The Sun. — 1848-06-28 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK.  Ellen Merritt, a repulsive-looking middle-aged female, was placed at the dock before Mr. Cottirigham, charged with wilfully murdering Thomas Winter, a man with whom she formerly cohabited. William Winter, a son of the deceased, said that on Wednesday evening, the 24th ult., be went home with his father to the lodgings of the prisoner in Loman-street, Southwark. As soon as they got inside the room, witness asked the prisoner for his supper. She refused to give him any, and because he grumbled at her conduct she took up a pinion of a beer-engine and struck him on the head. The deceased immediately interfered, and remonstrated with her for striking him with such a weapon, when they had some words together. Witness's head bled so much that he fell down, and was a short time after taken out of the room. A few minutes afterwards he heard a loud smash in his father's room, and fall. He instantly went up stairs, and when they gained an entrance they found the candle was not lighted, and perceived his father lying on the floor with his face and head covered with blood. No other person was in the room but his father and the prisoner ; and the latter jumped out of bed and put the light out, as soon as he left the room.  Thomas Pilkingten, the landlord of the house in which the prisoner and deceased resided, said that he always considered them married. They frequently had words, but on the night in question the prisoner was more violent than usual. While sitting in his room, he heard last witness call out murder, which caused him to proceed up stairs, when he found the boy bleeding from a wound on the head. He took the lad down to dress the wound, and while doing so he heard a crash and a heavy fall on the floor. He instantly ran up stairs, but the door was locked, and the candle put out, which induced him to call in the police.  Sergeant Parnell, No. 5 M, said that on the night in question he was called into the house occupied by the latter witness. He told him to go up stairs, as he was afraid murder had been committed in the prisoner's room. Witness went up stairs and knocked at the door, but no person answered for several minutes. At last a female came to the door, and exclaimed, "I can't find the key." He then burst open the door, and with the assistance of a candle, which last witness carried, he perceived deceased lyir.g °tithe floor in a pool of blood, near the bed. The prisoner was in bed, and in answer to his questions, she said, " that the deceased had thrown the contents of a chamber utensil over her, and she in her passion wrested it from him and threw it away. The candle went out, and she could not say where it went." Witness procured assistance and took the deceased and his son to the hospital, where their wounds were dressed, and so little was thought of those inflicted on the head of deceased that he refused to give any charge against the prisoner. A tew days afterwards he heard that the deceased bad been admitted into Guy's Hospital, where he expired. An inquest was held upon the body, when tha prisoner explained to the jury as witness had stated, in conseqnence of which a verdict of " Accidental Death" was returned.  Mr.