Star. — 1825-02-09 (London, England)

THO 3. STIRLING, Esq. at the Board-room of St. Giles's ‘Vo: house, on the body of John Claypon, "whose death WAS the result of violence used towards him by his wife, -Elizabeth Claypon, who is now ift custody to abide the result of this inquiry. John Taylor stated, that he resided at No. 5, Laseelles•court, Broad-street, Bloomsbury ; the deceased and his wife resided in the room under witness, and about twelve o'clock on Saturday night he heard a noise as if they were quarrelling, and shortly afterwards he heard the street door opened, and shut again ; in a little time after he heard a cry that the man was killed, and his wife went down stain; he followed some time after, and found the deceased man lying in a gore of blood. Mary Taylor, wife of the former witness, confirmed his testi. stony, and in addition thereto stated, that site believed they lived together on good terms. The deceased's wife was generally a sober woman, but witness believes that on Saturday night both of them were intoxicated. About twelve o'clock on that night, witness went into their room, and saw them sitting by the fire, apparently on good terms with each other. They had some steaks, beer, Ste. for supper, of which they were about to partake. Short!), after witness retired to bed, where she bad not been long before the heard a noise as if they were quarrelling, which was succeeded by a cry of " Oh ! Mary, come down, for the man is in a gore of blood." This was followed by an exclamation from the prisoner, of " Oh! my Geo, I have killed my husband !" Witness went down stairs, and found the woman in the cuitody of some watchmen, and the man lying dead, weltering in his blood. The unhappy woman appeared to be in great agony, and kept clapping her hands and exclaiming against herself. She was shortly after taken to the watch-home, and witness teturned to her room. In answer to an inquiry front a Juror, the wittiest !•tatet: that she had no reason to believe that any jealousy existed on the part of the ;leisoner, or that any cause had been given kr it by the deceased.— The deceased had lived in the house about severs months. Richard Ogilvie, surgeon, litissell.street, Bloomsbury, stated, that he yesterday examined the body of the deceased by direction of the parish officers, and that he found two severe wounds on the skull, one of which had prodoced a fracture of about an inch and a half in length, and an inch in breadth, and had pressed part of the skull inward upon the brain. There were Other wounds on different parts of the upper part of the body, which witness is satisfied must have been produced by distinct and repeated blows with some hearty instrument; those on the head, he is satisfied, were the immediate cause of death. The Beadle here produced the poker, tongs, shovel, broom, and other implements found lying in the room, and which were thought calculated to have been used In inflicting the fatal blows. One of them, a large and strong made shovel, was broken in two, but none of them exhibited any stains of blood. Mr. Stephenson, surgeon of High-street, Thoomsbury, stated, that he was called in to attend the deceased about one o clock on Sunday morning, and that he found hint quite dead. There was a spade lying' on the floor of the room, with which witness thought the fracture to have been inflicted. There were ether wounds about his head, but it was the fracture which had occasioned death. ' Mr. Webb, assistant to Mr. Ireland, stated, that he was the first professional man who saw the bodyof the deceased, and he found him dead. A quantity of blood had flowed front the wounds on the head, which there had been no attempt made to stanch. He was of opinion that the fracture was the immediate cause of death, and that it was produced by a blow front a spade or instrument of that kind. Several watchmen and beadles were also examined, whose testi.motiy went to shew, that on their being called in to take the woman into custody, they found her kneeling by the side of the deceased, crying bittetly, and reproaching herself with his death. The Jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Mazy Keaton, alias Elizabeth Claypon, the wife of the deceased.