British Miner and General Newsman : — 1862-10-04 (London, England)

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN THE CITY. VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER.  THE coroner's inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Elizabeth Gardiner, who was found dead with her throat cut, at 1, Northumberland-alley, on the morning of Monday, the 15th instant, was resumed yesterday afternoon, by Mr. W. J. Payne, at the Coach and Horses, Northumberland-alley, Fenchurch-street. The jury having been sworn. George Goulbourn, a lamplighter, residing at 25, Cold. Harbour-street, Hackney-road, said he had known Gardiner more than four years. On the morning of Monday, the 15th, he saw him at a quarter to five in Leadenhalbstreet. He was going towards Cornhill. He afterwards saw Gardiner at his house in Northumberlandalley, at eight o'clock. He (witness) was going into Gardiner's house, but Gardiner asked him to keep out, remarking that there was quite enough in already. Gardiner seemed pale and cut up. Thomas Raffield, a carpenter, residing at 14, Belvedereplace, Southwark-bridge-road, said he had known Gardiner four or five years. He recollected the morning on which Mrs. Gardiner was found dead. He saw Gardiner at the Fenehurch-street end of Northumberland-alley on that morning, just as the clock was about to strike seven. Gardiner seemed as if he was coming from Northumberland-alley. John Breton Maguires, a photographic artist, of 4, Aldgate, said he had known Gardiner two years. He recollected the morning of Monday, the 15th. On that morning he saw Gardiner between Jewry-street and the Minories, about five minutes to seven. He had a bag on his shoulder, but there seemed to be nothing in it. He was coming towards Northumberland-alley. He (witness) saw Gardiner again in Fenchurch-street at twenty minutes past seven. He was then sitting on a rail—(A laugh)— at the King's Head, near the corner of Star-alley. Witness did not speak to him. Mary Byewater, a married woman, living at 14, Swanstreet, Minories, said she knew the deceased, Mrs. Gardiner. Deceased came to her house twice on the Saturday before her death. She told witness that she had fallen, and hurt her elbow, and she seemed in very depressed spirits. Deceased said she was very bad, and that she saw no resource open to her but the Bow Union. Sergeant Mobbs said that on last Wednesday Samuel Gardiner had on his way to the station said he was glad he had been given into custody, as he believed something would come out.  Some further evidence was given, but it did not throw any light on the cause of Mrs. Gardiner's death. The coroner then at great length summed up. The jury, he said,"had two questions to consider. One of them was, did the deceased commit suicide? If they were satisfied she did not, then they would consider whether the evidence justified them in saying that the death had been caused by any particular person or persons. There were some things in the case which seemed to be quite consistent with the supposition of suicide, and there were others which appeared to point to murder. The jury, after deliberating about half an hour, returned a verdict of Wilful murder against Samuel Gardiner and Elizabeth Humbler.  The witnesses were then bound over to give evidence at the next Old Bailey Sessions, and the proceedings terminated.