The Sun. — 1847-03-10 (London, England)

SUICIDE AT WATERLOO BRIDGE.—OR Wednesday night Mr. Payne held an adjourned inquest at the Vestryhall, Horsleydown, on the body of Mary Ann Simmonds, aged thirty-four„ who committed suicide, by throwing herself off Waterloo-bridge. Laura Jones said she had known the deceased several years, by having been formerly under the protection of Mr. Plummer, the late Mayor of Canterbury. The last time she saw the deceased alive was about half-past one on Tuesday morning, Jan. 5, when she told ; witness that she had got a favourite bird and a writingdesk belonging to Mr. Plummer, and she was very glad. i She then seemed very much excited about it. Witness r knowing that since the death of Mr. Plummer she was very much reduced in circumstances, asked her if she would come on the morrow and take tea, but she only smiled and shook her head. She was not seen after that by any of her relations alive. The deceased, who lived with Mr. Plummet thirteen years, always passed as his wife, and on his deaths, about a year and a-half back, she fretted very much. After his death his family gave the deceased forty pounds, and'got possession of all Mr. Plummer's papers. Eliza Russell, of 36, Crown-street, Soho, the deceased's sister, gave corroborative evidence; and, in addition, said the deceased, owing to her altered circumstances, was much depressed in mind, and had threatened to drown herself. On being missed witness went to the station at Bow-street, and there ascertained that a female, whom, from the description she gave as to her clothing, she bad no doubt was her sister who was seen on the morning she left Mrs. Jones's to jump off Water. 100-bridge. Efforts to save her were ineffectual. From other evidence it appeared that the body was found in the river,off Cotton's wharf, on the morning of the 2d Inst. In the absence of positive proof of the deceased being the person who jutitped off the bridge, the jury returned an open verdict of " Edund drowned."  On Saturday night, an explosion, attended 'with oefn .thore a 'serious destruction of property, occurred in .R buildings, Salamanca-row, Lambeth, by eight persons narrowly escaped instant,detahteh. which andalYswholesev that between ten and eleven o'clock windows, shop front, doors, and stock in trade belonging oan:arg :Or wtoertehehutorpledw, asintoexithate. housearleb,hreother, general dealer, dbeoatlteorm, street. The Some of the most courageous of the neighbours ventured into the ruins, when they found Mr. Farebrother lying on his back, in e parlour, covered with rubbish, and almost speechless. A little further off, they found his -wife, with an infant in her arms, lying amidst a mass of brOlien chairs and tables. They were all got out, when it was ascertained that the three were severely bruised. Two children, sleeping in the upper floor, were forced out of be.d, and were also injured, but not to any serious extent. "ate party wall between No. 1 and No. 10 in the buildings wan rent in twain, so that it became apparent the damage done was not cooltined to one house. As soon as the last numbered building was entered, Mr. Johnson, the occupier, was found lying in the passage, he having been hurled from the top landing by the shock down stairs. From a careful inspec'tion Since made, it has been ascertained that one of the gas mains had become leaky, and tbe,vspour having escaped bad. caused the disaster. r: Mt, ST. Mi LEONARD'S, MARCH - • _Amnia au_ rived at Hastings on Saturday evening, and iitAtelidraTedy sent for Dr. Duke. The doctor does not think him in the dangerous state which the papers represent, but, reduced by influenza and very nervous and depressed.