Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1882-08-19 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SERPENTINE.  In London, on Monday evening, Mr. B. F. Lang. ham, the deputy-coroner for Westminster, held ea inquiry at the Board-room, Mount-street, as to the deaths of Albert Dickenson, aged 25 years, and Matilda-May, aged-29 years, who Rua found drowned in the Serpentine with their hands tied together ea Wednesday morning in iasttesitle tinder -cirournstanems already reported. Alfred Dickenson said the xleceseed, who —tem a baker, was his brother. He lived at Chelsea. 'en Thursday week he called at witness's house in company with the deceased woman, and stayed till the following night, when they left, promising to return. Having heard than Matilda May had threatened to destroy herself, he tried tO induce her net to do son and asked them to remain at his house until hie brcithev obtained employment. His brother had been keening company with May about five years. Mr. William May, of Chelsea, 'a house agent, said Matilda May was his niece. She was a single woman, and the daughter of a tradesman. She had acted as housekeeper to witness for four years and a-half, and during that time had been keeping company ivith Dickenson. Could not say if they were married. On. July 10 she went out, as witnert thought, for a walk, but witness heard nothing of her until a fortnight latest, when a neighbour of his wrote to say that she had seep ' Miss May and her young man on the sands at Eastbourne. Witness had not seen her since. He had heard her threaten to destroy herselfibut he considered her tno happy to do so. He believed she was right in her min . Witness had never forbidden her to go out with, Dickenson, but he had told her that he was not a fit person for her. Preparation/I-had been-made fox her wedding, but when the -day arrived Dickenson would not carry out his promise. Mr. Charles May, a cheesernongey, Chelsea, stated that the deceased, Matilda May, was his daughter. He last saw her alive on J sly 9; The next be heard of her was on the morning of July 11, *hen 40 received the following letter, which had been pbsted in -London • My dear father and Moilisr,—l am deeply sorry grieved to write this to you and caused you the great tro you rill have. We shall Lever meet aghin In this wor Pardon me please, if possible, for the trouble I have given you. This will, lam sure, bee death-blow, hat I feel I carp live any Wager at la sisniinisr now. [Limy lisafl have fie suffer in the next world for what I have dorie. I ate a most wretched creature. This is of my own will. I have not been frightened into it. Don't grieve for no. Think the beat you can of me. , Everyone has been so good to nut Please to keep it from the world; don't let anyone more than necessary know of it. You have lost a moat wretched daughter. Thank eye,ryone for me for their kindness. My uncle has been very good to me. Mother, tap oare of Mary, and let this be a lesson for her. We shall le found dead together. I went to church on Sunday and thought someone was sent to say I was coming. It seemed as if it was addtessed to me. I hope you will live to 00 your daughter grown up. I trust she will never have tits misery I have had.' The letter was in the handwriting of the deceased May, and was signed, "Matilda." She evidently posted it before she left London on the 10th. Thomas Drinkwater, boatman in the service of the Royal Humane Society, stated that on -Wednestay morning in last week be was on duty in Hyde-park, and in the Serpentine, about thirty yards from ilia ehore, he Saw the bodies of the deceased. Their wrists were fastened together by a piece of braid. The woman had a piece of string tied round her waist. The bodge were removed to the mortuary, where they were eaamined by Dr. 131ackett, who found they had bees dead some time. Dr. J. B. Elackett said from the condition of the wocsan's lungs he believed that she had fainted on reaching the water, and died immediately afterwards from syncope. He thought the man survived' woman. In Dickenson's case the death was dui be drowning, Mr. C. May, re-called, stated that on the evening of Friday week, as he was shutting up his shop, Une photograph (produced) was thrown over his fanlight with a letter addressed to his wife, in which the deceased woman renewed her threat to oommit suicide. Hp searched the neighbourhood, but was unable to find his daughter. The Coroner, in summing up, said that when t persons agree to commit suicide and one survives, t survivor is held by the lew to be guilty of wil murder, and it was rather singular that the doctr sisould be of opinion that the man survived the woman, in this case. However, it was entirely for the jitry to decide whether the man did survive the wensan. The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary In. sanity" in both cases.