Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1888-08-25 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

SHE DIED FOR LOVE.  At Lewes an inquest has been held on the body of Isabella Victoria Homwood, described as a finelooking young girl, and daughter of a Lewes tradesman, who committed suicide under extraordinary circumstances. Deceased, it appeared, had been keeping company with a young man, but her parents objected, and insisted that further communications between the two should cease. She dressed with scrupulous care, wrote a letter to her lover, and, having posted it, made her way to the top of one of the large chalk-pits on the outskirts of Lewes, from one of the highest points of which she deliberately threw herself over, in the presence of a number of persons. who were passing in the road below. She fell from a height of over 100 ft., and when rec,vered her body was a mangled and lifeless mass. The facts having been given in the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of suicide while temporarily bereft of reason.  An extraordinary incident was reported in connection with the arillery encampment at Okehampton, Devonshire. The men under practice had completed firing at one range, and had just commencel at another, 'when it was observed that the range party were still examining the "dummy" targets to SOO how many hits had been made by the previous shots. The order to fire a second time at the longer distance had been given when the range party were seen to be hurriedly leaving, and the commandant galloping forward was relieved to find, that although the shot had burst directly over them no one had been struck. Ton Summer Session of the College of Agriculture, Downton, near Salisbury; has ended with the usual distribution of honours. Prizes were awarded for superior excellence in both practical and theoretical competitions. Amongst the former were prizes for milking, buttermaking, harnessing and driving, shearing sheep, industry on the farm, knowledge of farm machinery, knowledge of live stock, ploughing, the best kept farm dairy, essay on the cultivation of malting barley, best collection of grasses, of insects, and of weeds, report on natural history, field excursions, and best laboratory note-books. Jr is stated that David Alexander, the fireman of the light engine which ran into a passenger train at Hampton-wick on the night of Bank Holiday, and who, it will be remembered, was examined at considerable length by Major Marindin, at the Board of Trade inquiry, is now confined to his bed, owing to the internal injuries he received. Daniel Pickles, the driver, whose head was injured by being knocked through the look-out glass, is progressing favourably, but his medical attendant will not allow him to go out for fear of erysipelas setting in. HARVEST operations have been pretty generally commenced in South Essex. Owing to the recent storms and floods the crops have been badly laid on the low-lying lands, and have greatly depreciated in value, but on the uplands the damage done is not great. In many places the wheat is blighted, and it is feared the early promise of a good average yield will not be realleed. Batley and oats are expected to yield fairly well. Peas are a good crop, and roots look promising, but require sunshine.