Suicide Or Murder?

THE DISTRICT RAILWAY MYSTERY.

RESUMED INQUEST TODAY.

This morning, Mr. Wynne E. Baxter resumed an inquiry at the London Hospital respecting the death of Esther Lipschitz, aged 43, the wife of a Scripture reader, residing at 51, Spelman-street, Mile-end New Town, whose body was found shockingly mutilated in the tunnel of the District Railway, between St. Mary's, Whitechapel, and Aldgate East Stations, on Sunday, the 26th ult. - The evidence given on the last occasion was to the effect that early on the morning in question Mrs. Lipschitz left her home to visit her brother, at 3, Princes-street, Spitalfields. She appeared to have called there, but left almost immediately; and nothing further was heard of her till two o'clock, when her body was discovered in the tunnel.

THE DECEASED COMPLAINS OF HER HUSBAND.

On the opening of the Court the Coroner estreated the recognizances (10 pounds) of three of the Jury who failed to answer their names. - Elias Tertis, 8, Princes-street, Spitalfields, brother of the accused, stated that his sister had been ill-used by her husband, who did not give her enough money to live on. She did not leave him because of the children. On February 25th, witness saw her, and she said, "I do not know what to do, as my life is such an unhappy one." She had, however, never threatened to commit suicide. - Alexander Tertis, another brother, deposed that he saw his sister on Friday, the 24th ult. She told him she was tired of her life. She fretted about her children, and asked witness to look after them if anything happened to her. Witness knew that she had been much abused, and had led a most miserable life. - By the Coroner: There were no symptoms of insanity in the family. Deceased's husband left her in Russia when he came to England, and did not send any money for her to come over with. Witness, however, provided her with the means to do so. - John Wm. Ellis, 8, Canal-terrace, York-road, King's-cross, a booking clerk on the District Railway at St. Mary's, stated that he issued the ticket found on the deceased at about ten minutes to nine on Sunday morning, the 25th ult. A train left about two minutes later.

THE HUSBAND'S DENIALS.

The husband, recalled, said he never ill-used his wife or in any way misbehaved towards her. His salary was about 2 pounds a week, and he gave her the greater part of it. She was in great trouble about her baby, who had been burnt, and she said, "I know I shall be imprisoned for the baby." She did not seem extraordinarily strange on the Saturday night, or he would not have stayed with her, as she might have murdered him. - The Jury eventually found that the deceased committed suicide while in state of temporary insanity.

Source: The Echo, Monday March 5, 1888, Page 4

MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN SOMERSETSHIRE.

A mysterious murder has been committed at East Lambrook, nine miles from Yeovil. A woman, 50 years of age, named Martha Charles, has been in the habit of attending to the domestic work at the house of a small farmer and butcher named George Lye. She appears to have gone to the house at night somewhat later than usual, but did not return home. Early next morning, on her friends going to Lye's house, they found the body of the woman in a dreadful state, her head having been hacked and battered in a shocking manner with an axe. Lye is missing. He is 30 years of age, and up to the time of writing no information of his whereabouts has been obtained. The statement issued by the police is that Martha Charles was brutally murdered at East Lambrook, in the Illminster division of Somerset, with an axe, and that George Lye, 30 years of age, 5ft. 7in. high, light whiskers and moustache, brown hair, near-sighted, large Roman nose, dressed in a speckled suit, nearly new, is wanted for the offence. He is addicted to drink. The crime is one of the most dreadful ever committed in the county, and those who have seen the mutilated remains of the poor woman declare that none but a maniac could have committed such a heinous deed. Lambrook is an isolated village and difficult of access, hence the delay in getting reliable information about the tragedy.

Source: The Courier, March 29, 1888, Page 15