The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-17 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.

On Sunday morning last, a very melancholy
occurrence was brought to light in this town.
Two boys who were returning from the railway
station at about eleven o'clock in the morning of
that day, discovered the dead body of a female
in a small pond contiguous to the station, which is
known as "Pot Pool.' The boys communicated
the news of their discovery to a man who was
pa,sing at the time. He looked into the pool,
and, having verified what the boys had told him,
advised them at once to imfoi in the police of what
they had seen. This was done, and shortly after-
wards Superintendent Freeman hastened to the
place. By this time the news had spread with
lightning-like rapidity, and hundreds of persons
were quickly congregated near the spot. and they
accompanied the remains of deceased to her own
residence. Medical assistance was procured, but
it was of no avail, RS the deceased hail evidently
been dead some time. The deceased was die wife
of Mr. George Bosworth. fishmonger, of Coventry
street, and had been in a low desponding state
since her confinement, which had happened only
a few weeks ago. She had frequently since that
time complained of pains at the back of her head,
and said she could not sleep at night. Her hus-
band had accompanied her to Birmingham with
the object of obtaining medical advice, the day
before she committed the rash act. On her return
she went to sleep at her brother's house at Old-
swinford, and, in answer to enquiries stated that
she felt much better, and believei she should be
able to sleep that night. She refired to rest with
one of her brother's children, and nothing more
was heard until about six o'clock on the following
morning, when her brother was astonished to find
she had left the house. Search was at once Tr ads
for her; but she was not found until the following
morning, in the manner related above. Deceased
leaves three young children, one of whom is but
a baby a few weeks old. Great sympathy has been
expressed for Mr. Bosworth. who was a very kind
husband to deceaaed, and is generally respected
its,.a steady persevering man.
TEE INWEST.

An inquest was held on the body at the Duke
William Inn, Coventry-street, before Mr. Miller
Corbett, Coroner, on Tuesday evening last. The
first witness called was

Henry Billinghatn, a youth about 17 years of
age, who said: I live at the Longlands, and am a
cooper. I went up to the railway station to meet
my cousin on Sunday morning about nine o'clock,
and I stopped up there until about eleven. There
was another little lad with mo. We left the sta-
tion at eleven o'clock; and as we were pasaing Pot
Pool we saw a dead dog in the water, and the little
lad with me asked me to go and look it. I went
to look at it, and whilst doing so, I thought I saw

another up at the other end. I went to look at it.
and saw what looked like a frock on the top of the
water, and I " flinched " away. A man was com-
ing up at the time, and on looking at it he said it
was a woman. He told nit to fetch Mr. Freeman,
and I did so.

Superintendent Freeman deposed From infor-
mation received from the last witness, I went up
to the pool and saw the body in the water. De-
ceased was lying on her back, with her hands
tightly clasped across her breast. I had her got
out of the pool and put into a cart, and conveyed
to her husband's house, in Coventry-street. I
then went to Mr. Freer's. He was from home at
the time, but I left word that he was to view the
body when he came home. He has done so.
Mr. Freer said lam a member of the Royal
College of Surgeons. I examined the body of the
deceased on Sunday morning. I found no marks
of violence. The face bore a most placid expres-
sion. I am of opinion that death resulted from
drowning.
James Veal deposed I live at Oldswinford, and
am a coach painter. The deceased was my sister.
She was married. Her husband is a fishmonger,
of Coventry-street, Stourbridg,e. Deceased was
between 28 and 29 years of age. I last saw her
alive on Friday night, about eleven o'clock. She
was preparing for bed at my house. She'came up
there for that night thinking she would be able to
sleep. She had not been able to sleep at night for
some time previous. That was the first night she
slept there. She had been at her mothers next
door to inc. She had had no disturbance with her
husband. It was about a week singe she had been
able to sleep. She could not sleep through weak-
ness caused by her confinement about three weeks
before. Her child is alive. She was in low spirits,
but she had never said anything about destroying
herself, but she had repeatedly told us she did not
think she was going to live. I saw her in bed.
She slept with my children, and I had to
go through the room she was sleeping in to get to
y own bedroom. I got up about half-past six on
Saturday morning, and on coming through the
room I found that she was not in bed. I did not
hear any noise in the night. I did not see her
again until I saw her dead body.
In answer to a Juryman witness said : I asked
my little girl, but she did not remember her get-
ting up. I heard no noise. I know of no cause
that could have induced her to do it. She had
been complaining of a strange feeling at the back
of her head and down her back, but we had no
idea she intended to do such a strange thing as
that.

By the Foreman : The night before she would
not go to bed at all; but Mr. Bosworth, her hus-
band, sat up with her all night. The next day
she said she should like to go to see a doctor, and
he took her to Birmingham to see one, and after-
wards seemed much better. She said she thought
she should go to sleep. When I got down I found
the front door open, and I calculated she was
gone, and I went and alarmed my mother, and we
went in search of her all that:day. Her child was
not with her when she slept at my house.
By a Juryman : The door was latched, and she
brought the night lamp downstairs, and left the
lamp and the matches on the table. We cannot
say what time she went out. She was dressed
when found.

_
The Coroner said he thought there had been
sufficient evidence given to enable them to carry
out the purposes of the inquest. There was no
doubt no one ha any way assisted in the death of
the unfortunate woman; and he thought from
the low state of her spirits they might naturally
calculate that she drowned herself. Still there
was no evidence to show that she had destroyed
herself. It was quite an open question that she
might Lave been taken ill and wandered to the
pool and :have fallen in. He thought they bad
better under all the circumstances return an open
verdict of "Found drowned."
___

The Jury, after a iCri;f"deliberation, returned a
verdict to the effect that deceased committed sui-
cide whilst in a state of temporary insanity.