The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1825-08-10 (London, England)

ALLEGED MURDER.  CORONER'S INQUEST. Last night an inquest was held in the Committee-room of St. tetholomew's Hospital. before T. Shelton, Esq. the Coroner. en view of the body of Johanna Hooke, aged 30, wh• woo supposed to have been murdered by her husband. Ann Hemming, of No. 2, New-street, North-square, deposed, hat shout a fortnight ago she was coming down stain about six or seven o'clock in the evening ; attracted by the screams of the deceased in her apartment on the first-floor back room, witness otoceeded towards the door, and on opening it saw the husband of he deceased with his back turned towards her. She did not enter the room, but went down stairs ; she had not goce more titan two or three yards, when she heard the deceased again scream out aloud, much more violent than before, which caused her to return a:sin, when she entered the room and saw the husband \rating the de. ceased in a most inhuman manner. Witness requested him to desist ; the deceased at this time addressed witness, and said, the; the cause of her husband's using her so was in consequence of something she had been saying to her sister. The husband then seized the deceased round the waist to put her out of the room, in which he succeeded in doing. 1P knees perceived that the deceased had received a severe blow over the eye, which was much swollen, but did not bleed. The deceased complained to her of beirg very ill, and said she should go to the doctor, which witness advised her to do. On the following mot fling she saw the deceased again, and ' she showed her the marks of her husband's violence on her arms and legs. She considered that they were both perfectly sober at the time they quarrelled. Witness understood that the deceased had been saying something disrespectful of her husband's sister,and that that was the cause of their disagreement. Sophia Rennington corroborated the above testimony, and added that they had lived together in the house for two years, and to her knowledge they had never quarrelled before. Mr. Jonathan Pierce, a surgeon, residing in Albion-street, deposed, that on Saturday week Ire was called on to attend the deceased, who was ill with a complaint called " the land scurvy ;" she gradually got worse, and headvised her to go to the hospozb, with h site ultimately did. Witness was of opinion that she died of the above disease, and not from any injuries she had received from her husband. On his opening the body the interior was found to be in a state of ulceration, produced, he had no doubt, from the disease above-mentioned ; there was also an effusion of blood on the brain, which was one of the usual symptons of the disease. Saw several marks of bruises on the arms and legs. [The brother of the deceased here remarked that his sister was a strong and healthy woman previous to the injuries she had received.] Witness continued—lle hail attended several persons afflicted with that complaint, and found it invariable that after death the; was an effusion of blood on the brain. The marks on the este. rior of the body appeared to be the effects of blows or kicks. Mr. Worms], the house-surgeon, was also of opinion, that she died front the disease, and not front the blows. The Jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of— " Died by the visitation of nod."  It is intended to erect a monument to the memory of Bishop Ferrar, who was martyred in Carmarthen for his adherence to the Protestant faith. The monument i 4 to be erected on the spot where he suffered.