Unfairly dealt with

INQUEST AND SUSPECTED MURDER.- An inquest was held at Sydenham, on the body of a young woman, found in the Croydon canal, near that place, on Sunday the 29th. It appeared that, on the evening of the preceding Monday (23rd), the deceased, with another female about her own age, went into the shop of Mrs. Stacey, on Sydenham Common, and purchased articles for making tea, for which she paid 10d., and asked Mrs. Stacey if she could accommodate her with hot water in the course of the evening, which Mrs. Stacey promised to do. She said she was going to meet the young gentleman who was the father of the child of which she was pregnant, and would return to take tea, and then went away with her companion. About a quarter past seven she was seen in a boat in the broad water of the canal, and a young gentleman rowing her about, her female friend was in another boat with another gentleman. They did not return to Mrs. Stacey’s, and the next morning the boats were seen floating on the broad water, deserted:- no suspicion, however, was excited. But on Sunday morning Mrs. Stacey’s son observing a woman's bonnet and veil on the surface of the water, procured a boat and went to the spot, when he discovered the body of the deceased.

It was brought to the village, when it was instantly recognized by Mrs. Stacey and a number of the villagers. There was a small key in her pocket, but no money or papers of any kind by which her name might be discovered. There was a fracture on the forehead, and both eyes were blackened by contusion, from which it was concluded she had been murdered. Inquiry was instantly set on foot for the young man with whom she had been seen, and for her female companion, but without obtaining the least information respecting either.

A policeman stated, that, about three weeks ago, late in the evening, he observed the same female walking in a desponding state upon the banks of the same canal, and questioned her, when she admitted, with tears in her eyes, that she meditated self destruction. He took her to the station-house, where she said her name was Mary Clarke, and that she lived at Highgate, but refused to give any account of herself. In her pocket was then found the same key which was in her pocket when taken out of the canal. She left the station-house in the morning, and promised to return home.

The Jury returned a. verdict “Found Drowned," but expressed their hope that the investigation would be continued, as there was great reason to apprehend that the deceased had been unfairly dealt with.