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

WATERLOO-BRIDGE.—On 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. She then seemed very much excited about it. Witness 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. Plummer thirteen years, always passed as his wife, and on his death, about a year and a-half back, she fretted very much. After his death his family gave the deceased forty pounds, and got Pituhmemd deceased's papers. ae d sstetr,ligzaavße usselio evidence; and, in addition, said the deceased, owing 3p6o,ssCesrsoi possession Crown-street, tl , Mr. Soho, corroborativeto 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 Waterloo-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 jumped off the bridge, the jury returned an open verdict of " Found 'a'turday night, an explosion, attended with property, aloe, occurred droownneds. buildings,serious dsesatiarmucatnionna..ronfwp, hiiiichßsanevdallen 'oe; escaped instant death It appeared a' narrowly yd eleven o'clock, the 'whole of the that tt betweenpers ons ntarn windows, shop front, doors, and stock in trade belonging to Mr. Farebrother, general dealer, were hurled into the street. The house from the bottom to the top was extensively injured. Some of the most courageous of the neighbours ventured into. the ruins, when they found Mr. Farebrother lying on his back, in the 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 broken 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 bed, and were also injured, but not to any serious extent. The party wall between No. 1 and No. 10 in the buildings was rent in twain, so that it became apparent the damage done was not confined 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 inspection since made, it has been ascertained that one of the gas mains had become leaky, and the vapour having escaped had caused the disaster. _ _  ST. LEONARD'S, MeacEt B.—Mr. O'Connell arrived at Hastings on Saturday evening, and immediately sent for Dr. Dake. The doctor does not think him in the dangerous state which the papers represent, but reduced by influenza and very nervous and depressed.