The Sun. — 1831-03-11 (London, England)

MURDER AT BETHNAL GREEN.  CORONER'S INQUEST.-( THIS DAY.) An inquisition was commenced this morning, at eleven o'clock, at the sign of the Lord Collingwood, North-street, Bethnalgreen, before Mr. BAKEIt and a respectable Jury, on the body of Jane Markham, who was inhumanly murdered in her own dwelling. Considerable excitement prevailed in the neighbour. hood, and a large crowd was collected in front of the house where the inquest was held. The Jury having viewed the body, and inspected the premises, the following evidence was received:— As soon as the Jury had been sworn, the Coroner addressed them, stating the law relative to murder, and cautioning them against allowing their minds to be influenced by the statements which they might have seen in the newspapers. The body of the deceased was lying in a small room at the back of the shop, and presented a horrid spectacle from the wounds that had been inflicted about the face and forehead. Mr. William Lincoln deposed that he was a tailor, and resided at No. 12, Anchor street, Bethnal Green. He was distantly related to the deceased, who was a widow, aged 67 years. She had been twice married; her first husband was named Dexter, and by him she had a son and a daughter, both of whom were grown up and settled in life; their names were Samuel and Nancy; the former was about 45 years old. She was afterwards married to John Markham, by whom she had three children, a son and two daughters, all of whom are still living, Witness did not know the residence of Samuel Dexter. The deceased was pt ssessed of a leasehold house, in Devonshire-street, which she had purchased since the death of her last husband, and the house in which she lived was also her's upon a long lease, subject only to the payment of a trifling ground rent. A book was found in her drawers from which it appeared she had deposited a sum of 401. in a savings bank. She kept a broker's shop, and bought and sold old furniture. Her habits were very retired, and she lived in the house by herself. She used occasionally to attend sales, and when she did so, the shop was closed up. The house in which she lived contained three rooms, besides the shop and a washhouse. The room in which the body was found was called the kitchen. Witness could not tell upon what terms the deceased was with the family, or what intercourse she had with them. From all that he had heard, he believed she was on friendly terms with him.  Anthony Rawlings deposed, that he lived in Tottenham-courtroad ; he was a son-in-law of the deceased, having married her (laughter Jane Markham ; the deceased's eldest son is named S tmuel Dexter ; he is a jobbing painter and glazier, but witness does not know where he lives; He always understood that the deceased and this son were on good terms, and that he used to visit her occasionally. It was nearly A month since he last saw her alive.  Anthony Rawlings in continuation.—He first heard of the de. ceased's death about twelve o'clock on Thursday morning. Mrs. Mallard informed him of it. Witness's wife immediately fainted away. A note had been received by witness's wife on the Wednesday evening, but they could not make out what it was about.  (The note was here produced; it was badly written and spelt, and by what could be gathered from it, it alluded to to a melancholy catastrophe, and a death in the family. It was signed with the name of the deceased's son, John Markham, but was understood not to be in his hand-writing. John Markham, the son of the deceased was here called, and shown the note, which he immediately said was not his handwriting, but was written by a policeman, at his request,on Wednesday afternoon. Witness could write, but was too much agitated at the time to do so. It was written in the house of the deceased, after he had become acquainted with her death. The examination was proceeding when we went to press, and appeared likely to last the entire day.