The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-10 00:00:00

SUICIDE.

Yesterday morning, en inquest was held before
R. CArrEit, Esq., the Coroner for Surrey, and a
respectable jury, at the Anchor and Hope, in New-
street, Elizabeth-place, Kennington, on view of the
body of Miss Eliza Gray, aged 16, who destroyed
herself by taking poison on Friday night last. The
lamentable occurrence had excited great interest in
the neighbourhood, from the extreme youth of the
unhappy girl, and the singular circumstances attend-
iniY the commission of the act.
'lll.lr. Armstrong, a surgeon, deposed that he was
sent for to the deceased, at No. IS, New-street, on
Saturday morning last. but on his arrival she was
quite
dead. She had been very sick, and he ana-
lyzed the matter which she had thrown from her
stomach, and found it strongly impregnated with
arsenic. He also examined a cup in the room, at
the bottom of which he found a small quantity of
arsenic. Witness has not the smallest doubt that
the death of the deceased was caused by her taking
arsenic.

Mts. Ann Gray, mother of the deceased, was
called in and examined; she was distressingly agi-
tated.—Sbe stated that the deceased was lt.; years
of age in August last, and was the eldest of five
girls. Sho had been from the age of 12 years sub-
ject to excessive sickness in the stomach, and giddi-
ness in the head, which was frequently brought on
if she had occasion to stoop. About three weeks
age she was seized with violent vomiting, accom-
panied by dreadful pains in the head, which lasted
for an hour or two, but remedies which she had
been accustomed to take were administered, and she
recovered. On Friday last the witness and her
daughter both complained of being poorly, and the
deceased procured some eggs for supper, and some
brandy to mix for the witness. The deceased after
supper complained of being worse, and went to bed.
She became very restless, and requested to be re-
moved to the children's bed, as it was not so high,
and she got in and oat more easily. She continued
to get worse, and died about four o'clock. It was
shortly before her death that witness requested Mr.
Marks to fetch a doctor, hut the deceased was dead
before he arrived. Witness did not know of her
own knowledge that her daughter had taken any
thing. . She thought her illness the same kind, and
arising from the same causes, as she had often Fean
before.

Conomm—Did you ask her if she had taken any
thing ? Mrs. Gray--No, Sir, but my husband
did repeatedly ; and she answered, " What a silly
man you are, father, to think I have taken any thing.
I shall get better : don't fear." Witness found no
paper, or any signs of arsenic about the room.
Con ceit:it—Did you ever observe any thing that
induced you to believe her of unsound mind ? Mrs.
Gray—Not at all. When ill she was somewhat
flighty and impatient, but nothing further.
Mr. Wm. Marks, the landlord of the house in
which Mr. Gray and his family were lodgers, had
known the deceased since August last, and was con-
stantly in the habit of seeing her. She was a gay,
spirited, high-minded girl, and rather flirty in her
manner. She was very seldom from home, and then
only with the friends of her parents. She was very
fond of fun, or even mischief; and was constantly
saying, " I must have a lark to-day." About ten
days ago she came running down stairs, and capered
about ; and ..witness said," Eliza, what is the matter
with you ?" She. replied, " Oh, Mr. Marks, lum
mad to-day, and I must get into mischief." About
u week ago there had been a heavy wash in the
house, and she cut the garden lines, and let all the
clothes down in the dirt. A young man named
Coniston had paid his addresses to her. Last Satur-
day night week she accompanied witness and his wife
to the Surrey Theatre, and at the end of the third
act of Jane Shore witness went out to procure some
oranges. When he returned he found that the de-
ceased had been accosted by young Coulston, and
had gone away with him. Witness went in search
of her to two or three oyster-shops and pastry-cooks,
but could not find her. She did not reach home
until one o'clock in the morning, and witness scolded
her severely. She said she had been with James
Coulston and his brother, who had both behaved
very kindly to Ler, and had taken her all the way
over Blaekfriars-bridge, on purpose to treat her with
ices, of which size was very fond. Her father and
mother were very angry, and a day or two after she
expressed her regret for what occurred, and requested
witness to write a letter to James Coniston, apolo-
gizing for not meeting him again according to ap-
pointment.
Coulatou was called in, and produced this letter,
of which the following is a copy :
"My dear James,—l am sorry it was not in my
power to see you again on Saturday night, but my
father and mother had come home, and Mr. and
Mrs. Marks also. The latter were so much hurt at
my long stay from, and ut not finding me at home,
that they were almost mad to think they had taken
me out, and went up stairs and told my father and
mother. They did net know I was with you : had
I told them, all would have been right. My father
was very angry with me for leaving Mr. and Mrs.
Marks, and questioned me very much as to where
you are. I told him you are not yet returned to
Stockwell, but are in expectation of soon doing so.
Being in haste I must now conclude, as my mother
watches me. I send you my sincere love, and
wishing you health and happiness, I remain, dear
James, yours sincerely,

" ELIZ A GRAY.

" Mr. J. H. Coniston, Stockwell Brewery, Stockwell.
" N.ll. Please to send me your answer, directed
to me at Mrs. Houldsworth's, 12, New-street, Prin-
ces'-street, Kennington."
Mr. Marks continued—The deceased read this
letter and approved of it. She received no unswer,
but witness did not hear her complain ou that score.
He knew of no cause of anger to induce her to cut
the clothes-line. He could not say ut any time he
thought she had her reason under her control.
Witness was convinced that she took some ?MX
vonaca a fortnight ago.
A Juror—l believe her mother was very kind to
her ? Witness—To a fault, in my opinion. I
often told Mrs. Gray she was spoiling Eliza.
ConoNEß—Do you think her mind was disordered
in consequence of her attachment to Coniston.
Witness—l think not ; but T know she was very
much devoted to him. I never thought -her of un-
sound mind until the dreadful occurrence, and now
I am inclined to lo6k back with a different eye upon
sonic of her actions.

James Hulme Coniston, a very boyish-looking
'youth, aged 16 years last March, had known the de-
ceased four or five months. He did not go to the
Surrey Theatre on Saturday week in consequence
of any appointment with her. He saw her in the
pit, and she nodded to him, and came over to his
sear.

CoaoNuß—.Did you and shegoont together during
the performance ? Witness—Yes, once for about
ten minutes to get a bottle of ginger beer. My
brother was with us. We came out at 12 o'clock,
and went to her father's, and left her at the door.
I am clerk at the Stockwell Brewery, of which Mr.
•
1?,11is is the proprietor.
Mrs. Gray again entered the room, and presented
an open letter to the Coroner, addressed to " Miss
Eliza Gray." This letter, Mrs. Gray said, was
brought to the door by a boy more than six weeks
ago, and put into her daughter's hands, but witness
got it from her. The following is a copy :
" Dear Eliza—l loved you more than any body
in the world, but fortune seems determined to per-
secute me. When I slept at your house Mr. Ellis
found it‘ont, and I have now lost my situation, and
know not where to go. Do not be unhappy. I
shall always, until I am dead, pray for your happi-
ness. lam now gone perhaps for ever, and if 1
never should see you, I pray you may prosper and
be happy. I shall always think of you. Do not
show this letter to your parents, and believe me to
remain for ever, your sincere and obedient lover,

" J. H. COULSTON.
" N.B. Da not despise one who in the midst o
trouble always adored you. K J. H.
C°ldslan admitted that lie wrote this note, ant

said he was at that time discharged, and intended to
run away to son, but he was restored to his situation
in the week. His employer discharged him in order
to frighten him. He was discharged i►► consequence
of visitinti at Mr. Gray's.
Mrs. Gray said he slept at her house one night
by her permission, when he stayed very lute.
There was no farther evidence, and tin Coroner
briefly charged the Jury, observing that 'the inquiry
was a very painful one, and it seemed to him that
considerabie doubt existed as to the conclusion at
which they could arrive.

The Jury, after a conferenoe of some length, re-
turned a verdict " That the deceased destroyed her-
self by taking arsenic, being at the 6-tie of unsound
mind."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.