The Daily Times. — 1860-06-05 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

AMERICAN POLITICAL PORTRAITURE  SUSPECTED OUTRAGE AND MURDER OF  A SERVANT-GIRL.  An inquiry was instituted on Friday, by Mr. St. Clair Bedford, at the board-room of St. George's Woikhouse,  London, in reference to the death of Mahala Howard, eighteen years of age, late a general servant in the family of Mr. Poole, 9, Devonshire-road, Wandsworthroad.  1 Mary Lindford was the first witness examined, and deposed that she knew deceased. The last time she saw her alive was on Sunday night, when she met her by chance and alone on Battersea-bridge. She accompanied the &Ceased, who was then quite well, to the house of Mr. Poole. A police-sergeant of the B. Division said that at twenty minutes past font a.m. on Wednesday last, as he was passing along Thames Bank, Pimlico, he found the body of deceased, lying with her head and shoulders in the water, the other portion of her body upon the strand, and her clothes hitched to a pile at the mouth of Cnbitt's Pier, opposite Rutland-street. Her bonnet  and shawl were missing. Jane Constable, mother of the deceased, stated that her daughter left her house at Colchester to wait upon a sick aunt at Grays, in Essex, about eighteen months ago, and she had not seen her since. , She had, however, frequently received letters from deceased. The last time she heard from her was on the 13th of last March, when she only spoke of having procured a situation in London. Mr. Edward Poole, of 9, Devonshire-road, Wands worth-road, Surrey, was next eiatilined, and stated tha  deceased had been a general servant in his family for about two months. She appeared to be always in excellent health, but had latterly been very depressed in spirits, evidently from some severe hidden sorrow. She had no followers that he was then aware of, the only persons coming to see her being Mr. and Mrs. Lindford, who represented themselves as her uncle and aunt, and a brother of Mrs. Lindford, whom she introduced as another uncle of deceased. Deceased left his house on Tuesday evening, and not returning at the time expected, he sat up for her until one o'clock, when he retired to bed. In the morning he went to Lindford's house and saw Mrs. Lindfercl, and having told her her niece had left, Mrs. Lindford (the first witness) said, I won't decelve you, Mr. Poole ; the fact is, I believe ,she (deceased) has formed an attachment to my brother," and ho (witness) immediately exclaimed, "What, with her uncle ! You do not mean she had formed an improper attachment ?" and she replied, "I do." Then he said that accounted for it all, and left.  The mother of deceased was recalled, and emphatically denied that the Lindfords were any relations whatever,  or that she knew anything of them until the presen  Lnquiry.  Dr. Eloxam, of Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, deposed that he had performed a post-mortem examination. There were extensive discoleurations on the head, throat, arms, and back, which may or may not have been the result of direct violence. There were also four slight bruises on the left side of the fore head, and a larger bruise on the knee. She had been in her eighth week of pregnancy. He would like to have had some evidence as to her state of health just previous to her death, as he believed that she had had miscarriage. lie also considered,. without doubt, that she had been the subject of an outrage of a most violent character, probably immediately preceding death, or within twenty-fours previous, at the farthest limit: In consequence of the suspicious nature of the case an adjournment was unanimously agreed to, to afford time for further inquiries by the police.  MR.