The Sun. — 1852-10-19 (London, England)

THE ALLEGED MURDER AND SUICIDE AT STEPNEY.  Yesterday, the inquest, adjourned from Tuesday last, on the bodies of William Thomas Elliott and Jane Collins, was resumed, before Mr. Baker, the coroner, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Nelson-street, Stepney. The following additional evidence was taken:— Mr. Henry James Taynton, member of the Royal College of Surgeons, residing in Commercial-road East, said he had examined the body of the child William Thomas Elliott, and found externally no marks, with the exception of what he had before mentioned, viz., two bruises on the back and a scratch on the cheek, which were not sufficient to account for death. On opening the chest and abdomen ho fouud all in perfect health. On opening the head ho found a great congestion of the scalp just behind the right ear ; and on opening the skull, below the dura mater was a large quantity of extravasated blood, which diffused itself over a considerable part of the brain. He had no doubt this was the cause of death. The effect had been produced by a blow over the ear. A Juror—How long do you suppose the child had been dead ? Witness—lt was quite cold, and it might have been dead all night, but it is impossible to say precisely. Ann Greenlees, the mother of the girl, was at the request of a juror called, and in answer to questions put by him, said that her daughter was very bad in her head, and strange in her conduct, but she had no idea that she was insane. She had heard that the person with whom she had lived for four years could speak as to the strangeness of her conduct whilst in her service. Elizabeth Mary Elliott, mother of the child, recalled, said after the girl came in on the night in question with both the children, the deceased was asleep in her arms, and she cautioned her (witness) against waking her. She trusted the girl as much as if she had been her own child. She had no other recommendation with her but what she received from her parents, as they were very respectable persons. She did not go up into the room to see her child after he was put to bed, as she had the utmost confidence in her. _  Thereieing-nO further evidence forthcoming, The Coroner summed up the evidence. The jury said it was their wish to return an open verdict, and accordingly gave in to the coroner " That on the 11th of October, the deceased, William Thomas Elliott, was found dead in bed, the death caused, as it appeared on the post mortem examination, by an effusion and extravasation of blood on the brain, but how that was produced there was no evidence before the jury to show." The Coroner—And I suppose in the case of the girl you are of opinion that she destroyed herself whilst in a state of temporary insanity. The Foreman having consulted with the jury, said they wished on that point also to return an open verdict, as they had no evidence to show that she committed the act, and it was their wish to spare the feelings of her relatives.  The Coroner—But do you not think that if you return such a verdict as that you will be throwing a suspicion on some other persons ? It is due to the persons in tho house not to leave her death as a matter of doubt, for I have myself not the slightest moral doubt that she first killed the child, and then took away her own life. The Foreman said that a majority of the jury appeared to be opposed to tbo views of the Coroner ; upon which he said that in that case it would be better that the room should be cleared, and then they could discuss the matter amongst themselves.  After nearly an hour's consultation the reporters were admitted, and it was stated that the jury had, in tho case of Jane Collins, returned a verdict, "That she had destroyed herself whilst in a state of temporary insanity.  TholgQceodinge thou termiuged.