Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1862-01-08 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

SUICIDE BY A GIRL TO ESCAPE THE CRUELTY OF HER FATHER.—An inquest was held on Friday, at Exeter, on the body of a young woman, named Piper, who drowned herself on the 19th instant, through the brutal conduct of her father. The evidence showed that the father had always behaved with great cruelty, had turned her out of doors for no reason, and had threatened her life. The deceased mother corroborated this. " When I told him," she said, "what had happened to my daughter, he said, 'I am glad of it; and if it is she who is drowned, I'd stay up all night to make her coffin. Now I shall be happy. " (Sensation.) It appeared that the deceased had subscribed to an insurance company, by which her representatives became entitled to received £8 lie, on her death. A policeman said that when the body was found the father was pre• sent, and tried to take the ear-rings out of his daughter's ears. A juryman said that he heard the father a second time propose to take the ear-rings out of his daughter's ears. He (the juror) replied that if he attempted to do so be would kick him into the canal. The jury returned a verdict of "Found Drowned," which met with the approval of the Coroner. The public officer then made an application for the policy of insurance, so that the pariah, which had been put to the expense of providing the coffin, might be able to draw the money from the Company. The Coroner at present refused to sign any certificate. Several of the jurors expressed their opinion that the mother of the deceased had not stated all the truth, and they thought it looked very strange that she had been in the habit of paying the Id. per week into the Company for her daughter. One juror said he believed something more would arise out of this inquest, and the Coroner replied that he was therefore very glad they had returned the verdict recorded by them. REVOLTING Roassuizs.—On Tuesday morning the county magistrates of Bath were occupied for several hours with the further examination of Mr. E. Smith, builder; Mr. William Marchant, sexton; and Giles Broad and Henry Musty, labourers, all of Freshford, who were charged on Tuesday week with opening some vaults in the parish church of Freshford, and taking therefrom several lead coffins, brass breastplates, and iron coffin-handles. The case excited considerable interest, and there was a large attendance of the public. The offence was committed in 1859, when Smith was employed to do some repairs at the church. In the course of lowering the floor a vault proving an obstacle it was levelled, and a lead coffin which was found was ripped open and the contents having been put into another vault the metal was taken and sold by Smith, and the proceeds divided between the other prisoners, the two latter of whom were employed about the work. At the further examination on Tuesday, George Smith, a brazier and ironmonger, of Bradford, deposed that during the progress of the repairs at Freshford Church, the prisoner Marchant brought him a stove and copper pipe, a small quantity of old brass coffin-handles, some pieces of brass which looked like coffin furniture' and some sheet lead, and offered them for sale. On being asked how he got the things, Marchant said they were thrown out with the rubbish, and he did not think it worth while to put them in again. The witness understood this to mean out of Freshford Church. Some of the pieces of brass were doubled up, and had names on them on the inner side. About £3 was paid for the articles, which was sold on two occasions, and disposed of subsequently by Smith, at Bristol, and to a founder, named ilson, of Bradford. The latter stated that on looking over what he had received he found • piece of • brass breastplate bearing the letters "Ella ;" the rest had been torn off; it had the appearance of having COTHO from a vault. Thomas Rose, a carrier, deposed that in September, 18.59, during the repairs of the church at Freshford, he conveyed a sack, containing something heavy, into Bath, and delivered it to an Irishman, named Michael Hickey, to whom it belonged. As it rattled a great deal, witness made a hole in the bag to see what was in it, and then saw some rags and bones, and about 60 iron coffin-handles, with plates attached. Hickey was the next witness called, but he could not be got to help the case. He either did not know or would not admit that he knew there were coffin-handles in the sack, nor could he tell the names of the persons from whom he purchased the contents after being several times threatened with committal if? he did not tell all I-1c knew, but without effect. The Beach at last sent him to prison for a fortnight for contempt. The prisoners were then further remanded for a week, but admitted to bail.— Wisteria Daily Press.