Catherine Lane

Catherine Lane testified at the inquest of Elizabeth Stride. She and Stride lived at 32 Flower and Dean Street.

Alleged Murder of a Female in Bermondsey.

Thomas Buxton, a drover, was brought before Mr. Combe for final examination, charged with causing the death of an old woman, named Catherine Kenny, by striking her on the head. George Woodley, a leather dresser, said that between nine and ten o'clock on Sunday night he was passing John's-place, Grange-road, Bermondsey, when he saw a number of children following a female, and shouting after her. She picked up something from the ground and threw it at the children, when the prisoner went up to her and asked her why she threw it at them - did she want to kill them. She replied, "What's that to you?" and struck him a violent blow on the face. The prisoner then pushed her from him, and struck her on the right side of the face, but not very violently. She staggered towards the pavement, and fell backwards on the edge of the kerb. He assisted to lift her up, and found she was dead. Catherine Lane said she lived at 17, Wood's-place, Grange-road, Bermondsey, and she saw the prisoner go up to the deceased and ask her why she threw the stones at the children. The deceased appeared half drunk, and struck the prisoner, who gave her a blow with his left hand on the right side of her face. In a minute or so she fell, and was picked up dead. Thomas Moore, 213 M, said he was on duty in the Grange-road on Sunday night, when he saw a number of children following a female, whom they hooted and threw stones at. The prisoner was there, and he went up to the deceased and said to her, "Why do you throw stones at those children? You may kill some of them." The deceased struck him on the head, and he gave her a blow with his left hand, and she staggered a little and fell down. Witness sent for a stretcher, but she was dead a long time before it arrived. In fact, she never spoke or moved after falling. Mr. Wm. Alexander Tuckey, surgeon, 169, Bermondsey-street, said he was called to see the deceased at the station-house, and there found that life had been for some time extinct. He afterwards made a post-mortem examination, and was of opinion that death was caused by either a blow or a fall. There were no external injuries. Mr. Combe committed the prisoner for trial.

Source: The Penny Newsman, Sunday July 1, 1860, Page 6