The Sun. — 1845-12-05 (London, England)

UEEN-SQ UARE. Martha Browning, a young woman, apparently about 25 years of age, was charged with the wilful murder of Elizabeth Mundell, an aged female, with whom she resided. The case is one of a most extraordinary and mysterious character, and before proceeding to detail the evidence adduced, it may be as well, in order to render the case more intelligible to the reader, briefly to advert to the circumstances which led to the prisoner's apprehension ; a course the mare necessary from the fact, that in consequence of the insensible state of the Accused during the examination, a portion only of the evidence was given before the Magistrate. The supposed victim of prisoner's violence as-as found dead by her daughter on Monday morning, and on the evening of that day a coroner's .jury sa:,- upon the body, and returned a verdict "that the deceased had committed suicide whilst in a state o t temporary insanity!' Since that period some circumstances of a very suspicions nattil'a have transpired, tending to criminate the accused as the murderer of the deceased female; and on her being found on Tuesday afternoon in possession of a sham bank note, which it was obvious she had considered genuine, as she had attempted to get change for it, she was closely interrogated by the husband of deceased's daughter, who at once recognised it as corresponding with one of two which the ill-fated woman had been seen to have in her possession the day before her death, and a desire on the part of the prisoner to possess which, supposing them to be genuine bank-notes, it was inferred might have induced her to put a period to the existence of their possessor. The accused's replies were anything but satisfactory, and she endeavoured to effect her escape from the house, but was detained. The husband of the deceased's daughter insisted upon her accompanying him to the station, and before their arrival there she became much agitated, and said, " I did it, I did it; have mercy upon me." Mr. Partridge, the inspector on duty at the Gardiner's- lane station, whither the prisoner had beets most unwillingly taken, haying made himself acquainted with the particulars, as well as the brief space of time would permit, immediately sent for the whole of the witnesses whose evidence bore upon the matter, and brougL-t the accused to this Court. The prisoner, who had the appearance of a hearty young woman, was lifted into the dock in an apparently senseless state, immediately after which she fell into a succession of strong fits, between which she gave way to paroxysms of apparently despair and tore her hair. Everything, however, which humanity could suggest, was done to prevent her injuring herself Ann Gage, of 11, Rochester-street, Rochester row, sworn— have known the prisoner for about six months, and she has lodged with my mother for the last six weeks, at No. 1, Providence-row, Prewers'-green. On Monday morning, at about eight o'clock, the prisoner came to me at my residence, and said my mother was very ill. She said that she had fallen •into a fit at about seven that morning, and had screamed out, " Murder, what are you at ? what are you at ?" She wished me to come round and see my mother, which I immediately did. Whilst I was dressing myself I asked her whether the person in the next room had come into her when she screamed " murder ?" when she replied, " No ;" that the door was locked, and she was holding my mother's hands and washing her face at the time. 1 went with prisoner as soon as I had dressed myself, and on entering my mother's room I looked in the bed, but she was not there, and I was turning to •come out of the room when I found her lying on her back on a box, with her head towards the door and there was a cord about as thick as my finger twice round her neck, the knot being tied on the right side. Mr.