The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-11-29 00:00:00

LONDON CORONER'S INQUEST.

Monday afternoon an inqueit was held at the Rose and
Crown Tavern, Union-street, before Mr. R. Carter, coroner for
Surrey, on the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Bedwell, aged 63, late
of Southwark-square, whose death was occasioned by a stab in
the left side, inflicted by the hand of her husband. Since the
dreadful occurrence took place the husband of the deceased
has been confined in the county gaol, where it was found neces-
sary to keep a strict watch upon him, owing to the excessive
state of irritation of mind under which he has laboured ever
since.

The proceedings excited, as may be supposed, very consider-
able interest in the neighbourhood, and during the day num-
bers of persons collected in front of the house where the inquest
was held, anxious to know the result of the inquiry.
Mr. Wooler attended to watch the proceedings on the part of
Mr. Bedweil, being retained bi that individual's family.
Mary Ann Barnes sworn.— have been living in the service
of Mr. Benjamin Bedwell and his deceased wife for the last
two years and a half. On Tuesday morning last my master and
mistress came down stairs into the kitchen, where the breakfast
was laid ; my mistress poured out two cups of tea, and they
both drank it without sitting down. The deceased appeared
to be unhappy in her mind, and desired me to go over to Mrs.
Hopkins to tell her to come to the house. I went up stairs, and
while I was going my mistress came after me, and passed up
stairs, as if going to the lodger's room. When she was pro-
ceeding up stairs, Mr. Bedwell ran after the deceased, and
tried to pull her down, upon which she called, out to Mr. Plum-
mer, the lodger, to make an alarm at the window. The deceased
having spoken the words, escaped down stairs, and ran into
the parlour, into which she was followed by her husband,
who dragged her out, and she again broke loose from him,
and ran down stairs into the kitchen, whither he followed
her, and in attempting to escape up the front area, he again '
seized her clothes, and drew her back into the kitchen. Wit-
ness was exceedingly alarmed, and cried out aloud, upon
which Mr. Bedwell placed the deceased in a chair, near
the kitchen dour, and, turning round to me, exclaimed, " Be
off out of the house, and don't stop here making a noise !"
Instead of going out of the house, M r. Bedwell having previ-
ously locked- the street door, I went into the back kitchen, leav-
ing my master and mistress in the front kitchen. While I was
in the back kitchen, and 1 should think about a quarter of an
hour after I was turned out of the front, I heard my mistress
"He has stabbed me, he has stabbed me!' I then
ran into the front kitchen, and saw the deceased lying down
near the front door; her clothes were partly up, and I saw
blood issuing in quantities from a wound on the lower part of
the right side. I also saw a large knife lying upon the tea-tray,
with blood upon it. Mr. Bedwell, at this time, was standing on
the ground; I gave an immediate alarm, by crying out " Mur-
,der !" upon which Mr. Leach got over the iron railings, and
made his way into the kitchen, and seized Mr. Bedwell, who
was standing at that time near the half-glass-door, leading from
the area, when the latter_ gaie we the key of the street door,
which he took from his pocket. By this time several other
persons came into tfie hbuse, and the deceased, by her own de-
sire, was conveyed into the house of Mrs. Hartley, an intimate•
acquaintance, residing at No. 10 in the same square, where she
died on Friday evening, at 8 o'clock.
Mr. Josepti Howell, surgeon, of Union-street, sworn.—l
was informed of the circumstance soon after it had occurred,
and, on going to No. 10, Southwark .square, saw the deceased,
who was then lying in bed in a very exhausted condition. Her
clothes, which were deluged in blood, were upon her at the
tithe, and at soon as I cut them away I perceived, on exam-
ination, 'that she had received a wound in her right side, about
an inch -soda quarter iu length and about 6 inches in depth.
I attended the deceased from that time until she died, on Fri-
day night, aad her death was produced by the stab that was
inflicted.
Juror.—De you know the state of Mr. Bedwell's mind?
Witness.—l have attended on the family fur some time, and
know that Bedwell's mind has been affected for some time.
The witness was about to enter more fully into explanation on
the subject, when the coroner said that that was a question
with which 'they had nothing to do,—that would be proved
elsewhere.

Mr. Woo'er thanked the coroner in the name of Mr. Bed-
well's friend, and said that evidence of his insanity would be
proved at the proper time.
The jury, without the least hesitation, returned a verdict of
" wilful mu/der" against the deceased's husband, and the pa-
rish authorities were bound over to prosecute.

We regret to learn that in the neighbourhood of Winchester,
Alton, and other parts of Ilampshire, highway robbery is be-
coming extremely prevalent.
The Earland Countess of Verulam and family left Grosvenor-
square for Gorhambury, where the contemplated marriage be-
tween Lad/ Katharine Grimston and Mr. Barham, nephew to
the Earl otThanet, is expected to be solemnized in about three
weeks. Tie honeymoon, we hear, will be passed at the seat of
Mr. Barham, in Pembrokeshire, for which county the hon.
gentleman has been nominate.l as sheriff.
FRENCHIPIED WHIGS.—This is a graphic title for the mon-
r els. It was given to them by, a gentleman at Nottin,ghani,
while underexamination before the corporation commissioners;
and upon being asked by one of them what were his political
principles, hi., answer was—" if I know the definition of an old
Whig, I an of that principle; I am not a Frenchified Whig—
I abhor their principles."
LIBERAIITY v. LIBERALISM.—The Earl of Lonsdale has, at
a crmsiderable expense, formed a reservoir of water in the town
of Whitehaven. and has just announced to the inhabitants that
it is for 11w public use, and that he will lay down pipes to.con-
vey it io certain quarters of the town, where. those who ate
unable- to ray for it have been hitherto short of this necessary
•article to twir health and comfort. His lordship has also just
added to hit other munificent donations to the town, that of a
new building for the public ':brary.