Glasgow Courier. — 1853-07-07 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

MURDER AND SUICIDE OF FEE MURDERER.  DISTRESSING/ CASE.  On Monday afternoon Mr. William Carter, coroner for Ea tit Surrey, London, proceeded, at the Catherine Wheel tavern, Union Street, to investigate the dis. tresing circumstances connected with the respective deaths of a single woman, named Emma Jane Papson, aged 22 years, and her illegitimate offspring, Thomas Janta, whose bodies were found in the river Thames on Thursday last. The case was one of the most extraordinary and melancholy nature, and excited the greatest interest, the inquest-room being crowded. Richard Biles, hatter, 4, South Place, Grange Road, Bermondsey, deposed that on Tnursday afternoon, about two o'clock, he was on the steps of Southwark Bridge together with another lad, when noticing some boys throwing stones at some object floating near the water's edge, he (witness) waded up to the object, and found it was the body of a female, and having brought it ashore nibeovered an infant child tied with a piece of old ribbon round the waist of the female.  Serjeant Golding, of the M division, said that he took charge of the bodies until they were removed by the summoning officer to the dead-house. The bodies were both dressed. He searched the pockets of the female, and found a key and a piece of paper, on which was inscribed, 'l5, New Street, Cloth Fair, Smithfield. Mrs. Brown is the name I go by.' The child was in the woman's left arm, and tied to the woman by a piece of old ribbon. The ribbon was fastened on the woman's right side in such a manner that the female could tie it herself. In consequence of what he found he went to New Street, and found that the deceased were there known. He was shown to a room, the door of which was fastened by a psdlock, which was opened by the key found in deceased's pocket. Witness went in and found three letters (produced) lying on the table. They were directed, but not sealed.  By the Coroner—The contents of the letters tend to show how the deceased came into the water. One of the letters referred to the child. He thought the woman came into the water by her own act, and the child's death . . . . . . _ .  was caused by the female. Had made inquiries, from the result of which he was confident that no other person caused their deaths. Margaret Reynolds Green, lodging at No. 8, Cloth Fair, deposed that she had known the deceased for seven months. The child was the son of the elder deceased. He was born on the nth of April last, and had been registered in witness's presence in the name of Thomas James Metcalfe. Witness saw the elder deceased alive last on Wednesday evening, when she left, about halfpast seven o'clock. The deceased had her child with her. They had taken tea with witness, because she (deceased) was in a very destitute condition. Witness asked her . _  Why she was so late; to which she annwereJ, 't have been crying and writing all the afternoon. The reason I cry is because Metcalfe is not good to me. If he only would pay my rent I would require no more.' Deceased had told witness that she had had nothing but bread and water for the paid five weeks. She had pledged her , clothing for the purpose of supporting herself and child. ' She had gone out to shirt work for two or three weeks, butcouldnot earn sufficient to support herself and pay Witness for minding the child. When deceased left witness on the Wednesday, she promised to call on witness on the ensuing day. By the Coroner—Witness believed that deceased had destroyed her own life and that of her child. The Coroner then proceeded to read the three letters, a man named James Metcalfe having previously proved them to be in the handwriting of the deceased. The first ran thus: 'l6, New Street, Cloth Fair, Smithfield. 'James Metcalfe—By the time you receive this I hope to be no more. It is you that has brought me to this, you bad wicked man. I know that I was greatly in fault in giving way to you; and bitterly I have had reason to repent it, which Ido front the bottom of my heart. But had you never have promised things which you did, it would-never have happened; and then, as soon as you saw how things turned, because I would not leave my dear baby at some workhouse, nor to the mercy of the world, you thought proper to leave us to starve and die. Oh, you bad, bad, wicked man, hanging is too good for you. Repent, repent, before it is too late. I will say no more, for to-night I hope, please the Lord, to be in heaven, and my baby as well, and may our blood rest upon your head; for it is you that is the cause of it, but my kind love, for as I look to forgiveness, so do I forgive you. Farewell, farewell.