Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-06-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF A TELEGRAPH CLERK.  On Friday Mr Payne, coroner, opened an inquest at Guy's Hospital, London, touching the death of Robert Collins, aged 16, a clerk, employed in the Telegraph Extension Office, 22, Old Broad-street, Lundon. —Augusta Louisa M. Collins, his sister, identified the body, and said she lived at home with his mother and another sister.— Francis James Stringer, of 4, Holly-terrace, Peckham, said he last saw the deceased on Saturday night at a young men's club at Peckham. He was playing with him at bagatelle for lemonade. The deceased left sober at nine o'clock in company with another young man named Shepherd with whom he had also been playing. They reft apparently good friends.—William Pallinger, a signalman employed on the South Eastern Railway, proved finding the deceased in a dying state under a railway arch between two lines of railway at Roth erite. The arch was not in a public, but in a private road. When witness found him he was leaving his signal box, having been on duty all night. The deceased's clothes were saturated with water. His head was also wet. The canal was not near, but a place called the Black Ditch was not far off. The only answer he could get from deceased was "Collins, Peckham."—Police-constable Patrick Gallahan, proved being called to the deceased. He searched him, and found him all wet and bloody. There was cnly one halfpenny in his purse. His watch chain was broken, and he had a knife (closed) and a pack of cards in his pocket.—Miss Collins, re-called, said her brother had a silver hunting watch and chain.—Mr John William, Hide House, surgeon, said he saw the deceased between six and seven in the hospital. The deceased died at four the next day. He had thirteen stabs cn his body, and bruises on the head, as if from some blunt instrument, causing concussion of the brain. —Police-Inspector Banister said the deceased made a statement to him on Monday, in which he said that he was sure his friend Shepherd did not inflict the fnjuries upon him. Young Shepherd was in front of him when ge was stabbed, and he believed be had his bayonet in his hand. Shepherd had been showing him bayonet exercise. —The Coroner said it was a most mysterious case. There was no doubt that the deceased had been brutally and foully murdered, and as the Government appeared to be taking up these serious cases of crime acd iolence he should deem it his duty to acquaint the Secretary of State with the circumstances, and no doubt on the next occasion they would have the assistance of the Crown in the matter. The case was then adjourned for a week.  The Rev. John Sheward, of Milton, Kent, writes, October 29th, 1878 :—My nerves were so shattered that I dreaded the simplest duties, and lost all energy and pleasure in the performance of them. The despondency I endured became almost unbearable. Since taking COBDEN'S PILLS the change in my health for the better is very marked. I have lost that horrible depression, my nerves are much stronger, and my general health very greatly improved. I cannot express how truly thankful I feel for the remarkable and pleasirg change. COBDEN'S QUININE AND PHOSPHORUS PILLS give strength, energy, and vigorous vitality to con_Eititutions in any way enfeebled. Infallible in Neuralgia.—Ask for " COBDEN'S Pn.x.s and have no othels. All chemists will get them if tills-are not in, stock. or they will be sent cost free on receipt of L'3 or Si stanc.r s (great saving, by the busses Drug Co., 135 Queen s-road, Brighton, Agent at Ili..mlesbrough Mr J. C. Babson. bemist i 53