The Sun. — 1849-10-05 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK.  A. respectable looking young man named William Mew, who was described on the charge-sheet as a commercial traveller, residing at Bexley-heath, was brought before Mr. Seeker, in the custody of Ser• geant Hughes, of the L division, charged with attempting to murder Helen Ealing by administering • a large portion of poison to her. Rebecca Gilbert, a very intelligent young woman, said she resided with her mother at 26, Bennett. se, street, Stamford-street. About three weeks ago last Wednesdey the prisoner and the NrOMOD came to her mother's house and represented themselves as husband and wife. The prisoner hired furnished apartments, and stated his name to be Anderson, and that he was g, a commercial traveller. They lived in the house quietly until. Wednesday the 26th ult., when Helen Ealing, his supposed wife, cooked some dinner, and carried it up stairs. She then heard some words ensue, and a few minutes after one o'clock the prisoner came down stairs and told hlr that his wife had gone out suddenly, and he could not tell where she - was gone to, and that he should go and look after her. After he had left the house witness went up-stairs and found the door of his apartments locked, when she suspected that they had both left the house and might return at tome hour in the night. She accordingly sat up fcr them until two o'clock on Thursday morning, but the plias soner did not return until Saturday morning, when he came and asked witness whether his wile (Helen •14 Ealing) had returned. Witness replied in the negative, when he left the house in a sudden manner. She suspected that something was wrong from his excited state, which induced her to go up stairs to his apart • meat and try the door. She found it locked, which _ caused her to look through the keyhole. She then saw what she supposed to be a woman lying on the ea bed, which caused her to inform her mother of her suspicion. Assistance was immediately procured, and the door aas forced open, when they found the woman on the bed apparently in a dying state. Mr. SECHEIt—AV hen did you see her prior to that ? Witness—l saw her on the Wednesday morning when she cooked the dinner. She was then in good 34 health. Mr. SECIEEIt—Was she dressed when you discovered her in the bed? Witness—She was, sir; exactly in the same dress that she wore when she cooked her dinner on Wednesday. I was so frightened when I saw her that I ran out and fetched a surgeon. Mr. J. Vardey, surgeon, of Stamford street, said 1 that he was called into Mr. Gilbert's house on Saturday morning, the 29th ult. He went up-stairs into the second-floor front room, and saw a woman lying on the bed in a state of coma, apparently from inhaling cloroform or some noxious drug. She was then recovering from a state of somnolency which appeared to have lasted some days, and she was conscious of everything about 4 her, but unable to speak or reply to his questions. is- Lie had heard that she had been locked up in the room 114 two or three days, and it was his impression that some 2% 5 narcotic drug had been administered to her, but that 7s her constitution had overcome its deadly effects. Mr.