A Hundred Years Ago
" THE SPECTATOR " APRIL 20TH, 1833.
An inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon, at the Christchurch Workhouse, Blackfriars Road, on thebody of a young woman which had been picked out of the Thames, and bore marks of violent usage. Mr. Pater Wood, an eatinghouse-keeper in Ber- mondsey Near Road, recognized the body of that as that of Eliza Biker, who had lived as a servant In his house, and to whom he had evineed so much regard that -his wife' had dismissed her through jealousy. He had' .sutiported_her since by :secret allow- ances. Wood kissed the dead body and cut off a lock of the hair. The mother and relations and other friends of the girl, also recog- nized the body. The Jury were of opinion that the case looked very' mysterious against Wood. The girl - had been wounded on the forehead and thighs. Wood was in extreme distress ; when one of Whitbread's draymen entered the room, and said that he had seen. Eliza Baker that day in the streets, and that she was qUite well ! The story was treated as an idle invention or a dream. Presently afterwards, however, he brought the real Eliza Baker to the office. She was a fine-looking young woman. in full health. Wood fell into fits ; and when he recovered, walked away with her, leaving his wife behind with the dead body ; upon which the Jury returned a verdict of " found drowned." The likeness between it and the real living Eliza Baker was allowed to be remarkable.
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