The Sun. — 1846-04-30 (London, England)

DISCOVERY OF SKELETONS IN MANCHESTER. The neighbourhood of the New Cross has been in a state of much excitement, in consequence of some men, employed in excavation, having discovered two human skeletons there. The excavators are employed in digging a branch sewer, near to, and parallel with, the easterly side of Oldham-road, at the New Cross, to connect the property of Mr. Wolstencroft with the main sewer. The men came to the first body yesterday morning week, at a depth of about three feet only from the surface. It was in a coffin, the skeleton being entire, and a considerable quantity of dark, pitch-like fluid was at the bottom, which emitted a most horrible stench, probably being a portion of the body in a state of decomposition. The workmen disengaged the skull, which being exhibited, and purchased from them by some passer-by, led to the matter being noised abroad, and a great crowd of people collected to witness the further operations of the excavators. At length, towards evening, about seven feet from the first body discovered, and about five feet deeper in the earth, the workmen touched upon the foot of another coffin. The excitement upon this became almost past belief; and though there was no occasion in this case to have disturbed the repose of the dead, the end of the coffin was broken off, and one of the excavators actually cropt inside it, almost to the length of his body, that he might reach out the skull. When the much-sought prize was obtained and exhibited, the "fever of speculation" may be said to have attained its height, for the riot and confusion were so great that the police were obliged to interfere. At the moment of their intervention, this second skull bad just been knocked down to a cabmart , belonging to the adjoining coach stand. o Wem believe, ythe however, it was subsequently Likteernreldr agaihni at night, presence police, c eand f bay strong police order. During the remtahienmderp remains of suicides 1 law or usage," rio_vratel.f supposed to be the Heat halroereicnveenoinngthiet srpertirteodketehpe the " old which the bodies of all persons skeletons sred there under These byslf committing suicide, and upon which a coroner's jury had given a verdict of "Febo de se" (being denied a place in " Christian" burial grounds), were interred in the pub. crye' s;i daendd for a eht tot shoemakert eurp w parta r d goof f h7ios fief ea years otlhde, ~,h i.ch ohighhaws neighbourhood, gates that he distinctly recollects two bodies of suicides being interred near the cross, approaching to 40 years ago, the ene being a male and the other a female. The former was a man named Smith, a boot• closer, who had :worked for Mr. Tysick, then a flourishing tradesman in " Market-street-lane." This man was said at the time to have committed suicide in consequence of an " affair of the heart" with a female ,if some considerable personal attractions living in Milk-street, who kept a very disreputable establishment at the time, and hwhtia,, tragic act, and an indictment at the susb through the public feeling excited against her,,nty liseelnuiet quitted the sessions she was compelled to give up, and runners" of those days officiatingkeep tothe sad scene. Of the town. The interment was at near spectators attracted to witne's.; known, beyond the fact midnight'o rde atmheon"gth female nothing particular September, poison, and was buried anntt,hede2st2rdoyoedf herself by 1808. The last interment .e is said to have been the that she was a domestic lharestreheirelor• body of add that another place of sepulture in such cases may in the New a soldier, who committed suicide in 1821. We hung himself, was Bailey, named James Massey, who was Kersal Moor, where, in 1807, a prisoner . and in . tted," was a second e buried the same evening near the didistancecheadirin and th was a few days afterwards exhumede ditch where old Grindrod was gibb ing machine.—Afanchester time exhumed, and finally bctrruiaerddi iian ear. the Salford weigh ,d, aS; bl ayt h ti thief," Colburn, lc ... ----'--=----------MAnrrox ; Ott,