The Express. — 1846-10-12 (London, England)

SWISS GIANTESS.—On Fridria evening, at the Red House Tavern, Battersea, by Mr. CarNr, on view of the colossal remains of Eliza Laurence, alias Madame de Letzi, better known as the Swiss Giantess, which had been picked up in the Thames on Wednesday morning. On Wednesday morning, about eight o'clock, Rock, a waterman belonging to the Citizen Pier, near the Red House, observed the body of the deceased floating up the river with the tide, which he took on shore. On search.ng her pockets • piece of paper was found, upon which was written, " No. 3, Shorter's-gardens, Seven Dials,--knock twice and ask for Emma." Rock called at the address, and on knocking twice, as directed, was answered by Emma, a diminutive female, who had been accustomed to walk with the deceased. On taking her to the Red House she at once identified her old companion, the Swiss Giantess. Deceased was seen on Tuesday night, when she called at a public-house in Sherrardstreet, Golden-square, and asked for a penny, saying she was in great distress, and had nothing to eat for 24 hours, or very - little from the Monday before. She also complained of the gate of abject poverty to which she was reduced, being without a farthing or a farthing'e-worth of property to raise money on, and said she was going over Waterloobridge. and that she had a great mind to stop there and make a hole in the water. She was, however, seen upon Waterloo-bridge at ten o'clock on tho Tuesday night, which was the last time she was seen alive. She was 51 years of age, and had never been married, but had one child, a son, who dill not live with her. Verdict, " Suicide while labouring under temporary insanity ." This woman, who was well-known to the pedestrians of London, not only from her extraordinary height, but also her proportionably bulky appearance, passed many years of her life in a caravan, and wu conveyed from town to town and exhibited, under the title of Madame de Letzi, the SWIM Giantess. During this time she naturally acquired idle habits, and when she was turned out upon the world, in consequence of her want of continued attraction, she adopted the dissipated life which eventually led her to commit suicide. She more than once went to Waterloo-bridge with the intention of destroying herself, but was dissuaded from committing the crime.— Deer,' rifest Fenster. —On Saturday, by Mr. Wm. Baker, at the Cape of Goad Hope public-house, Limehouse, on the body of borate Heeling, sped 68 years. It appeared from the evidence that eke-pasta icsideded with her daughter in Five Bell-alley, Limehouse. About two months ago, a woman named Driscoll threw the old woman in a gutter, and injured her very seriously. The deceased kept her bed more or less ever since that period. On Monday night Driscoll again guarelled with deceased's daughter, and in a furious passion, armed with a poker, tried to break open the door and windows of deceased's dwelling, and actually demolished a panel of the door and window shutters. In the midst of the outrage deceased was seized with violent trembling, from which she never rallied. She continued to get worse until Saturday morning last when she expired. Mr. Pritchett, a surgeon, said that when he was called upon to see the deceased, she was in a nervous state, and nearly insensible. The state was such as would be brought about by a fright, deceased being. . from intemperate habits, predisposed to nervous Cation- He attributed her death entirely to the shock to e nervous system. Verdict, "Death from fright."