The Sun. — 1830-06-21 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF AN OLD LADY.  On Saturday a Coroner's inquest was held at the Nelson Tavern, Greenwich, on view of the body of Mrs. Mary Ann Knowles, aged 69 years, who had lately been married to a youth aged 21. The extra. ordinary circumstances of the case excited a cotresponding interest amongst the inhabitants of Greenwich of all ranks. It appeared that the unfortunate old lady had been the wife of Major Thoits, of the North York Greys, who, at his death, left her his fortune, which was considerable. She soon , after went to the Continent, where she met with a fashionable young man, named Knowles, for whom she formed an extraordinary attachment, and invited him to travel with her in the character of her nephew, to which he acceded. The young -man represented himself, perhaps truly, as the son of the Governor of the tout at Guernsey, and in the possession of some property left him by his uncle. The old lady's attachment for her youthful friend in' creasing, she proposed marriage to him, to which he also acceded, and they returned together to GreenWich, where they lived for a short time in their assumed character of aunt and nephew ; but in December last they were married by licence in Milton church, near Gravesend. After their marriage, they took up their residence in a beautiful cottage at Greenwich. The husband, however, soon began to treat her, at first with great neglect, which was quickly followed by frightful violence, her person frequently exhibiting, in bruises and discolourations, the marks of his brutality. Ile- would also pass her window with a young woman on his arm, apparently anxious to insult her. On Tuesday week he beat her so dreadfidiy, that for her preservation she thought it necessary to apply to a Magistrate (Colonel Foreman) the next day, and exhibited articles of the peace against him. He was taken on a warrant and held to bail, and since then nothing has been heard of him. The unfortunate old lady returned home from the Magistrate's very dejected, and was put to bed; she made an incision in one of her arms with a lancet, evidently with the intention of self-destruction. The blood flowed copiously from the wound, but was discovered by her servant in time to save her life. She, however, continued very lowspirited, and frequently complained of her unhappy lot. A lady named Bailey, and her daughter, friends of the deceased, who reside at Greenwich, endeavoured to soothe her, but with little effect. On Friday night, however, she appeared cheerful; and went to bed about ten ,o'clock. On Saturday morning when her servant entered her mistress's bedroom she saw her sitting on the ground at the foot of the bed, with her head inclined forward. On raising it she discovered a small green worsted cord twisted round her neck, and that she was quite dead. A surgeon was instantly called in, and every means used .to restore animation, but without effect. It appeared that a carpet travelling-bag (the mouth of which was drawn together by the worsted cord) was hanging to a brass knob of the closet door, between three and four feet from the floor; and the unfortunate deceased must have put her head through, the loop of the cord, twisted it round her neck, and then placed herself in a sitting posture till she was strangled. Mrs. Bayley and her daughter, and the maid servant of the deceased,. were examined as to the state of mind of the unhappy lady. They all said that they considered her very low arid dejected, and that she was labouring under considerable trouble, owing to her unhappy union. Several of the Jury were anxious to know whether the husband. had slept at home the night previous to the death of the old lady, as that fact was of the most vital importance. The witnesses answered they were sure he was not in the house at all that night, nor had he been since he was bailed before Colonel Foreman upon the peace. Warrant. His conduct 110 been so:bad to. .