The Sun. — 1844-04-05 (London, England)

THE SUICIDE IN FLEET-STREET. Last evening the inquiry connected with this mysterious case, and adjourned from Monday last, was resumed before W. Payne, Esq., City Coroner, at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet-street. The inquiry related to the death of Mary Griffin (servant to Mr. Scratchley, surgeon, of 168, Fleet-street), who, it was alleged, had destroyed herself by swallowing tincture of opium on the morning of 'Sunday last. The evidence on the former day tended to impress a belief that deceased had been seduced by her master's brother, the Rev. Charles James Scratchley, 8.A., now or late curate of St. George's Chapel, Queen-square, Bloomsbury ; and the evidence of the latter was given in a somewhat contradictory manner, which kept the matter in doubt, and hence the adjournment, for the purpose of a post mortem examination, and to procure the attendance of relatives and of additional evidence.  At the inquiry last evening, Mr. Moxen, of the Chancery bar, attended to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Rev. Gentleman. Among the additional evidence adduced was that of Mr. Lewis Day, surgeon, who had made the post mortem examination, who was of opinion death had ensued partly from the poison and partly from the antimony administered as an emetic. Deceased was not pregnant, and, in his opinion, had never borne a'child, although she was not a virgin. Rebecca Griffin (sister of deceased), a person of lady-like manners and appearance, living at Canterbury, underwent a long examination, from whichtit appeared that her sister's real- name was Charlotte, and age 34. About twelve years since she bore a child at steeple Ashton, by a man to whom she was about being married. Subsequently, in about the year 1835, she formed an intimacy with Mr. Charles Scratchley, then about nineteen years of age. They went together to Paris, and lived in England as man and wife, and the relatives of the latter thought they were really married, and witness, under such impress' sion, visited them at Pentonyille ; but in about 189 Mr. Scratchley, being then designed for the Church, went to college for that purpose, Dr. Scratchley, the father, having written to say that the connexion must be dissolved before his son could enter into holy orders. Some slight allowance was made to her, but her mind was much distressed. .Mr. Scratchley behaved kindly to her while she was living with him, and the object of recommending her to his brother was to give her a character for another situation. Witness did not believe she was capable of committing robbery, but had latterly thought her mind impaired, and. was consulted by Mr. Charles Scratchley as to the propriety of her being taken care of. It further appeared that Mr. George Scratchley was ignorant of the previous connection when deceased came into his service, and also that deceased had become of intemperate habits, and was acctisrtomed to converse and drink spirits with abandoned females, although her conduct was proper while living with Mr. Scratchley. She was, however, very desponding, and generally so whenever the Reverend Gentleman came to stay at his brother's.  , The inquiry having lasted some hours, CORONER summed up, condemning the contradictory evidence of the Rev. C. J. Scratchley, but which was done, no doubt, to get out of a difficulty. She appeared affected in mind on the night of Saturday, and certainly had not been kindly treated by a man who bad lived with her us her husband, whic'h she must have felt ; for the separation of five years could not have extinguished her feeling towards him. No doubt she had destroyed herself, and it Would be for the jury to say whether the conduct of Mr. Scratchley had induced her to_ do so, and whether she was in a state of temporary in sanity. The jury, after nearly an hour's deliberation, returned the following verdict :—" We find the deceased, Charlotte Griffin, committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity, induced by the cruel and heartless conduct of Mr. Charles James Scratchley ; and we are compelled to express our strong disapprobation of the flippant and unfeeling manner in which Mr. Charles James Scratchley's evidence was given on the night of Monday last."