The Express. — 1862-09-12 (London, England)

MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN HOLBORN.  1 NQU EST. —(CH IS DAY.) This morning Dr. Lankeeter, the Central Middlesex coroner, opened an inquest at the Queen's Arms, Red Lion-passage, Holborn, as to the death of Eliza Chandler, aged thirty years, the wife of an assistant at Prosser's oyster shop, in Holborn, and residing at 13, Red Lion-street.  It appears from the report of the police end from the evidence adduced that the deceased was discovered last Tuesday night by a Mrs. Perkins lying in the passage of No. 13, Iland-court, Red Lion street, apparentlyaae drunk and incapable, and, with the assistance of some lodgers in the house, why were (Wends of the deceased, upon whom it is presumed she was calling to see, Mrs. Perkins conveyed her to a room where she was laid on a sofa, and, being supposed to hr drunk. she was suffered to remain there unnoticed until the following morning, when, on an attempt being made to arouse her, she was found quite dead. . .  M. Sheen, • tailor, living at 13, Hatid court, deposed that on his return home on the night in question he found Mrs. Perkins attempting to get deceased upstairs, and he =listed her. Deceased appeared to be under the influence: of liquor. Henry Chandler said deceased was his wife. He missed her on his return home that night from business. The following morning be received a message from 13, Hand-court, stating she was lying there ill. His tint question was, has she cut her throat or poisoned herself because she had ! previously attempted suicide. He found her lying dead in Hand-court, and at once sent for Dr. Valpy. Mr. Valpy, surgeon, of Gray's-inn-lane, deposed that he attended upon the deceased and found that she had been seriously injured at the back of the head. He performed a post-mortem examination of the body, and discovered severe fracture of the skull over the back of the bead and great bruises and depression on the bone. Internally it was ascertained that the occipital bone was fractured nearly under the seat of the bruises extending from the upper part of the back of the head to the base of the skull, with considerable effusion of blood. He examined the brain and found clots corresponding with the depressed surface of the bone, and considerable effusion. All the other organs of the body were quite healthy. The cause of death was from fracture of the skull. _ _ _  By the Coroner—He could not conceive that it was mused but by a very severe blow. It was not, in his opinion, such a fracture as might be produced from falling downstairs. Dr. Heasley, of Hatton.garden, Amsted in the postmortem examination, and was ready to fully corroborate his evidence. The Coroner thought it unnecessary to examine farther witnesses at present, as the case assumed too serious a nature to be at once disposed of. Inspector Pierce, of the E division of police, produced a large stone which he rid was kept to fasten back a door at the foot of the stairs where deceased was found insensible, and be desired to know if the deceased fell back against' that stone in a state of drunkennees, whether such injuries would not be likely to be produced. Mr. Valpy was quite sure no fall would produce such injuries. The Coroner adjourned the inquiry to enable the police to make an investigation of the affair.