But little progress has been made with the inquiry into
the mysterious deaths at Wolverhampton and Dudley. A man named Cheenery was found dead some weeks since in a locked- up house at the former place, his head being hacked nearly in pieces with a hatchet, and his body coated with tar, apparently in order to delay decomposition and consequent discovery. On the previous day the body of a young woman named Rosennah Steadman, who had lived with Cheenery, was discovered in an empty house at Dudley. Although the -corpse was much decomposed, distinct marks of tar were found on both hands and dress, thus tending strongly to con- nect the deceased with the murder of her paramour. The presence of opium was detected by medical analysis, and laudanum was proved in evidence to have been sold to her about a month before the discovery of the corpse ; the indications, however, were but slight, and laudanum-drinking appears to be a habit in the locality. One clear case of perjury occurred in the evidence, and the characters and habits of all in any way connected with the parties seem to be most abandoned and criminal. The only really relevant evidence obtained, however, was to the effect that Cheenery, having sold some clothes belonging to the woman, vowed they had quarrelled violently. Suspicion was thrown from the first on a man with whom she had gone off for several days subsequent to this quarrel; but it has only just been determined to arrest him. The police say that every possible investigation has been made, but the coroner's jury expressed great dissatisfac- tion at the way the case had been conducted.
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