Daily News
United Kingdom
23 October 1888

The adjourned inquest on the remains recently discovered in the foundations of the new police buildings at Whitehall was resumed at the Sessions House, Westminster, yesterday, before the Coroner. Mr. Brown, the deputy foreman of the works, was of opinion that the trunk discovered on 2nd October could not have been in the position in which it was found on 28th September, when witness was occupied in measuring the vault for the surveyor. George Erant, clerk of the works, deposed that he left the building at midday on Saturday. On the Friday preceding the discovery he was in the vault, but saw nothing of the body. He must have noticed it had it been there. Arthur Franklin, surveyor, deposed that he was in the vault on Friday taking measurements. He did not go into the corner in which the body was discovered. He saw nothing beyond a quantity of rubbish. The body might have been there without attracting his attention. Jasper Waring, who refused to give his address publicly and described himself as the Titbury representative of a news agency, said that he visited the site of the police buildings with a dog on the 17th inst. He gave a detailed description of the discovery of a woman's leg through the agency of his dog. The particulars of this discovery have already been published. Witness, in reply to a juryman, said he did not have the permission of the police to visit the ground. J. Hedges, a labourer, said he was the last person in the vault on the Saturday in question. He went there for a hammer. He looked into the corner where the remains were unearthed, but saw nothing. Dr. Bond said that he was called on the 17th inst. by Sergeant Rose to Whitehall, where he found a leg and foot which he judged had been in the vault for several weeks. The foot was in an advanced state of decomposition, but the leg was in a wonderful state of preservation. The leg had been very cleverly disarticulated, and corresponded in every way with the trunk which he had previously examined. He was certain that the body had lain in the vault for weeks uncovered and exposed to the air. The brickwork was saturated with the decomposing fluid from a human body. Death, in his opinion, must have taken place about the end of August. Mr. Herbert, of St. Thomas's Hospital, gave anatomical particulars of the leg discovered on the 17th inst. He bore out Dr. Bond's evidence. He thought the limb must have belonged to a woman of from 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 9 in height, and that death must have taken place about the middle of August. The coroner summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of "Found Dead."

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Prince Albert Victor had a capital day's shooting on Lord Egerton's estate at Ashley yesterday. There were seven guns in the party, besides the Prince. The bags consisted of 208 pheasants, 15 partridges, 150 hares, 6 rabbits. The distinguished party lunched at Astley Hall farm. Today the covers in the neighbourhood of Tatton will be shot over.

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The inquest on the human remains lately found at the new police buildings, Whitehall, was resumed by Mr. Troutbeck at Westminster yesterday. Evidence was given as to the discovery last week, by the aid of a dog, of a portion of a leg. Dr. Bond, and Mr. Herbert, of St. Thomas's Hospital, were of opinion that the limb corresponded with the trunk. A verdict of "Found Dead" was returned.

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The Bishop of Bedford has acknowledged the receipt of £100 3s from Mr. Richard Mansfield, being the result of the benefit given at the Lyceum Theatre on Friday evening last in aid of the Home and Refuge Fund.