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the frightful murder of a femaleIN OXFORD-STREET-CORONER'S INQUEST ON TEE BODY.Off Saturday afternoon, Mr. Bedford, the coroner frr Weafnvnater, proceeded with an inquiry in the board room if the w» rbhouse, Poland-street, St. James’*, respecting the ieath «f (.Catherine Dherange, who was found brutally mur-lered in a .room at No. 376, Oxford-street, the deed having seen co3sm»'tted by her husband, Antoine John Dherange, who afterwai ds committed suicide in Hyde-park.The jary, numbering 14, having been sworn, with :he coroner pr oceeded to view the body, which presented i most frightfe.’ aspect.Jane Macdonald, the deceased's sister, living at 24f Peter-atreet, Golden-wuare, said the deceased was her nsler, and her neme was Catherine Dherange, and was 36 years of age, and the wife of Antoine John Dherange. Had not seen the deceased since February, but she lived with her husband, who always Qftxeated her since they had been married, which was about six years. He was in the habit rf illusing her before they were six weeks manned. Was not friendly with the deceased latterly, in consequence of her living with deceared after his ill-treatment. She identified the body. The deceased had told her that he had often carried pistols with him, and had threatened to eat her throat on several occasions.Police-constable Joseph Brown, 12S D, deposed that in consequence of the suicide in Hyde-park of the mms, and From finding a letter in his breast pocket, he went to- 376, Oxford-street, and asked the landlord, Mr. Be Bolla, if he had lodgers of that name, and he said he had. They went np stairs and bored holes in the door, bnt on looking could see nothing of the deceased, but, by pushing the door partly open, saw the apartment was in great disorder. The door was then forced with an iron bar, and on going in he saw the deceased’s body lying on the floor, partly covered over. He saw dreadful cats across the arms and legs. Mr. Bridgman, of Margaret-streef, surgeon, was then sent for. On the table he (witness) saw a knife all bloody. A padteek was put on the door, and information was given to Inspector Coombs. The deceased's head was not on the body, but was, he believed, found in a cupboard by the inspector. In a corner of the room a saw was found covered with blood and a cpnatity of hair upon it (the saw and knife were here produced). The body was in a state of decomposition, and seemed to have been dreadfully cut about.William Momd, 18, Well-street, said: Between eleven andi twelve o’clock on Wednesday morning, the last witness asked him to go with him to the house, and, in company wh Mr. Bridgman, they went into the room. The body was on the floor and partially covered with a piece of canvas, but was quite naked. The flesh of the legs and arms was cut through to the bone, and a white-handled knife was seen lyiug on the table. On looking into the cupboard he (witness) saw the deceased’s head among some coal, wrapped up in a black piece of doth. He removed the wrapper and examined the head. There were several lacerated wounds, laying the cranium quite bare. The body was then covered over again, and they left it and gave necessary information.Mr. George William Bridgman, surgeon, 73, Margaret-street. C avendish- square: Was called about half-past eleven, o’dock last Wednesday morning to 376, Oxferd-street, and there fonnd in the front attic the headless body of th» deceased, and, on examination, found four extensive wounds on the arms and legs. The head was discovered in the coal cupboard, and several chips were knocked from the skull aa though done by some heavy or blunt instrument. A postmortem examination had been made, and found that there was an extensive fracture of the skull, which had no doubt been done during life, as were the other wounds on the head. His opinion was that the deceased’s throat had been cut either just before or shortly after the deceased died. The immediate cause of death no donbt was the injury to the head. The cutting off the head and the injuries to the legs and arms were inflicted after death. He should, however, attribute death to the injuries to the head and the cutting of the throat conjointly. A pair of shears were found in the room, which no donbt were used to inflict the injuries on the head. He thought the knife was principally used, but there were some marks as though the saw had also been used.Carlo De Bolla, who lived at 376, Oxford-street, confectioner, and was examined through M. Molenani, an inter- floor of his house, and as far as he knew they lived happily together, at all events he had not seen or heard them quarrel. Between nine and ten o’dock on Saturday, the deceased’s husband came into the Bhop and had a bottle of ginger-beer, when he went up to his room and said,•«Goodnight}!’ and he (withe»s)suBoaaw tne d«*ai^clean-'! ing the afeirs the safed evening, - Jut lie djd not aeemther?, afterwards, or hear isny noisa in 'the Thefewaa'another lodger inthe housd at'Ihe' fttne} itodtf Thrreana, * who livedon thethErd floor back room, Whjch adjoined thja deceased’s room. That man had sinde gone to Ramagate, v where he has a shop, being a confectioner. He (witness) did not think the Dheranges knew Tarreani. Tan earn left on -Wednesday morning at six o’clock, beforerit was known that anything was wrong. He (witness) thought something was wrong, and that he should like to see the room, but Tarreani advised him not, as perhaps the Dheranges were gone in the country. After Tarreani w«t, he (witness) bored some holes in the room door, and then saw that the furniture, e., was in great disorder, but he could not see the deceased, but he then considered something was wrong.George Dherange, the deceased’s brother^ was then sworn and examined, am he went through a similar statement aa that he had made at the inquest on the body of his brother, showing that the latter had confessed to him that he had§‘ven the deceased a severe blow and then cut her throat, e (witness) did not know Tarreani, or that he lived in the same house as his brother. He knew that deceased and his brother lived at 376, Oxferd-street.. Michael M‘Mahon, inspector of park-keeper*, Hyde-park, said, from the letter found Cn deceased,'Antoine Dherange, he, with several others, went to the house in Oxford-street, where they discovered the mutilated body of the deceased female as we have described, i Mr. Albert, the interpreter, then read the letters fonnd on the deceased man, which were also read at the inquest on Friday, and which ma a confession of his having murdeted the dioeaeedon Saturday week.This being the whole of the evidence, the learned Coroner SUmmed up at some length, and the jury, after consulting for a few moments, returns the following verdict, “That the deceased, Caroline Dherange died from the violence wilfully inflicted by her husband, Antoine John Dherange.”The inquiry then terminated.
Newspaper Details
Morning Chronicle
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, Jul 02, 1860
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 25 Jan 2025
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