Tuesday, Jan 6th, 1874

THE ALLEGED MURDER AT MILE-END - Last evening, the inquest with reference to the death of James Farrell, a carman, previously employed on the Great Eastern Railway, was resumed by Mr. Richards, deputy coroner for Middlesex, at the White Swan, Wapping-wall, Shadwell. It may be remembered that on the night of the 21st. ult., about a quarter past 11 o'clock the deceased, Henry Hare, Sawyer, Jackson, Charles Hoare, and James Desmond came out of the Red Cow Tavern, Mile-end-road. They then proceeded toward Lady Lake-grove, five of them being ahead. Jackson, Hoare, and Sawyer had an altercation with three strange men, who used offensive language. The three men then walked down Lady Lake-grove, preceded by the deceased and his friends. The deceased suddenly said "I will have a row with those chaps," and he turned back. Hoare accompanied him, and Sawyer and the others walked down. They heard a woman cry out, "For God's sake take care of the knife," after which Hoare exclaimed, "I am stabbed." Sawyer went up to Hoare, and, unbuttoning his waistcoat, saw blood flowing. The three strangers then ran off. Sawyer and the others gave chase, but lost sight of them in Dog-row. The deceased was afterwards found in Jubilee-street dead. The man who stabbed Hoare was dressed in a seafaring jacket and a "Yankee hat." Mr. Lawrence Francis Mahoney, surgeon, said that on making a post mortem examination he found a wound about half an inch long between the fourth and fifth ribs, and extending through the lung into the right ventricle of the heart. The cause of death was internal hemorrhage. In his opinion the wound had been caused by a long bladed penknife of dagger. Inspector Sayer, Scotland-yard, said the men had not been traced. Further corroborative evidence having been adduced, the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown."

Times, January, 1874