The Sun. — 1849-11-17 (London, England)

PATTESON.) MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.  Sir FREDERICK THE,IGER said, if your Lordship pleases, I have to move your Lordship for a writ of certiorari to bring into this court an inquisition taken by the Coroner of the borough of Leeds, and also the depositions, which inquisition was held on the body of a person named Sarah Ann Wholley, by which she was found felo de se, the object being to traverse the inquisition ; but at the same time 1 think it right to state that if I find, when the inquisition is brought into this court, that there are substantial defects on the face of it, I should wish to have an opportunity of taking advantage of them. The circumstances of this case, which I will state shortly to your Lordships, are of the most extraordinary and mysterious character. Sarah Ann Wholley was the daughter of respectable parents, residing in London, and on the 21st of June last she married Mr. Wholley, her husband, who was a wooldealer, residing at tiolbech, in the neighbourhood of Leeds. She was seven-and-twenty years old, and he was only three years older. They were married With the entire approbation of the parents of the lady ; and after the marriage they proceeded first to Leamington, afterwards to Scarborough, and from both of these places letters were written by the wife to her sister, expressing, in the most artless and simple way, the happiness she enjoyed in her new state. They arrived at home In Holbech on the 2d of July, and on the 7th of July a letter was written to the sister by the wife, which, however, I shall not trouble your Lordships with, but merely state that it was written precisely in the same strain as all the others, containing nothing exaggerated, but giving, in the most simple and artless manner, an account of her own happiness, and ending in this way :—" It has just struck five, and as my dearest William generally makes his appearance about that hour, or soon after, I must draw to a close to be ready for tea. Adieu, my dearest Susannah, and, with our united and devoted regards, believe me your affectionate, happy sister, Sarah Ann Wholley." On the 9th of July she was seen as late as half-past eleven o'clock in perfect health and spirits. She was of a very cheerful disposition, of a quiet, well-regulated, and religious mind ; she had breakfasted with her husband that morning, and had parted with him on the most affectionate terms, he going to his daily business at Leeds. Five minutes after the time when she was seen as I have stated and described, she was found stretched upon the floor in her bedroom, with her throat cut from ear to ear, and a razor between the finger and thumb of her left hand. An inquest was held, and by the direction of the coroner, under these circumstances, the jury wefe almost forced to find a verdict of felo de se. My Lord, the coroner's direction, which is of the most extraordinary kind, is sworn to. He says this : (The learned gentleman then proceeded to read the charge of the coroner, which concluded in these Words :—" I think you had better find a verdict of felo de se than adopt a course of leaving the case open and throwing suspicion upon parties that may rest upon them for ever.") Under this strong direction the jury found the verdict I have mentioned, after three hours' deliberation ; it being perfectly clear that 110 suspicion could possibly have attached to any one If the jury had found that verdict which seems to be the proper one, according to the mysterious nature of the case ; for if she did destroy herself it must have been upon some sudden outbreak of madness, of which the human mind is sometimes susceptible, and instances of which we know have not unfrequently taken place. It was, therefore, under the strong direction of the coroner that the jury found this verdict. And as the family are extremely anxious to wipe this stain from this unfortunate lady's memory, they feel that it would be impossible for the lady to have a Christian burial with this stigma resting on her name, and therefore on their behalf I have to apply to your Lordship for a writ of certiorari, for the purpose of having the inquisition and the depositions brought into this court, in order that they may be traversed. My Lord, if I find upon examining the inquisition there is any part of it open to technical objection, I think it right to state that I shall take advantage of it. Mr. Justice PATTESON granted the application. The writ was accordingly directed to issue.  The sun of truth may be obscured, but is never gohpaed,--,Eliza Cook's Journal.