The Sun. — 1825-08-03 (London, England)

CORONER'S INQUEST.  THE ALLEGED MURDER AT HAMMERSMITH.  Mr. STIRLING, the Coroner, and a highly respectable Jury, assembled at the Red Lion, Hammersmith, yesterday morning, to inquire into the death of a respectable female, of the name of Elizabeth Ennis, who was stated to have been violated, and then murdered, in the fields near the above hamlet.—The inquiry excited the greatest interest. From the evidence of six witnesses it appeared, that on Sunday evening the deceased called at the house of Mrs. Walker, in -Hammersmith, and stated she was looking for an Isleworth coach, as she wished to get on as quick as possible; this being after ten o'clock, all the coaches had passed, and being afraid to go on by herself, Mrs. Walker directed John Davis, a watchman, to procure her a lodging ; he promised to do so, but could not, and placed her in, his watchbox (as he stated) about one o'clock. and she then seemed very depressed and low in spirits, Davis went his rounds, which were a very considerable extent, and returned about 4 o'clock in the morning, and thought the deceased was fast asleep, as he heard a noise like snoring. He, however, did not look into the box, and, on coming back again in half an hour with two other persons, he was surprised to find the deceased extended along the box in a fainting fit. He raised her up, and discovered that her shawl and veil were gone, from which it was concluded she had been robbed. She was carried to the workhouse, and Dr. Bowling immediately attended, and from her appearance, concluded she was in a fit of epilepsy.— He directed her to be placed in a warm bath, but this was of no avail ; she never recovered her senses, and died without giving the slightest appearance ofsensibility. Her pockets being searched, it was discovered she had lived at Isleworth, and messengers being sent there her father and family were apprised, and they attended the Inquest, and from their statement it appeared she had been to town on business, and it was supposed, being detained late, had lost the coach, and had walked on to Hammersmith. The Jury thought it a very suspicious case, and at very great length cross-examined Davis, the watchman ; but he declared he had 'done all he considered necessary, and had no communication whatever with her after he had placed her in his watchbox ; at that time she had her shawl and veil, but during his absence they must have been stolen. He had seen no persons coming in the direction from the box, and could not by any means conceive how she had been robbed, but he did not believe that she had been ill-used.  Mr. Bowling, the surgeon, confirmed this part of his statement, and said there were no marks of any violence whatever about her body. A Juror asked him, as a report had been circulated that she had been criminally abused, if that was the fact ? Mr. Bowling said certainly not. She had died solely from the effects of an epileptic fit ; and he understood she was subject to an affliction of that kind. Mr. Payne, a Juror, asked him, if instead of being placed in a watch-box, proper care had been taken of her,' would she not have been alive at that moment ?  Mr. Bowling declared he could not give an opinion. By desire of several of the Jurors, a female who had known the deceased for nine years, was examined, and proved that many times during that period the deceased had been attacked with similar fits. A very confused discussion arose among the Jury upon the evidence, which lasted a length of time, and the principal point appeared to be a wish to punish Davis for his inhuman neglect. in not taking the deceased to the workhouse. The Jury, at half-past twelve o'clock, returned a verdict of " Died by the visitation of God ;" and also added a censure upon Davis's conduct, 4nd a hope that he would be disn.4-ised from his situation. The whole numbei of persons summoned, namely 24, attended,