The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1884-11-21 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SAD END.  An inquest was held at the Council Chamber on Friday and Saturday, before the Borough Coroner, Mr. G B. Aldridge, and a jury, of whom Mr. G. Andrews was foreman, on the body of a young girl named Jane Dare, 23, prostitute, who met her death by drowning on Tnesday night previous. Tne deceased, who Virti more ismi.iarly known as " Ginnett," from the bet that she came iuto the town with the circus of that name, was, according to a woman named Elizabeth LIWOrI. of Salisbury-street, with whem she lived, a natl.% of Maiden Newton, and she got her livelihood by prostitution. Stu, formerly "kept company" with the young man James, who, it may perhaps be remembered, was steiited by a Swedish soilor, dying a few mioutas atter the infliction of the wound. Tnis seems to have preyed upon bar mind, and ohs has t ikon to drinking heavily of late. On Tuesday evening she wont into the houm, ar,cl taking down James' likeness, kissed it and burst out crying. She then put it in her bos nu. Sae also screamed out twice while in the street. She then lay down fur a time and afterwards went out to the Poole Arms about ten o'clock, but Galton, the landlord, seeing she had had enough, refused to serve her, and pushed her out. About  20 minutes after Jasper Dear, the landlord of the Jolly Sailor, was in the quay, near his stables, when he heard a splaeh in the water, and also a couple of moans, and he could see the water bubbling. He met a man named Ditfts, who was also concerned in the fight with the Danes, and he said he had heard the same. Upon that Dear remarked he thought eome one must have drowned himself, and coolly walked indoors to narrate what he had heard. Mr. Dear afterwards, in comp my with Biggs and "Uncle Brown," went across to the spot, and he then pointed out where they would find the body if anyone was drowned.—The Coroner (severely): Yes, that was some satisfaction to you, You would get 10s. for the body, but nothing if you had saved a life. Why didn't you get the drags? Too much trouble, no doubt? —The woman's bonnet was picked up by the side of the Q say, and the body was afterwards recovered by Thomas Fricker, a mariner.—Biggs, who had been ordered to attend, not being presen , and it having been hinted that the deceased had given evidence against him during the hearing of the charge of murder, the Coroner adjourned the Court until the following day. On Saturday, William Alfred Biggs was examined. He said he was a fish hawker. He saw the decesee I last alive on Tuesday night, between six and seven, at the Jolly Sailor. She was with another woman. She had a glass of porter, and stayed four or five minutes. She was not intoxicated, and did not complain. He came out of the Portsmouth Hog, with Patrick Devine, a little after ten. Walking along the Quay-road they heard a splash, but thought it was some one in a beat, and took no notice of it. Devine then left him, and Dear came up and asked him if he had heard it.—Sarah Dear and Patrick Devine corroborated this.—lt should also he stated that Mary Ann Bsrtlett, the woman who examined the body, found no marks of 'niers, unon it, except where the fish had eaten the face.—The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury returned a verdict of 'Found drowned in the water of Poole Harbour." They also recommended that the Quay lamps should be placed nearer the edge of the water, as many deaths from drowning have taken place through persons accidentally stepping overboard. Only a few days before a sailor in the darkness fell over. He wag, however, a rowerful swimmer, and was recovered, but with difficulty.