The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-12-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A  LADY IN LONDON. THE INQUEST-VERDICT OF V ILFUL MURDER.  The aljourned inquest upon the body of Annie Jane Fanny IBLean, 34 (daughter of the late Colonel BPLeser, C. 8.), of Broadway, Worcestershire, who died under peculiar circunastatices at a coffee house, 128, Seymour. place, Marylebone, on the 17th of last month, was resumed on Tuesday by Dr. Hardwicke, the coroner for Central Middlesex, at the Buffalo's Head, Maryleboneeroad It will be remembered that the meclical evidence showed that death was accelerated by taking exceseive stimulants, which it is alleged were given deceased in a reckless manner by a married man named Lewis James Paine, with whom shecohabited, and in whose favour deceased, who is the poessor of coneiderable propstry, had made a will. Dur iug the process of the case some revelations of a startling charaeter have been elicited from the various witnesses, causing great sensation and indignation. At the last sitting of the Court. Paine, who was present when the enquiry commenced, abeented himself daring the morning, and as he bad not re-appeered at the adjournment of the Court, the Coroner issued a warrant for bts apprehension for contempt: It was not, however, executed, and Mr Lewis Paine appeared in due eourse, and monied s seat by the side of his s dicitor. The witnesses examined confirmed the statements already published. The Coroner, in summing up, said the deceased lady's mother by her will left the de- I ceased considerable proper*, and left her sole executor to it. This property, together with a small pension to be paid to her as long as he remained single, amounted to about £l5O per annum. Paine and the deceased went about a good deal; and later on Col. McLean and his wile came to Broadway, Worcester, and the family were in March joined by Paine and the deceased, who represented that they had been married. In April, however, the mother died somewhat suddenly of apoplexy. On the 24th of August last Paine and the deceased came up to London to bid farewell to her brother, D. MoLean,who, with his wife, VILA leaving for America. After that Paine mid the deceased went to lodge for a time at Alexander-terrace, Weethourne Perk. After that they went again to Broadway, Worcester, which appeared to have been their head-quarters till the commencement of November, when the deceased was brought by Paine and Fanny Matthews to the cosewhouse at Seymour. place. The. Coroner then went through the various points of the evidence. The jury then retired, and after a short absence returned a verdiet of wilful mnrdei against Lewis James Paine, and also a verdict of wilful murder against Fanny Matthews, as an accessory to the fact. Palite was then taken into custody. Fanny Matthews, a young womao about twenty-four, was also arrested. A painful scene ensued. The aged father of Fanny Matthews was in Court, au a begged hard to be allowed to e.eldress a dew observations to the Coroner on behalf of his daughter. The Coroner said that hiedauehter no doubt would have a fair trial. The old man then, in a state of great excitement, suddenly turned round upon Paine, who was standing close by, and charged him with being the ruin of his daughter, and was about to strike him. The blow was prevented by the officers of the Court, and the woman was led into an adjoining room vowing she would tell all she knew, for she was not going to be hanged without speaking. Paine soon regained the self-possession he had displayed during the proceedings, and laughed freely when be was bearing his depositiona read over. He had at first expressed surprise at hearing that he would at once be conveyed to Newgate, but in the end readily aesented to being searched by the polies His loose money, amounting to about .22, was given to his third wife, who was present throughout the enquiry. The prisoners were driven off in a cab, amidst shouts of execration from a large mob, newly of whom tried to seize Paine.