The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-05-05 00:00:00

A PRIMA DONNA'S SUICIDE.

Shortly before eight o'clock on Thursday evening di
last week a lady engaged a four-wheeled cab near the
Grand Hotel at Charing-cross, and requested to be
driven to Piccadilly. On arriving in Piccadilly-circus
the report of a firearm was heard, and smoke was
seen to be issuing from the window of the cab. A
constable rushed forward and found that the lady had
shot herself through the head with a revolver. He
jumped into the cab and told the cabman to drive to
St. George's Hospital. When first taken to the St.
George's Hospital the unfortunate woman was still
alive, but she died about 3.25 a.m. without having
regained consciousness. The revolver she had used
was found in the cab. Four of the five chambers
were still loaded, and the fifth had recently been dis-
charged. At first her identity was in doubt, but it was
soon clearly established that it was Madame Flelene
Crosmond-Turner, an operatic singer, who had been liv-
ing for some time past at 25, Upper Bedford-place, Bed-
ford-square. From inquiries made, it appears that
the deceased had lodged with Captain and Mrs. God-
bold for the past few months, but had latterly been in
pecuniary difficulties. She appears to have packed up
her luggage on the Thursday night, and then gone
out, saying she should return again that evening, and
leave the house next morning. A man in the employ
of Mrs. Godbold sat up for her all night, and it was
he who, seeing the account of the suicide in the
newspapers, first went to the hospital and identified
her on Friday morning. It is possible that she had
contemplated suicide for some time, as she is now
known to have purchased the revolver at Watson's,
in Pall-mall, three days before.
Respecting the above sad event, a correspondent
writes to the Daily News: "The tragic death by suicide
in Piccadilly of the well-known operatic prima donna,
Madame Helena Crosmond-Turner, has shocked a wide
circle of friends, acquaintances, and admirers. There
is no doubt that the unfortunate lady took too much
to heart the failure of her negotiations for an engage-
ment this season at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent
Garden. The story, as it was told by the prima donna
herself a week or two ago to an acquaintance well known
in musical life, was as follows: Madame Crosmond
had last season been engaged as a member of Mr.
Augustus Harris's Italian Opera Company at Drury
Lane. This year her engagement at the Royal Italian
Opera was so far settled that the salary had been
arranged, the draft contract had been sent her to be
signed, and, as she expressed herself in need of ready
money for her maintenance, Mr. Augustus
Harris had sent her a cheque in advance.
Madame Crosmond duly returned the contract
signed, and with it an intimation that she intended
to make her entrée as Aida. The communication was
couched in such terms that it was justifiably held to
be a condition, although the lady subsequently de.
eared it was merely a request. An interview between
manager and artist ensued, and in the result, as
Madame Crosmond stated, in a fit of temper, she
tore up her contract. She afterwards sought to re-
open negotiations, and consulted a solicitor, but in
the interim Mr. Harris—be it said, with full justice—
had engaged other artists in her place, and he natu-
rally could not go back on his word. Madame Cros-
mond found herself out of an engagement. The poor
lady took the situation very much to heart, and in a
letter written less than forty-eight hours before her
suicide, she declared that it will be pretty well
the death of me through worry.' Furthermore, she
was in acute pain, and apparently had recourse to a
dangerous extent to narcotics. In the same letter
(written on Tuesday night) she says, 'I have been at
death's door. Sleepless nights through intense
neuralgia in my head obliged me to take an overdose
of a mixture which was prescribed roe by my doctor
to relieve pain. After some considerable hours I was
brought to life by the vigilant care of two medical
men. I feel still queer, especially about the eyes. I
am thinking of going away for a little while.' The
career of Madame Helene Crosmond was almost from
first to last a very sad one. She was the daughter of
the notorious Madame Rachel, of beautiful for ever'
fame, and who spent a portion of her life in prison.
No woman more than Helene Crosmond made a braver
fight, not only by the purity of her domestic life, but
also by the nicest observance of the requirements
of respectable society, to live down the
remembrance of her parentage. Even till a few years
ago her mother's memory was thrown at her in
print by thoughtless persons, and caused her acute
pain. But in due time men began to admire the
struggles of a good woman to win her livelihood in
an honest walk of life, and Madame Helene Crosmond
has since been highly and deservedly respected by all
who were brought into business correspondence with
her. About 15 years ago she was a member of Mr.
Carter's choir at the Albert Hall, and shortly after-
wards she entered the Royal Academy of Music in
the class of Mr. Randegger. At the Academy she
gained high honours, and was selected to play the
principal part in a stage representation of the first
operetta over composed by Mr. Eaton Faning, now
professor of music at Harrow School. She
married Mr. Turner, a wealthy City merchant,
and her life seemed destined to be a happy
one. But Mr. Turner died under most unfortunate
circumstances, and Madame Crosmond-Turner, after
successful appearances at Her Majesty's Theatre, and
with Mr. Mapleson's company in the United States,
went to Milan, where she secured a high position,
particularly for her representation of Aida. She
returned here about seven years ago, since when her
public career has been more or less well known. In
private life Madame Crosmond was distinguished for
her brilliant conversational powers, her command of
languages, and her wit. She was one of the most
open minded and sensible of women, and, short of
brain disease caused by trouble and physical pain,
she would probably have been considered the last
person in the world likely to take away her life by
violence."

Mr. Troutteck, Deputy Coroner for the City of
Westminster, held an inquest on Monday at St.
Gecrge's Hospital, into the circumstances attending
the death of Helena Turner, 35, better known as Rosa
Crosmond, an operatic vocalist, who died in the
hospital early on Friday morning of last week from
wounds inflicted by herself with a revolver while
riding in a cab on the previous evening.
_ _ _

The brother of the deceased said names were
Helene Crosmond Turner. She was married to Mr.
Turner, a silk merchant. It is six or seven weeks
since I last saw her. She has had a world of trouble;
more than an ordinary share of buffeting in this life.
I know Of nothing t'o distress her unusually. She
called upon me casually a few weeks ago, when she
spoke hopefully of her prospects, her engagements,
and her pupils. She was in the habit of taking
opiates—unfortunately it became a habit with her, on
account of neuralgia in the head, and a confinned
habit lam sorry to say. She never expressed any
intention of committing suicide.
Mr. Thomas Young, solicitor, of Kingston-on..
Thames and the Strand, said he had been consulted
by the deceased on business matters. He saw her a
fortnight before her death, when she mentioned a dis-
pute which had arisen concerning an operatic engage-
ment. On the day before her death she called upon
him, and in consequence of what she told him he had
an interview with Mr. Augustus Harris. She waited
until his return, and he communicated to her the
result, which was unfavourable to her wishes.
The fact greatly affected her, because she was to
have received £4O a week for singing in an opera
as Aida. She said that the breaking of the con-
tract meant absolute beggary. She left at six, saying
that she left to me whether action should be taken or
not. Then she spoke of going on a concert tour to
Manchester, and said she would write further from
there. They parted about six o'clock, and the de-
ceased went away. Next morning he found a post-
card in his box bearing these words in the hand-
writing of the deceased: "Do not act in the matter
of H. until you hear further from mel-7-11. Cliosmo.N.n."
He had no idea that she intended to commit suicide.
She was a woman of great sensitiveness.
In answer to a juryman, witness added that de-
ceased said she received £2O from Mr. Harris on
account of her engagement, but that owing to the
dispute which arose she tore up the contract herself.
Mrs. Mary Godbold said the deceased had resided
with her about two years. There was an intention of
leaving the house, and the deceased had given notice.
Witness last saw her alive on Sunday week. On the
Thursday evening before her death she left her things
packed up, and her keys on the dressing-table, as
though she was returning. Some people had called
about accounts, but there was nothing pressing that
witness knew of.

John William Coles, cab-driver, said at 7.35 p.m
on Thursday night he was hailed by a lady opposite
the Grand Hotel, and she told him to drive her to
Knightsbridge. He asked, " Where am Ito put you
down ?" and she said, "I will tell you when we get
there." He drove on, and when near Clarges-street
he heard a shot fired and glass break. A man called to
him to stop just as he was getting down, and he told
him to fetch a constable. The lady was lying against
the door.

Thomas Walker said he was walking along Picca-
dilly about eight o'clock on the evening named when
he heard a shot fired from a cab. He rushed up, and
called on the driver to stop. There was a lady in tho
cab bleeding.

Police-constable 114 C said about ten minutes to
eight on Thursday night last he was called to the cab
of the witness Coles. On opening the door he found
a lady crouching on the floor and holding on to the
seat with both I.ands. Her back was towards one of
the cab doors. She was all over blood. He got into
the cab, and told the driver to go to St. George's Hos-
pital. He found a five-barrelled revolver in the. cab,
four chambers of which were loaded, and one had
recently been discharged.
Thomas Henry Wilson, gunmaker's assistant, said
he sold the revolver produced to the deceased lady
on Wednesday night. She also purchased twelve
cartridges, and he showed her how to load the re-
volver. She stated that the revolver was for her
brother. He thought the deceased was only curious
about the loading when he showed her how to do it.
The revolver was not loaded when she took it from
the shop.
The Officer of the Curt, A 634, handed a number of
letters to the Coroner, which he said were written by
the deceased.
Mrs. Godbold' was recalled, and said the letters
were in the handwriting of the deceased. One of the
letters said the deceased would settle with Mrs.
Godbold on returning from a drive. She never did
settle, the witness added. Another letter spoke of a