The Warwickshire Herald. — 1893-09-28 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ILL SEPTE 118  1 •-?  THE REGENT'S SQUARE TRAGEDY.  INQUEST AND VERDICT.  On Saturday morning, at St. Pancras Coroner'scourt, Dr. G. Danford Thomas opened an inquiry touching the deathi of Bessie Montagu, aged 25. a chorus singer; Leo Eugene Percy, 26; and Stephen Percy Garcia, aged 27 years, who were the victims of the tragedy enacted in Regent'ssquare in the early morning of Thursday last. Mr. R. G. Davis, solicitor, appeared for the relatives of the deceased man Garcia, and Sub-divisional Inspector Robinson watched the case on behalf of the pidlce authorities.—The first witness called was John Montague, a law writer, who identified the body of Bessie Montague as his sister, who resided with him at 18, Regent's-square. Witness last saw her alive on Wednesday morning when she was in her usual health. At one time his sister was engaged to be married to the deceased man Percy. but the engagement was broken off about three years ago. Witness understood that Percy was an inventor of wale kind.—Mr. Samuel Garcia, an ironmonger, identified the body of the deceased man Garcia as that of his brother, who was a stockbroker, residing at the Vernon-chambers, Southampton-row. Witness last saw him alive at 7 p.m.,onWednesday.—Stephen Percy. a telephone mouth-piece manufacturer, identified the third body as that of his son, who was an electrician and scientific engineer, residing at 29, Swinton-street, Gray's-inn-road. Witness was aware that his son was at one time engaged to Miss Montague, and although the engagement was broken off he believed they were on friendly terms. Witness had heard from a friend that his eon's b. haviour had been very strange of late.— Cecil Victor Percy, brother of the deceased, an cratic singer, deposed that he bad noticed a very strange look in his brother's face of late. Some time age lie took an ov..rdose of laudanum but recovered from this, and told witness that he lead taken it to induce sleeo. 'The deceased was a very temperate man in his driuking habits, but was very excitable. Witness had never seen him threaten to take his own life, bu he would sit for hours at a stretch staring wildly at the people in the room without saying a word. Mrs. Winterbotham stated that on Thursday morn. ing she saw Miss Montague and Mr. Garcia come along the square, she leaning on his arm, from the direction of Compton-street. They were laughing and joking together. Suddenly she saw the figure of a man dart from the doorway of 23, and go behind them, and all of a sudden she saw his hand go up, alter which there was a Hash and a shot. After the second shot the gentleman fell. There was directly after that a third shot, and the lady screamed and fell. She afterwards heard a fourth shot, after which she fell down Afterwards she went out, and saw the persona outside on the pavement, blood being about—lice jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Percy, and that he afterwards killed himself whilst of unsound mind.  After the inquest, the remains of Mr. Garcia were removed to the mortuary of the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's.inn-road. During the evening, in accordance with the Jewish rites, a service was conducted in the mortuary, attended by the relatives of the deceased. At noon on Sunday the body was placed in a hearse drawn by two horses and taken from the hospital for burial at the Portuguese Burial Ground, Mile Rod-road. The relatives and friends et the Oezeased, numbering about 50, followed in carriages to the burial ground, where the burial service was conducted by the Rev. M. Ross. The funerals of Miss Montague and Leo Percy took place on Tuesday.