Found drowned

Extraordinary Inquest. - On the 15th and 16th an inquest was held, in Black-friars road, on the body of a female aged seventeen, who had been found drowned in the Thames, at the steps of Blackfriars Bridge, on the morning of the 13th.

Mr. Peter Wood, an eating house-keeper, in the Bermondsey New-road, having seen a paragraph in one of the Sunday newspapers, that the body of a female had been taken out of the Thames on the previous day, and carried to the workhouse to be owned, and, from the description given, suspecting that it was the body of a young female who had lived in his service, but who had been discharged by his wife on account of jealousy, had gone to the workhouse and recognized the body of the unfortunate girl. He was very much agitated, and he cut off a lock of her hair, and kissed the corpse.

He immediately went to an undertaker, and gave orders for the funeral. He then went to the deceased's parents, and informed them of the melancholy fate of their daughter. They also went to the workhouse, and on being shown the body, were loud in their lamentations.

The Jury having assembled, they proceeded to view the body of the deceased, and, on their return, a number of witnesses were examined, mostly relations, who swore positively to the body.

From the evidence it appeared, that the deceased had lived with Mr. Wood as a servant for four months, but, his wife having become jealous of her, she was discharged about a month ago, since which time Mr. Wood had secretly supplied her with money, and kept her from want.

Her mother, and other relations, in giving their evidence, spoke in severe terms of the conduct of Mr. Wood, and said, that they had no doubt but that he had seduced the girl, which had caused her to commit suicide.

The Jury appeared to be very indignant, and, after five hours' deliberation, adjourned the case till next day.

Mr. Wood, the alleged seducer, was then present, but he was so overcome by his feelings, that nothing could be made of him.

His wife, twenty-eight years older than her husband, was called in, and shook her head at him, but nothing was elicited from her, passion completely overcoming her reason.

The Jury were commencing to deliberate on their verdict, when a drayman in the employment of Messrs. Whitbread and Co., brewers, walked into the jury-room, and said that he wished to speak to the coroner and jury. Coroner - "What is it you want?" Drayman, "I come to say, gentlemen, that Mrs. Baker's daughter, you are holding an inquest on, is now alive and in good health." The Coroner and Jury (in astonishment) - "What do you say ? " - Drayman. - "I'll swear that I met her to-day in the street, and spoke to her."

In about a quarter of an hour the drayman returned, and introduced the real Eliza Baker, a fine-looking young woman, and in full health. To depict the astonishment of the relations and of Mr. Wood is totally impossible, and at first they were afraid to touch her. She at last went forward, took Mr. Wood by the hand, and exclaimed, "How could you make such a mistake as to take another body for mine ? Do you think I would commit such an act?"

Mr. Wood fell senseless in a fit, and it was with great difficulty that seven men could hold him. After some time he recovered, and walked away, to the astonishment of every one, with Eliza Baker, leaving his wife in the jury room.

There was no evidence to prove who the deceased was; and the jury, after about eleven hours' investigation, returned a verdict of "Found drowned," but by what means the deceased came into the water, there was no evidence to prove.