Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1890-02-22 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE INQUEST.  The inquest upon the body of the girl Amelia Jells, found brutally outraged and murdered in the empty house, 126, Portway, West Ham, was on Monday commenced at the King's Head, West Ham-lane, before Mr C. Lewis, Coroner.— Chas. Jeffs, the father of the &seemed, was the first vritness called. He gave evidence of the girl's leaving home on the 31st Jan. and of the subsequent search. He identified the clothes which were found on the deceased as those his daughter was in the habit of weezin„,e. He identified the scarf found round her neck. When he searched for his daughter he entered only one house in the ' terrace, abandoning the search because the watchman said no one could get in. Nothing was said about 126. Deceased was nursemaid in a family for a month rocently. Elizabeth Harmer, a tiny child, testified to seeing the deceased at the top of West-road on the evening of the 31st January on the way toward' West Ham Church—Sergeant Forth having been called to give evidence as to the finding of the body, Mr Atkins, solicitor, representing deceased's friends,. asked that Samuel Boberts, caretaker, might leave the couch—Mr Roberts, the builder of the houses, and the son of the caretaker, eso retired, but before leering asked Mr Jeffs if the deceased had not been in service before the visit to Weston-superMare, and before going to Knox's.—Mr Jeffs replied in the affirmative. She had been for a few weeks with Mrs Harvey in the neighbourhood • was not sure of the address.—The witness Fort] described the search of the houses in the terrace. The caretaker said she couldn't let them enter 126 as she had never had the key. In the upper room he saw marks on the floor as though something had been dragged. He found the body in a cupboard; the left knee was exposed. Dr. Grog,ons gave evidence as to making a poetmor tem examination of the body of the dead girl Before the body was stripped blood was found on the underclothing. There was blood and froth on the nose and month. The face was swollen, as was also the tongue. Ronnd the neck was a deep cona4riction, in which were particles of wool corresponding with the material of the scarf. The brain was badly congested, and the vessels gorged with blood. Intercourse had taken place, in which violence had been used, and the appearances were indicative of previous chastity. The cause of death was strangulation. The contents of the stomach had not yet been examined. Death had ensued about a fortnight age.—At this stage the enquiry was adjourned for a fortnight.—lt was arranged that steps should be taken to have a reward offered. Mr Bowden, a juryman, offered £25 towards this, and another gave five guineas.—The Coroner said that he I would make application to the Home Se .ret ary in Ithe matter.  The police, it is stated, are in the poesession of I clues which are regerded as of & promising character in connection with the West Ham murder. I They have ascertained that the deceased girl I Jeffs had made acquaintances not known to her parents and it is considered as decisive that the ' criminal was not only well acquainted with her, bet was a resident in the neighbourhood, and that he obtained entrance to the house by a key which fitted the front door.—A notice has been posted at the Town Hall and other prominent places at West Ham' announcing that a reward of £lOO will be paid by Mr F. Smith, Mayor of West Ham, to any person who will give such information as will lead to the conviction of the man who strangled Amelia I Jeffs, on or about the 31st January, 1890, in 126, Portwey, West Ham. Efforts are being made by Mr Foden, a juror, to obtain £2OO for the purpose of another reward.  The girl who has been missing from her home at Highgate for a week or more has been recovered and restored to her parents. It appe .re that when the girl, who was a servant, left her plaoe in the Archway-road, she went to live at a house hi Seholdfield-road, Upper Holloway, whore she had resided until Tuesday evening, and the landlord of . the house, after seeing the report of the girl's absence in the papers, thought his lodger answered to the description, and at once went to the Police Station and gave information. The girl was found to be a runaway servant, and she wee sent home to her friends.