The Express. — 1867-10-25 (London, England)

THE BLOOMSBURY MURDER.  THE ADJOURNED INQUEST. At the close of the evidence yesterday, The Coroner observed that if the jury were not eatiefied that there was not • particle of truth in Mrs. Janman's evidence, Mr. Sleigh should be allowed to call further evidence in refutation of her statements. It was possible for the inquiry to be adjourned from time to time in order to have Groves present if the jury thought that desirable, or they might at once deliver an open verdict, or a verdict accusing Groves of the crime. In his opinion there was • deficiency of anything like evidence that Groves really fired the shot. Groves himself admitted that he wu at the Turk's Head between 12 and 1 o'clock on the night of the murder, but as to the direction he took after leaving there was mot the slightest evidence. Even the evidence of Mrs. Janman did not point to the way he went, nor would it, if worthy of belief, prove that he was the person who fired the shot. They had also evidence that the bullet by which M'l)onnell was murdered would no: fit the pistol found at Groves' lodgings. But Mrs. Janman, by her contradictory statements, and by writing letters in which there was not a particle of truth, had, in his opinion, placed herself entirely out of court. (Applause.) Many of her statements did not at all harmonise, and there was something so worderful upon the doctrine of chances in the circumstance that she should not only have seen the men before the murder, but that she should have heard them threatening murder, and then that she should have met them again in Oxford-street as they came out of Hartstreet, and that at thatmoment one cf them should be speaking to the other of what he had done, that her story was altogether improbable. It was exoeedinglyimprobable, in the first place, that one of the men should put on a beard to disguise himself, and that the other should immediately afterwards address him by name in the street, but it was still more difficult of belief that Providence should so arrange that she should some days afterwards meet the dark man in Oxford-street, and that he should then be talking to some others about the murder. The evident.) of this woman was not worthy of the attention of the jury. If any of them were inclined to give ere. denoe to any portion of it further inquiry would be necessary in order that it might be more thoroughly sifted, but his own impression was that in so important a case the jury ought not to deliver a verdict according to such evidence, and even if they believed her statement it would not establish the fact that the pistol was fired by Groves. Then it was a question whether the inquiry should be adjourned in the hope that they might get further evidence. It was no doubt very shocking that with such a police force as the metropolis possessed, it should be neoesaary to abandon an inquiry aa to a murder committed in the streets of London, and if the jury arrived at any decision, their investigation would be brought to an end. At the same time, if they delivered an open verdict and further evidence afterwards name to light, Groves might again be brought before a police magistrate and committed upon the charge of murder. Another point to be borne in mind was that if the jury now returned a verdict against Groves, be would probably be acquitted by the criminal court, in consequence of the insufficiency of the evidence, and he could not in that case be again tried for the murder.  The jury then retired, and upon their return into court, after an absence of a quarter of an hour, The Foreman said by a majority of 15 to 2we have agreed to the following verdict—" That Edwin M'Donnell met his death by a pistol shot fired on the night of the 27th of September or the morning of the tith by some person unknown ; and the jury further desire to express their opinion that Mrs. Denman has been guilty of conspiracy and perjury, and to recommend that she be prosecuted." The Coroner—l have no power to prosecute. The latter part of your finding must therefore appear u a separate resolution, to be forwarded upon the responsibility of the jury to the Home Secretary. Of course the jury wish it to be understood that M'Donnell was murdered.  The Foreman—We have no doubt that be was wilfully murdered.  The Coroner—Then your verdict is in fact " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown."  TEE RITUALISTIC SERVICES AT Sr.