The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-10-16 00:00:00

Correspontrnct.

BHOOKINO BUIOIDE AT BRIDPORT HARBOUR.

1414.

A suicide of a most determined character was per-
petrated at the Bev-Wort Harbour late on Wednesday
evening, when • Dirs. West jumped from the hfkoest
point of tie E•at OA, a di..no• of about 300 feet.
The drown...es point concluaively t ) the commission
of suicide, and the whole affair has caused quite a
sensation hi toe locality, mid this is euhanosci by toe
mystery still hanging over the deoeased, ae it has not
yet transpired who Mrs. Neat is her relation., or the
heti which led to the commission of the deed. It
would appear that deceased, about a fortnight since,
arrived at the H boor, estranger, and took up her abode
at Mr. bandford's refeleshineohioonis. She brought
little or no luggage with her, but was to all appearance •
most respectable woman about 35 years of age, and
t elerably go ed.lookiesg. Daring rooversations with
Hr. Bedford she admitted that "She was not iin good
terms with her husband, and on one micasion expressed
the er:111 thet she had never married him, and further
that she dared ant go home." A day or two slime she
wrote a letter addressed to "R. Cook, E.g.., 13
Adelaide-baildlogs, London Bridge, London EX..
and it is believed thet this letter was an appeal for £5.
On Wednesday morning she anxiously awaited the
postman, but finding there Waa no letter for her also
exhibited signs of bitter disappoiutment, and estrange
detnesteour was noticed in her from that dUld. She dined
at oild.day with the S indfdril's After dhow ex premed
her belief that bee dinner w mid discoor with her, and
accordingly took an emetic with the desired result.
She afterwards took a cup of tea, mid left the Lotus
ab iut four p.m., stating that she was goln4 on t the
cliffs and that she had been there before diadem the
day, She was never altar seen alit., After dark
I dig bad not returned, Mr. Sandford seem, to have
bed his suspicions aroused, and went •in t the beach
Ia oompeny with a coaetguard. tru lerneath the
highest point of be cliff the holy, life being quite
extinc!, WAS found. From the to Nation of the cons.
tearful internal injuries must have been sustalaed.
The right arm was broken, and • fearful sash was
observed over the templet. The body was at once
removed to the Neptune Hotel. Mr. Sandford at
I once communicated with Sergeant H zzzzz if, who was
I promptly on the spot. In csnpany with Ur. Fel.
stone and Coastguardsman Score, the Sergeant went op
the cliff with lanterns. Ahoct a foot from the edge
of the precipice—at the exact spot from which
deceased fell—the sergeant found • black satin bonnet
trimmed with • black feather of a humming.bird
Some distant:le in .111 the greenawar I lay • coloured
wool wrap, &ail a cambric pockethandkeichief
containing • few opclineus of ',inv. Tue's articles
were identified as those used by deftest'. Excepting
the day of her death ktre. West always wore a
handscine silver bracelet, but this was found at her
lodgings. A coobric handkerchief bearing the
initial, " S.W. " was found in the pocket of deceased.
In a Morocco lady's bar at her lodgings were Coin t
mayoral srtioles, and it I. hoped that a description of
some of these may lead to the friend, identifying the
body. A purse containing a few shilling., silver
bracelet, gentleman'. gol.l albeit and pendants,
(ornentert el key and barrel) merest pairs of ledy's
short, (black sod tau-coloured), t eo rail way ticket.,
one eisoood.clam from Bishopstoke ti Tott %ham,
(20th September, 1883, and the third from Waterlo,
t Kew Bridsv, September 2111, 1883. In addition to
theme were three pawn tick.ts, one for the pledging of
a diamond ring in the name of "A. West." the pun.
broker being • Cowles J. Harris, Church-street,
Greenwich ;" an..t'ker for • 'keeper," advanced by
J. Russel,' Shoreditch ; and the last for the pledge of
• gold wets* (1), pawnbroker, Harris

Tag Ixquzirt

Was held at the Neptune Hot (Harbour) on Friday even-
ing, before Mr. C. (1. Ne 1144 (deputy-coroner). Mn-,
Martin J. Briggs was chosen foreman of the jury. The
husband of &issued was present, together with h 4. John
flunion, solicitor, of Great Marlow, Bucks. The body,
which lay in an adj doing room, was showed. It ha I been
identified at that of Ara. Swan Langley, wife of Mr. John
Langley. landlord of the Crown H tel, Great lLirlow.
The features of du and were exceedingly pleasant. A
contused wound appeared over the right temple, and •
slighter one on Use right cheek. The fingers bore traces
of bruises. and the left arm wee broken. The remains
war evidently thou of a good-looking woman, about 311
or 40 fur, of el&
Ellen Sanford, wife of George Sanford, lodgingahouss
and refreshment room keeper. of the Harbour, sald that
a fortnight au on Tuesday deceued came t her house
and asked if she could take tan Witness said yes, when
deceased asked if she could remain for the night. She
remained there until bar death. She came done, and
had only a small bag in her hand. Next morning she said
she would like to remain • few def.... she had not been
well, and she thought a quiet spot would do her good.
She told "vitae...ha bad suffered in her head, through a
fall from • dogcart. Witness had no money from her, and
deceeeed told her she we expecting money, and could
have it by writing for it, but said if she did nut pay
with**e she would leave her the value. Her health and
dgood, stunting that she continually com-
plained lavabo in the haul. She seemed desponding
buenae she wee sway from home, and said she ought
to be there. She said she had been amongst her
friends for the benefit of her health, but didn't know how
she got hare. Slits often spoke of booboos., and said she
had one of the prettiest rooms In Ensiand, and se kind •
husband as one could have. DeOeSeed told her she bad
once been in bed six ..isks from the effects of hurts to
the head and elbow by the fall from • cart, and she
attributed ths headaches to the suns effect On Wednes-
day last deceased called the daughter of witness to feel
how hot her toad was on the top. Daring the morning
with..s advised her to take a walk, thinking it would do
her good. She came back to dilator, and haying dined
complained of a violent pain in the chest, and went out
sod tore op her dinner. On the suggestion of witasee
she to a cup of ten Deceased remained there till
4 pm. Her staid, we-e law, mot alte cried, and mimed
deprested during the morning, saying she ought to he at
home, and had no business hero. She leceated) was
depres,ed through not receiving • letter with money in it.
W 1 sees off-rod to give her the mow y to go nome with
trusting her to p yb. At 4 o'clock she went out f.r a walk
to suds the Neptune. Before luviog she told wits's. slie
should go again no the cliffs, and pick a few more mush-
rooms as ohs had done In the morning. She seldom want
out before this, 'leapt with witness or her daughtir,
sha was always very polite in bet manner. When
de eased want out she was drafted in • black gown, with
satin trimmings ; black hat, trimmed with feather.: grey
and scarlet wr op round bar shoulders, and no jowellsty
bit h r wedding ring. When she name first she had
only a chain, keeper, silver bracelet, and earrings, end In
per pores was fit When she went out on Wednesday,
deceased left these things in hey bedroom, except toe
earrings and them *be woes. Deceased had no chute of
thew She went out dressed a, she arrived. stunt the
wrap, which belong d t t wits asts daught ,r.
By Mr. Humus: Ste n,ver tod me her name, and I
never knew hay by any name out I Wednes lay morning,
when she expected • letter ft r "Mrs. West."
By • Juror: "She said she came here partly by train,
an I pa oly by 'bus "
The Husband : " We were hue together for • day borne
nine weeks rig."
W.te.ae, by the Corms it.: "She never expre,sed aoy
suicidal intention., but said tihs had lately been in
difficulties with regard to money matters."
George 8 Indfori. hushand of last witneu said the
dug .sod arrived on the lifith September, and told witness
she had e me from Orestanse by 'bus, but did not
know what brought her to the Harbour. She said
she lived in "Seriatim' (1) that she was married,
and had a comfortable home at • hotel and a good
husband. W,tness'e wife salted If decus id thought her
bush old lov-d her, and stn. replied "If it was gold
she so It tat she could hive it " Dmeased took
• numb r of pills for her headache, which can
relieved. but returned again. With..., saw her alive on
Wednewity m inning when he 1 ft for • country journey.
She was awaiting • letter, and wee very anxious about it.
Fining no lett ir esiuta she said, '' Whatever shall I do;
theca'. no lett. r r Witness returned from his journsy
alt iat 4pm. Lie mat hit coming out of the (tideway, and
she mid to him—re erring to noose pants— " You've got
a 'me fine cuttings.' Wttnesa said. "Yes ;" and she said,
"I'm g dog for • 10.1.1• stroll; I shan't be lone Witioes
replied, " Alli :tit "scam" When it get dark, and
decoued had not ret•sinaa, witness expressed hie fears to
11 • wife, arid ha went not to trt ...I tin I hr. At
hews it to th Chief 0111COr of Coatguards, and Informed
him se to his fears. Too °Meer allowed Coastgualtion.a
Score to ace =pony wittier., nil they went along the
beach. About 400 yards from the " point" of the cliff
they found the body of deceased lying on her beck—
rather on the tight side, heed to the nut The body we.
alone and cold. It tug not many feet, about six, from
tit. bug of the highest part of the cliff, whldo per.
peudicular. Ili at onoa informed us puke,
John Score corroborated as to finding the remains.
Sugeast Htuad said on W. arrival he found the body
in the adjoining room. Tae left arm wee broken, and
several brutes. on the bands; in' en the forehead and
one on the right cheek, roe e urine on that aide, except
the wire, was rai•sioit He iii,•r.thel her draws, and found
• handkerchief. in irked usi.W." Took off her weddng
ring. lie tun went in the caff, and within a foot of the
ledge of the Wheat point he found a black hat, an 1
about seven yards in on the gram wee • wrap mil • hand-
kerchief contiloing washrooms. He than went to Mr.
Sandford's, ant resoival the articles already enumscrLta
all of which were now pr dosed. The mother of e.
came from South Parrott—Mary Mitchell—and i lentified
the body as that of her daughter. S wan Lxiisley. Decease 1
had gone in the name of West, which was her first husb ,nd's
name. John Langley, the husband, had able Identified
the bolts.