The Sun. — 1845-08-11 (London, England)

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 Spicer, 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 had come to an untimely end by the hands of her husband, William Spicer, a journeyman 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 office, before Mr. G. Morton, Deputy Coroner for the borough, and a respectable jury, when the following witnesses were examined :  Martha Anbry deposed—l am on a visit to my sister, Mrs. Tomkins, of No. 15, Howard-street, next door to Mr. Spicer's. I knew the deceased by her coming in and out of my sister's house ; saw her about 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, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Spicer, like something heavy falling down stairs. My sister said, " Oh ! what can-that be ?—surely that is never Mrs. Spicer fallen down ?" I said, " Stop, don't you go, 111 run," and instantly ran out of the door into the front garden, and looked through Mr. Spicer's window. I there saw Mr. Spicer 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 matter, 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 is 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 had 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 immediately went to inform Mr. Moulton, the superintendent of police of this borough. 13y the