AWFUL DISCOVERY IN LONDON.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 25 August 1880, Page 2

AWFUL DISCOVERY IN LONDON.

* ~ (F r om the Npws o f ' tl»p Wnfld/) On Thnvsdfiy morning (-Tune 4) a hor-->\h]o discnri n ry wa>« mnd^ at the rosirlen-e of Mr IT»nriqu?s 139. Kfir'ey-strM, London, vrho^p f;imi!y h-!ve r^sVled them for ne.irly a qmrinr of a century. 71:e butler determined to clear out one of (he cellars which extended under the strppt. In this cellar there is a cistern sfan iing upon four wooden leaf's, and under fch's there was a ltsjht wor-i'ea cask, together with a quantity of other lumber. On attempting to remove the cask, which was supposed to be empty, it was found to <"'int>in the remain* of a woman, which : ad been pu-!»H in h(v-d-fo-OMiO«r, nnd t'te leas nf'erwar.'s rr<s fd h- low »h<-'-nrfii-p, Th' L bii:iv, w!iic!i in a st-Me of nud'ty with the exi'ep'i.ni of a i-T^or np^n he i-ia \v le:, svas viiy ivu;!i c'cr^ni' pose 1 m-jinly ox'wz to the t«con of a

quantity of q<iick«lime which had been i brown upon it. It is thought that it must hare been where it was found at 'east three years. Immediately on the discovery being made the police were communicated with, and Mr Spurgin, the division il surgeon from Marylebone L'ne, was in atiendnnce. The body wai afterwards removed to the mortuary. I'ho premises were visited by Mr Howard Vincent, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at Scotland Yard, who made tuinu'e inquiries, but failed to gain any information as to any person being; missing from the premises. The cellar was only used for lumber, and was not kept locked or fastened in any way. LATE?T PAETIC SLABS. The discovery in Harley-street 13 ia many respects on all fours with that which was made this time last year ia K ust on square, when the body of Miss Hacker was found buried in the coal cellar. In that case, however, the house wns let out in lodgings, whereas the resi-» dence of Mr Henrique is entirely a private residence, and is about fifty doors from the house until recently orcapied by the Prime Minister. The butler who made the discovery has been in the em* ploy of Mr Henriques for eighteen months. Ever since be came into the service he has noticed an unpleasant smell emanating from the cellar, which was tbou&ht at one time to come from the closet, but this having been repaired he determined to clean out the cellar. The 4u^, which has the appearance of an American flour barrel, was piled up with stone bottles. These having been re* moved, the cause of the smell was dis« covered. Harley street is one of the best streets in the West end of London. On Friday Dr Bond, who is generally pallet in by the police in such cises, with Dr Spurcin, made a careful examine tim of the l>odv, which lasted a consider* jjble time. Dr Bond likewise took away - some portions, so that he might more care* fu ; ly rximine them and give his opinion as to the cause of death, and also as to how Jon? the body hns lain in its late resting rlace. There i«, however, very lite doubt as to the remains being thoseof a woman, as in addition to the garter found on the rijjht leg, remains of a chemise and other underclothing hare been found in the tub. although in a rery decomposed condition. The hair, too, which does not ('ecompose under the mfl lence of quicklime so rapidly, bas been cit off apnarent'y for the purpose of hid* ing identification, but it is in one or two patches still on the head. The right leg is bent, and the hand is clenched. The inquest is expected to be opened j on Tue day at the Buffalo, in the Maryle-bone-road, before Dr. Hardwicke. The front teeth of the body found in FTarley street are very peculiar, being v insuaHy short and having blunt ends, as if they had been sawn. The body is I hat of a woman between 40 and 50 years of age, in poor and probably unfortunate circumstances, of short stature, and having dark brown hair. It has been dead from eighteen months to three years.

["""ince the Euston - square mystery was revealed no more shocking discovery ha? bsen made in London than (he sbjve. As far as the circumstances point to any-* thine (hey indicate that a horrible murder has been perpetrated, al houab. another explanation of the 'mystery' may be vet forthcoming. The police, however, can find no tr.^ce of the murderer. It is cot unlikrly that the remain* were deposited in the cellar when the house was unoccupied, possibly during the season when socie ! y goes out of town, and a close scrutiny in'o the history of the bonsehold during the last three yeirs might indicate the time when it would be easy for anybody to gain access to the cellar with the least rsk 'of detection. The fact is cellnrs are very often, through forget fulness, Ijeft unlocked ; and, if not in" daily use, they thu^ afford an excpU Ipnt biding place for the remains of a murderer's victim' Discoveries such 93 those in Euston • square and Harley* street most vividly impress us with the f;ict that, in a great city like London, the >treets may, for aught we know, teera with ' mvstories.' Even in the most peaceful and respectable quarters there mar be many qu et nooks, where the mouldering remains of some wre'ehed vic'ira of p^sson or despair lie moulder* it-'g in the dark ; while around and even < rer th" tracs of terrible crime the tide of hapny hunvin life flows gaily and uns oonscious.lv "".]