Murder At Burton-crescent

THE MURDER AT BURTON-CRESCENT.
EXAMINATION AT BOW-STREET.

Mary Donovan, 40 years of age, an ill-looking woman, was brought up before Mr. Flowers charged with the wilful murder of Rachel Samuels, at 4, Burton-crescent, between eight p.m. on the 11th and one a.m. on the 12th instant. Superintendent Williamson made a statement of the facts of the case afterwards detailed in evidence. Mr. Abrams defended the prisoner.
John Francis Boschedzky deposed - I am a professor of music, living at 4, Burton-crescent. I have lodged there two years. I went home a little after twelve. My supper things were not ready. I went into the kitchen and found Mrs. Samuels lying on the floor. I thought she had fainted. I shook her and found blood on her. I then went to deceased's son at Store-street. He came back with me with a policeman. We found Mrs. Samuels in the same place. I cannot say that she was dead when I first saw her, but I thought she was. I have often seen the prisoner there. She had not been lately. I opened the door for the prisoner on Tuesday last. She used to do the cleaning for Mrs. Samuels. She had been ten years in her service, but had since been married. I cannot say that the deceased had money in her house. I had paid her 3 pounds odd for rent.
Cross-examined by Mr. Abrams - Deceased was much attached to prisoner. The only complaint she made was that prisoner was in the habit of drinking. I went out at a quarter-past ten on Wednesday. I left a servant-girl and Mrs. Samuels in the house. I did not know Mrs. Samuels was going to discharge her.
Francis Hutchinson, F.R.C.S. - I was called on Thursday evening, between two and three o'clock, to 4, Burton-crescent. I found Mrs. Samuels lying on the floor. There was a large quantity of blood on her clothes. I found two scalp wounds. I passed my finger round her head, but there was no fracture. The forehead was much bruised. Her hands were also much bruised, as if they had been pressed to the head to prevent the blows. I examined the house with the inspector, and found blood in the lower part of the house. There were some marks of blood on the staircase, which had been wiped up. I went to the sink and found some one had washed their hands. The two pieces of wood produced were found by the inspector. The wood has been broken in two. The blows might have been inflicted by the wood. There is some blood and human hair on both pieces. I made a post-mortem examination. Beneath the scalp was a quantity of blood. The deceased appeared to be a healthy woman. The blows inflicted upon her would doubtless have caused death. She must have been stunned by the blows, and died afterwards. I should say she had been dead four hours.
Cross-examined by Mr. Abrams - Deceased was in front kitchen, lying on her back. Her head was not pointed to the fire. The kitchen has a stone floor. The wounds were very severe.
Inspector Kerley, E Division - About twelve o'clock yesterday I went to No. 12, Lancaster-street, Borough-road, in company with Inspector Landsdowne. I knocked at the door; it was opened by a woman, who called out, "Mrs. Donovan, you are wanted." The prisoner came downstairs. I said I wished to speak to her privately. We went upstairs to the first floor back room. There was a man in the room. The prisoner said, "Donovan, there is some one wants to speak to you." I said, "No, I want to speak to you. We are two police officers, and we are going to say something to you, and I want you to be very particular in what you say, as it might be given in evidence against you." I told her there had been a murder in Burton-crescent. Mrs. Samuels was murdered on Wednesday night, and I am told you were the last person who was seen in the house that night. She hesitated a moment and said, "Yes, I was there; I went to get the address of my sister. I was also there the night before, and then I went to get the address of my sister. I also cut Mrs. Samuels' toe nails." I said, "Which night?" She replied, "Wednesday night. The lodger let me in on Tuesday night, and it was the next night I cut her nails. I was there about eight or half-past, a gentleman came and knocked at the door, and asked to look at some apartments. Mrs. Samuels gave me some things to wash. She gave me part of the things and said, "If you will wait until the gentleman has gone, I will give you the others." He stopped so long that Mrs. Samuels said, "You can fetch me a haddock, and I will give you the things another night." I went out to get the haddock, but could not get one, and got a bloater instead, which I gave to Mrs. Samuels. The gentleman was then in the parlour. Mrs. Samuels knew him. He looked like a plasterer or paperhanger. I then came away, leaving the man in the house." I asked her if she had seen anyone in the house besides. She said, "Yes, there were two women came about a situation, but they went before I did." I asked her what shawl she wore that night. She pointed to one at the foot of the bed, and said, "That one." Lansdowne and I examined it, and thought we could see one mark of blood. I then asked what dress she wore that night. She said, "The one I have on." I said, "Let me look." She came up, and I told her to turn round to the window. On the front part of the dress there were stains which I considered to be blood. I said, "What are those stains?" at the same time pointing to the dress. She said, "That's ironmould." I told her I had no doubt it was blood, and took her into custody. I had previously told her that Mrs. Samuels had been murdered. She said, "I am not afraid" - and repeated it several times. Sergeant Fordham was then called in and took charge of the prisoner, while Landsdowne and I searched the premises. I saw Landsdowne find a black skirt on the bed with stains upon it which he thought were blood. Prisoner said, "You will never find any blood on that." She was then brought to Bow-street Police-station in a cab, and handed over to a female searcher to be searched. The charge was read over to her, and she was told she would be charged in the morning. She only replied, "Oh, in the morning."
Mr. Abrams deferred the cross-examination of Inspector Kerley for another occasion.
This being the only evidence proposed to be given at present, the case was adjourned to this day week.

Source: The Echo, Saturday December 14, 1878, Page 3