The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-21 00:00:00

SUICIDE OF AN OLD LADY.

On Saturday a Coroner's inquest was held at the
Nelson Tavern, Greenwich, on view of the body of
Mrs. Mary Ann Knowles, aged 69 years, who had
lately been married to a youth aged 21. The extra-
. ordinary circumstances of the case excited a cot-
responding interest amongst the inhabitants of
Greenwich of all ranks. It appeared that the un-
fortunate old lady had been the wife of Major Thoits,
of the North York Greys, who, at his death, left her
his fortune, which was considerable. She soon
, after went to the Continent, where she met with a
fashionable young man, named Knowles, for whom
she formed an extraordinary attachment, and invited
him to travel with her in the character of her ne-
phew, to which he acceded. The young -man re-
presented himself, perhaps truly, as the son of the
Governor of the tout at Guernsey, and in the posses-
sion of some property left him by his uncle. The
old lady's attachment for her youthful friend in-
' creasing, she proposed marriage to him, to which he
also acceded, and they returned together to Green-
Wich, where they lived for a short time in their as-
sumed character of aunt and nephew ; but in De-
cember last they were married by licence in Milton
church, near Gravesend. After their marriage, they
took up their residence in a beautiful cottage at
Greenwich. The husband, however, soon began to
treat her, at first with great neglect, which was
quickly followed by frightful violence, her person
frequently exhibiting, in bruises and discolourations,
the marks of his brutality. Ile- would also pass her
window with a young woman on his arm, apparently
anxious to insult her. On Tuesday week he beat her
so dreadfidiy, that for her preservation she thought it
necessary to apply to a Magistrate (Colonel Fore-
man) the next day, and exhibited articles of the
peace against him. He was taken on a warrant and
held to bail, and since then nothing has been heard
of him. The unfortunate old lady returned home
from the Magistrate's very dejected, and was put to
bed; she made an incision in one of her arms with
a lancet, evidently with the intention of self-de-
struction. The blood flowed copiously from the
wound, but was discovered by her servant in time
to save her life. She, however, continued very low-
spirited, and frequently complained of her unhappy
lot. A lady named Bailey, and her daughter, friends
of the deceased, who reside at Greenwich, endea-
voured to soothe her, but with little effect. On
Friday night, however, she appeared cheerful; and
went to bed about ten
,o'clock. On Saturday morn-
ing when her servant entered her mistress's bed-
room she saw her sitting on the ground at the foot
of the bed, with her head inclined forward. On
raising it she discovered a small green worsted cord
twisted round her neck, and that she was quite dead.
A surgeon was instantly called in, and every means
used
.to restore animation, but without effect. It
appeared that a carpet travelling-bag (the mouth of
which was drawn together by the worsted cord)
was hanging to a brass knob of the closet door, be-
tween three and four feet from the floor; and the
unfortunate deceased must have put her head
through, the loop of the cord, twisted it round her
neck, and then placed herself in a sitting posture
till she was strangled.
Mrs. Bayley and her daughter, and the maid ser-
vant of the deceased,. were examined as to the state
of mind of the unhappy lady. They all said that
they considered her very low arid dejected, and that
she was labouring under considerable trouble, owing
to her unhappy union.
Several of the Jury were anxious to know whe-
ther the husband. had slept at home the night pre-
vious to the death of the old lady, as that fact was
of the most vital importance.
The witnesses answered they were sure he was
not in the house at all that night, nor had he been
since he was bailed before Colonel Foreman upon
the peace. Warrant. His conduct 110 been so:bad to. .

PRICE 7D.

the deceased, that she would not allow him a key
let himself in.

_ 'The Jury expressed their sorrow at the unhapp:
occurrence, and regretted that a lady of her ad
vanced age Atoulit hate thought of marrying a mai
So unequal in age to herself.

Larkin, the constable, said that although the de-
ceased was sixty-nine years of age,. she appeared
much younger, and dressed very Olt; she had
been, he had been informed, a remarkably hand-
some Woman. - The husband was a pink of fashion,
and might be seen strutting in the Park, dressed as
a sailor, in the present style of dandyism. .
The. CORONER briefly addressed_ AC.. Jury, -yhu
returned -a verdict that thit deceaSed." .Btrangled }ler-
self, being at the time in a state of temporary in-
sanity." .