The Sun. — 1846-08-22 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY DEATH. Yesterday afternoon Mr. G. I. Mills, the Deputy Coroner for West Middlesex, and a highly respectable jury, reassembled, pursuant to adjournment, at the Green Man Ta vern, Downshire•hill, Hampstead, to further prosecute an inquiry on view of the body of Miss Marianne Johnson, who was alleged to have committed suicide by poison. The deceased lady, who was in her fifty-sixth year, resided at No. 8, Well-walk, in the above vicinity, and was a niece of the late Lord Collingwood, whose demise took place some few yearlsince. She possessed a very large fortune, and, although somewhat eccentric in her habits, was a distinguished member of the beau monde. She was subject to syncope, or fainting fits, which generally resulted in a morbid depression of the spirits, and she would sometimes use expressions that might induce an impression she was of unsound mind. About four years since she attempted to destroy herself by plunging into a piece of water at the rear of her establishment, but was rescued by a gentleman then on a visit. Shortly after a commission de lunatico inquirendo was held as to the state of her mind, which failed, however, to prove her insane. The case was conducted by Sergeant Wilde. The chief object of the adjournment was to have a post mortem examination, and the inquest-room yesterday was, in consequence of the intense interest excited throughout the neighbourhood, filled to overflowing, there being several distinguished members of the faculty present, besides some of the deceased's friends and relatives, amongst whom were Malor Newnham, Captain Blair, &c. Elizabeth Sanders (the deceased's femme de chambre) stated that she had been in her mistress's employ for the last two years. On the morning of the 15th instant the deceased left home in her carriage about half-past ten, to proceed to Mr. Patterson, the dentist. She had previously complained of toothache. She also called at a shop in Holborn, and at the Apothecaries' Hall, where she made some purchases, consisting chiefly of bottles of scent and articles for the toilette; and having paid several visits, she returned home in the evening about half-past seven, when she complained and said she had headache as well as toothache. Witness knew it was suspected that deceased had poisoned herself, from certain bottles that had been found in her room.  John Dowse, the coachman, deposed to his having driven the deceased about on the day mentioned by the first witness, and that his mistress stopped at the Apothecaries' Hall  for about 20 minutes.  Miss Price, of No. 9, Well-walk, Hampstead, said she knew the deceased very well from visiting her, but she (witness) did not believe the deceased had taken anything with a view to self-destruction. She also considered deceased perfectly sound in her mind. The first witness re-called—Went into deceased's room about eleven o'clock on the night of the 15th inst., and remained with her until she went to bed. The next morning at ten o'clock she was found dead in her bed. Messrs. Williams and Evans, the surgeons, of New Grove House, Hampstead, were immediately called in, the latter of whom had attended her ten days previously. Neither of them could detect anything that might account for death. Mr. Williams had made a post mortem examination. Putrefaction of the right portion of the abdomen had commenced, and the cuticle was separated. The primary cause of death was found in the thorax. The heart itself was much smaller than usual for persons of her age. In the pericardium there were about four ounces of serum tinged with blood, whilst the valves of the heart were perfectly healthy, both the aorta and the pulmonary artery. The lining membrane was much softened, which was evidently after death ; the lungs were healthy, but very oedematous; the bronchial tubes also; on the right side of the pleura there was some indication of disease having existed, the pleura itself containing about a pint of fluid; the stomach was exceedingly distended, whereas the mucous membrane was perfectly healthy, the contents consisting of about three ounces of semi-fluid in a mass; the intestines were also distended, the liver of an extraordinary size, and much congested with blood; the spleen and the other viscera quite healthy. The