The Sun. — 1842-02-19 (London, England)

MURDER IN WESTMINSTER. A long investigation was yesterday gone into before Mr. Gell, Coroner for Westminker, assisted by Mr. Higgs, at the Red Lion, Princes-street, Westminster, to inquire concerning the death of Mary Reid, aged 55, whose death took place in the Westminster Hosp.tal, on Wednesday evening, through. injuries she had received by the violence of an itinerant human and razor-grinder, on Monday last, named James Roberts, alias Featherfoot, living at 34, Old Pye-street, Westminster. William Keen, 34, Castle-lane, Westminster, deposed that the deceased lived at the Foer beershop, in York-street, Westminster, with her husband, who is a mason. On Monday, about seven o'clock, as he was sitting in the beer-shop, deceased came is and asked if some one would go out and drive away a man who was at the door, but no one took notice of the matter, and de= ceased herself went to the door, when witness heard a noise as of a heavy blow, and deceased staggered back to the settle, bleeding profusely from the back part of the head. Witeess then went out, and saw a man with a grindstone in his hand, holding it up by the spindle that went through it. It was stated by persons outside, that he had struck the deceased with it. He was shortly after taken to the station-house. George Francis Crow, 54, York-street, Westminster, stated that he was standing in the front of his shop on itlowlay evening, and saw Roberts coining along with a grindstone and knife in his han I, insultinr, two females by using indecent language towards them, and pushing them off the pavement. shortly afterwards the deceased was coming the same way when, the prisoner accosted her in a similar manner. She said that had her husband been there he (the prisoner) would not have dared to do so. Roberts then raised the machine he held in hie hand, and struck at deceased, but she warded off the blow by a pair of men's shoes she was carrying. She then ran towards the house in which she lodged, which was only two doors off, and Roberts followed her. She went into the house the front way, and Roberis waited outside, using the most dreadful imprecations, saying he would beat her brains out before he went away. itness desired him to go about his business, when he threatened t.) serve him the same. In about three minutes deceased was coining out of the door to go to the entrance of her own apar,ments by the side of the house, when the villain rushed towa de her, and struck her a dreadful blow on the head with the grindstone. The poor woman fell back in the house. The p, rpetrator then attempted to go off, but witness detained him till a policeman came, who took him to the station-house. Mr. Reginald James, house-surgeon, at Westminster Hospital, said deceased was brought in on Monday evening last, in a state of insensibility, with a severe wound on the left side of the head, and contusion of the brain. She never rallied, and died on Vl', d iesday evening. The injuries were sufficient to cause death.  William H. East, 58 B deposed. that he took the prisoner into custody on Monday evening. The prisoner told witness on the following morning that, if he had known that deceased would have given him such a cold berth, he would have killed her at once. This was said after being in the station-house all night. Other evi/ence corroborating the above was given; after a few remarks fro n the Coroner on the case, and in about a quarter of an hour, the Jury unanimously returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder " against James Roberts, and the Coroner issued a warrant for his committal to Newgate.