellar. Whilst we were in the cellar, Mr.
Spicer was sitting down in a chair in his front room. We
found the body of Mrs. Spicer at the bottom of the stairs,
and her face against the wall. She was lying on her
right side, with a great wound in her temple. The head
was dreadfully cut and bruised, and there was a great
deal of blood on her head. Her cap was off her head,
and her clothes smooth upon her body. Her legs were
in an upward position, resting on the steps. I imme-
diately went to inform Mr. Houlton, the superintendent
of police of this borough.
By the DEPUTY-CORONER—When I saw her in the
morning she was perfectly sober. She was not a person
addicted to drinking. They were not in the habit of
quarrelling, but about three weeks ago we heard them
quarrel for about an hour up-stairs. She has frequently
complained to me of her husband coming home intoxi..
cat- el, and late at night. Mr. House and myself went into
the cellar. Mr. Spicer was sitting in the front room,
and he made no observation. The noise I heard was a
crash, as if something heavy had fallen. The blood I
saw was black and congealed.
George House, of No. 30, Upper Hosier-street, la-
bourer—l knew Mr. and Mrs. Spicer before they were
married, about eight months ago. I was at Mr. Tom-
kins's house about half-past seven o'clock last night
until about eight o'clock. I was standing at Mr. Tom-
kins's gate, about to leave, when Mr. Spicer came to his
door, and asked Mr. Tomkins if his (Mr. Spicer's) wife
was at Mr Tomkins's house. Mr. Tomkins replied,
no ; and asked Mr. Spicer if she wasn't up-stairs. He
said no, he had been up stairs. Mr. Tomkins then asked
g
him if she was down in the cellar ? He said, Ido not
know,
ebnutt
toI thewillledo
goeelanrlsocer d,"aonwdn a then lighted ghotred
tawo. candle,lfe
and
etheemne to returned
doordaad
apnladcesdaitdhetecamned,le„oon
ht,heehetabiele,do%nnd
there." I then direely called Mr. Tomkins, and we
We went down stairs. 3 . the front
went together to Spicer sfr Tsphiseocranredmlealsn'aesdolin the table.
room, crying. I saw the body at the bottom of the stairs,
the feet were upwards, and the head doubled under. The
face was covered with blood. Saw the left eye wounded.
The other was pressing against the wall. There was
much blood on the floor. The cap was off the head. I
fork and a pair
df ofoffo
bread
found
pl pi
fe
er s
e,
xandtappearedin et bt
ow.r e
eab dee
abfmra
ese
ek
hue
saw the bread lying on the floor. There was also a
ptcus lying
it
.si
fa
ebl ot ut
the
. e
bSohdey laona
together. Mr. Tomkins went for Mr. Houlton, the
superintendent of police, and I gave an alarm to the
neighbours.

By the DEPUTY CORONER—I asked Mr. Spicer if he
had any tea when he came home at tea time, and he said
he had no tea, but a piece of meat and a piece of bread
on a plate remaining from dinner time. He then, he
said, went to Mr. Sharp's, at the Royal Oak, and had a
pint of beer, and inquired if his wife had been there, and
they said she had not. He then called again on coming
home in the evening, and found she had not been there
then. About nine or ten o'clock in the evening Spicer
said, that whilst he was out in the yard after dinner he
heard a noise like some one falling down stairs.
Witness continued—When I saw the body the legs
were visible half-way up, to about the calf. Both the
legs remained as much uncovered.
By a Juror—l am not immediately connected with
Spicer any more than that he has dealt with me at times.
By another Juror—Before I had the conversation with

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
The insertion of the letter signed " Spy in the Camp," would
subject us to a prosecution for libel.