The Sun. — 1829-06-30 (London, England)

INQUEST ON THE BODY.  At two o'clock precisely, a Jury, composed of the most respectable inhabitants of Blackheath, was held on the body of-the deceased Maria Lambourn, aged 44 years, at the Yorkshire Grey Inn, -in that town. The road in front of the above house was crowded with persons attracted thither by the report of the almost unparalleled atrocity of the murder. The CORQSER directed the Jury to view the body, which was lying in an adjacent apartment, and which they found in the mangled state already mentioned. A feeling of horror pervaded the minds of every individual who, from the nature of their ditties, were obliged to view the corpse, and one of the jurymen was so overcome by the appalling sight, that he was attacked with syncope soon afterwards, but recovered on the administration of powerful stimulants. NVilliam Greenhoop examined—l am horsckcrper to Messrs. Horne and Co. and attend at the Yorkshire Grey stables. That morning, about twenty minutes keforc six o'clock, while I was at work in the stable, the deceased threw up the sash of her bed-room window, and asked the hour. About a quarter of an hour after this I heard a screaming in the kitchen which fronts the stables, and on going to ascertain the cause, it struck me the deceased's husband was ill-using her, as he mas in the habit of doing. On entering the kitchen I saw Lambourn, Lis wife (the deceased) was in his arms, with her head lying over his left arm. He had a knife in his tight hand, with which he appeared to be cutting her throat. She was struggling at the time with Lambourn, who exclaimed while he was using the knife, " I will, I will." I was so alarmed, said the witness, on seeing what was going forward, that I ran out of the kitchen in order to give the alarm, and seeing some persons in the road, I re-entered the kitchen, and saw the deceased lying on the floor, with her head nearly cut off, and the place about her in a pool of blood. CoßosEtt—lnform the Jury the reason, when you first entered the kitchen, and saw the deceased struggling against Lambourn, who held a knife in his haul, and was in the act of murdering her, why you did not interfere to prevent the catastrophe? Witness—l was so alarmed, for Lambourn held a knife in his hand, and I had no weapon to resist him if he attacked me. He looked at the time ghastly and frightful, and the terror and state of agitation into which I was thrown, completely paralyzed my exertions. I heard Lambourn exclaim, when he had his wife in the position described, " I'll do it, I will." Joseph Woodman examined—l am a labouring man, and work for Mr. Disney. About ten minutes after six o'clock that morning, as I was going to work, I saw the last witness, and he called to me, and begged I would go into the Yorkshire Grey, which I did. On entering the kitchen I saw the (4:ceased on the floor, and Lambourn kneeling down near her head, with one band upon it, and with a knife which was in the other he was in the act of mangling and cutting her throat. There was a great quantity of blood on the floor near the deceased. I was greatly frightened at the sight, and ran to the door to look for further help, and when I went back into the kitchen, Lambourn, who was then standing over the deceased, said, " There, I have done it now." Witness exclaimed, " You ruffian, you have murdered the woman." He made no reply, and I turned again to the door to see if any persons were coming; and on looking towards Lambourn again, I saw that his throat was cut, and I observed him endeavouring to tear open the wound with his fingers. Mr. William Rogers, a surgeon, described the dreadful nature of the injuries inflicted on the deceased. In reply to a Juror, the witness could not positively state whether Lambourn was insane or not; but his impression was, that he was not, from his manner and conduct subsequently to the occurrence having taken place. Another ' medical Man' confirmed Mr. Rogers's  This. being the whole of the evidence adduced, t he Jury, after a short consultation, unanimously returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against Richard Lambourn," who is now in Guy's Hospital; but when sufficiently recovered from the effects of the wound in his throat, will be committed to Maidstone Gaol, there to await his trial at, the forthcoming Assizes•