The Express. — 1864-07-26 (London, England)

SHOCKING MURDER AND RUICIDZ.  Yesterday, a shocking murder was discovered to have been committed in flanith•strest, fiornere.town. Upon the police proceeding to No. 15 in that greet., they found in areal cellar in a back kitchen the body of a woman in an advanced state of putrefaction. For some years past the murdered woman, whom proper name is Rosins Bishop, has been cohabiting with a man of the name of James Brown, a carpenter, about 50 years of age, the demised Laing on!, about 35. They lived together in the above Ito re as man and wife, sod occupied the two parlours and the b•CIL kitchen, the front kitchen and the first floor being let off to lodgers. lo addition to being known as frequently giving way to drink, they quarrelled, and the man has fre. (meetly ill-used the woman, so much so that the neighbours end lodgers have for a long while de. Blind to interfere between them. On Tuesday morning last both parties were seen about together, and they were then apparently on the best of terms. A short time afterwards they were heard qoarrellieg in the beck kitchen, and the doomed woman was heard to scream as if in great agony, and then a heavy fall was heard. The man Brown was sees about the house ea usual that day, and on the following he reported that he and his old woman had bad arow, sad that she had left him. No notice was taken of We, nor of the fort that the man did not return. as he had given out that he bad got work at the docks, and be hail before been known not to return till the Saturday night, Oa the Saturday night be returned as usual, and appeared as if nothing had happened. His sot, a youth, called tome him, and they, it is stated, had supper together, and then slept in the same lad. At the usual Lour on Sunday morning both got up, and as it was supposed that the murdered woman did not intend to return, the man Brown was invited to take dinner with his lodger in the tr,t floor, and he did so. Before dinner he was asked why be did not return on the days he had been absent, and he at once replied that he did not like to do so, as he thought he would give the woman an opportunity of returning, and he WIG surprised that she had not done so. He ate a hearty dinner, and late on Sunday night retired, an it was thought, to bed, he at the time being u cheerful as he timidly was. Yesterday mornirg an old woman who occupies the front kitchea took notice of a very unpleasant smell that pervaded the whole of the house, which apparently had its origin in the beck kitchen. About 12 o'clock a Lein door neighbour came in, and in speaking about the smell oar of them remarked that it was strange that nothing hail been seen of the deceased woman since the day of the screams and the heavy fall, and the neighbour ventured an opinion that the deceased had been murdered, and that the bad smell arose from the fact that the body was buried in the house. She tried the back kitchen door, and boding that she could not get admission there she and the lodger went into the yard, and looked into the room. Everything was to all appearance in proper order, but the woman's suspicions being aroused, she determined on entering the room, and said if the body was anywhere it was in the coal cellar under the stain, as there was one in her home like the one there. The window was forced, and one of the women entered, and from her exclawatioa the other followed, and they were horrified to find, on opening the cellar door, the body of the deceased wows°. The police were at once sent tor, and Inspector Gibson, of the S divisioe and Police-eoristable Woodrow, 165 8, immediately attended. On entering the back kitchen the coestable found in the coal cellar the body of the murdered woman. She had been violently pushed is, sad as there was hardly length enough, her shoulders and head were partly resting against the wall. Dr. Jackson, of Brewer.etreet, Somers-town was sent for. A horrible sight. then presented itself. The face of the woman was black, and the whole body was much deootoposed. On the side of the bead was a hectare so large that a man could place his fist in it. A further examination wade by Dr. ffutherin, of Fit. Pancras.road, in con. junction with Dr. Jackson, showed other bruises about the heed, arms, and body. Os theists were six large bruises, and their appearance demoted that they had been inflicted shortly before death. Impeder Gibson having obtained the particulars mix•eary proceeded to search the place, and findieg both parlour doonsbutand lacked, proceeded to break open the door of the front parlour. On entering he wee surprised to find the body of the man hanging ekes to the folding doors. It was close to the ground, with his heed leaning on one aide, and round his neck was a common clothes hoe. He was in a sitting position, and appeared to have expired without a struggle. The inspector immediately cut him down, and the doctors pronounced that from all appearances he had been dead for many hours. To make a fastening for the rope the man had tied a piece of stick to the cord, and Winn placed the cad over the top portico of the door had shut it closely too. The appearances denote that it mad bavebeen a most determined act of suicide, as the murderer, although only a few inches from the ground, had to hang his head on one side to render the rope taut. The deceased women is described as having been of very prepossessing ap. pomace, and of the most cleanly habits, as her garments and the appearance of the house denote. It is stated that she was • married women, that her husband is alive, awl resides and works at Birmingham, and that she bag had no children. The murderer Is ales said to be married, and to have • wife and family now liviag.