The Sun. — 1859-08-18 (London, England)

THE TIMOICAL OCCURRENCE AT  BALL'S POND.  Yesterday afternoon the adjourned investigation as to the death of Miss Elizabeth Freshfield, said to be the daughter of the Mayor of Harwich, was resumed before Mr. Wakley, at the Mildmay Tavern Ball's-pond-road. It will be remembered that the deceased lady occupied apartments with Mr. Clement John Carnell, whose wife she passed for, at'Mr. Webster's, at No. 65, Mildmay-terrace, and that, on the morning of Sunday week last, she died, in the presence of two medical gentlemen who had been called in, as was afterwards discovered, from the effects of frightful lacerations, produced, it was believed, by instruments used by Mr. Carnell, in an attempt to -procure abortion. On the fact of her death being communicated to ger supposed husband, the unfortunate man rushed out into the garden, and after groaning and running about in a frantic manner, cut his throat with a razor, and fell dead in the presence of the landlord, who endeavoured to prevent him from committing the dreadful act. The inquest was opened upon the bodies of both the deceased persons, and in the case of the male concluded in a verdict being returned, to the effect that he had committed self-destruction in a moment of frenzy, caused by the death of the other deceased, in whose case the inquiry was adjourned, for the purpose, if possible, of discovering the instruments which had been the cause of her death. On the re-assembling of the jury, Sergeant Crisp, 3 N, said he had searched every part of the premises, and, assisted by a bricklayer, had also thoroughly searched the drains leading thereto, but no surgical instruments had been found. He had nothing further to communicate. Mr. Freshfield, brother to the deceased lady, in reply to the Coroner, said he had no additional testimony to offer. Mr. Wakley said it would be remembered that a small box containing letters had been placed in his hands at their last sitting. There were only three in any way berring upon the present case, from which he proposed to read extracts. They were each addressed to Miss Freshfield, and Mr. Freshfield having identified the handwriting as that of the deceased, Mr. Clement John Carnell, the Coroner read them. They were as follows : " June 2, 1859.—1 was much pleased to hear that you were happy within yourself, and I hope you will continue to be so, as your continual worrying yourself tends to prevent your object and your recovery. If you find it necessary take some more of the same medicine."  " June 6, 1859.—Darling,—If you find the medicine makes you sick take less of it, and not on an empty stomach, as it is then more likely to make you sick."  On the third letter there was no date, but it contained the following : " I hope, dearest, the note arrived all safely enclosing the medicine. Tell me in the next how your last medicine agreed." The Coroner observed that these letters showed  that the deceased lady had been taking medicine under the guidance of the male deceased. The question, however, to be decided was, whether the injuries that caused the death of the unfortunate lady were inflicted by herself or by the male deceased. If by the latter he had been guilty of the crime of wilful murder. He could not in this instance pcint to a single part of the evidence that did not show Mr. Camel! to be perfectly rational up to the time of Miss Freshfield's death. There was no possible doubt but that she died of haemorrhage produced by an attempt to procure abortion, and that a wound was thus made two inches in length and of a most frightful character. He feared the jury could come to but one conclusion, and that was that Mr. Carnell had committed this shocking act. That being the case, although the deceased lady was a consenting party, it did not alter the fact in law, that the man alone was liable for the offence, and if Clement John Carnell in this attempted to procure abortion he was .guilty of the crime of wilful Inurder. The jury deliberated for about three-quarters of an hour, and ultimately returned a verdict, " That Elizabeth Freshfield was wilfully murdered by Clement John Carnell."