The Sun. — 1842-10-25 (London, England)

CORONERS' INQUESTS.  SUSPECTED MURDER.—On Saturday an inquest was held at the Bridge House beer-shop, in the Old Kent-road, on a young woman (name unknown), whose body, with marks of violence upon it, was found in the Surrey Canal. After a brief inquiry, a juryman remarked that as there was so much suspicion about the case he thought it would be advisable to postpone the inquiry, in order, if possible, to procure further evidence. The body of the deceased, with severe marks of injury about the face, had been found, and it appeared to them (the jurymen) that before coming to a decision respecting the causes of her death, which there were strong grounds for supposing to have proceeded from violence, there ought, if possible, to be further testimony brought forward.  In this view of the case the CORONER coincided, and the inquest was accordingly adjourned until Wednesday, (to-morrow.) As no persons have yet come forward to identify the body of the deceased, and as it appears she is totally unknown in the vicinity of the Surrey Canal, a description of her dress may lead to a discovery of who her friends are, and probably tend to bring other matters to light, bearing on the future investigation into the circumstances of her death. When taken out of the canal her dress was as follows :—A straw bonnet with plait, trimmed with white riband, and flowers underneath on each side; a challis gown with green and white stripes on a buff ground ; nankeen stays, and a shift with the initials " S. S." marked on the bosom part; she had a pair of new shoes on her feet, and in her pockets were found several duplicates relating to property pledged at the shop of L. Lloyd, Strutton-ground, Westminster. The articles were pledged in the name of " A Mayling." Last evening an inquest, adjourned from Friday last, was resumed before Mr. HIGGS, at the One Tun, Perkins-rents, Great Peter-street, Westminster, on the body of Mary Fleary, aged 65. Mr. John Wright, M.D., of Princes-court, Westminster, said he had examined the body, but could not detect any opium, or appearances of that poison. The brain was in a very congested state, which might arise from the action of the poison, mental excitement, or simple apoplexy. From the morbid appearances of the other parts of the body he thought the deceased had taken laudanum, but he could not speak positively. John Holland, of No. 36, Bowling-green-lane, Clerkenwell, the son-in-law, detailed at great length the delinquencies of the deceased, and produced 22 duplicates relating to his property, which the deceased had pledged. On Tuesday week last he spoke to her about it, and the day following, unknown to him, she left his house, atter thrusting a number of tally bills, duplicates, &c., into the fire, and he had not seen her since. After her departure he ascertained that she had had tally bills in his name, and by some means had become security for the loan of Si. from a Loan Society, 4/. of which she had retained herself. The Secretary of the Society had told him that if she ever came back he would prosecute her for a fraud. On Friday last, he received the following letter from the deceased :—" I have ruined myself by becoming answerable for so many people, and to drown reflection I have taken to drink to great excess. Mary Fleary." He had heard that she had followed it up by drinking great quantities of brandy and ale. She was a woman of strong mind, but after she left his house had nothing but a workhouse or a prison before her eyes. He had not the least doubt but she suffered great mental excitement. After a long deliberation the Jury returned a verdict—" That the deceased died from congestion of the brain, but whether produced by taking laudanum, mental excitement, or natural causes, there was not sufficient evidence to show."  A " Dr. Smith, of Liverpool," as he styles himself, has been making curious pretensions in London about a superior method of educating pauper girls. As he could not even remember the name of the village at which he said he had resided near that town, we have made some inquiry respecting him of Mr. John Smith, the well-known lecturer on the Smith and Dolier Helps to Education, andon Geographical Science, who is lecturing in Hull at present. That respectable gentleman assures us, that though he is, and has been, a resident householder of Liverpool almost all his life, he never heard of such a person as Dr. Smith, or of such plans as he professes to pursu .—Hull Packet. I)