The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-08-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SISTER'S 'PURIFYING  EXPERIENCE.  An ertnacedinary mem at suicide co(tarred in Binluenhead an Wednesday evening, a barmaid whose borne was -at 18; Craven-etreet, but who for about three vreeks had been in a situation at Colwyn Bay, cutting her throat in extremely tragic einounietences, and expiring in a • very. shoretiree The unfortunate young Woman was Idelvlgia Hilton, aged 34, single, and the evidence !taken at an inquest held 'in the case on Thursday by :the Borough Coroner, Mr. Cecil HOldell, disclosed the fact that she mane back from Colwyn Bay Cal Wednesday without the knowledge of her mother, arid other relatives, wept to the politte"officle end atieused herself of stealing a 10e.. Treasury note at the Imperial Hotel, actlwyn Bag, where she had been' einfloYed; and on being taken home (the pollee, upon inquiry, having no ground for detaining her) secreted a large carving knife belonging to hers parenta and cat her throat while a married sister was endeavouring to allay, with cold waster compresses, severe pains in her head of which she. complained. Her 'behaviour from the moment • she 'entered the house had been strange. Dr. C. E. H. (later, senior hc;use surgeon at the Borough Eficepital,' deposed to the deceased being brought to that inertitabon at 10.13 on Wedneschty, and that life was extinct when he saw her, which was only about two minutes after she was ',brought in. • There wee an - incised wound four inches long an the left !side of the throat., severing the carotid I artery and the windpipe. It was probably a self-indicted wound. There was a slight I wound below it. such as was (gain made. !by suicides liefere the main cut was imp Rioted. l• 'Eliza llitten..the asehher, wife•of Joseph Hillbon, house painter,. said deceased had been a barmaid for some years, !but during the war worked in a neinitiou factory. Three weeks ego she went as a barmaid to the Imperial Hotel, Colwyn Bay, and witness knew nothing of her return to Birkenhead last Wednesday until- -she was tent for; about 7.30 p.m.,. to go to the po/see office, and ..feund her daughter there, and: tibia. police told her to take- her home and look after her, as she appeared to be a little worried.. Witnees took her home, and gave-, her some tea, but she appeared to be very strange in her meaner. She told her sister her heed was very bad, but She did not speak to witness from the • tenet they left the police building until, she went up to go to bed, which -el s about 8.45, witness thought. Before going upstairs she ASKED FOR A WHITE .NIGHTDRESS, which NriitZle* got for her. Halfein-thounlater witness was told she had out her throat. The table knife found by the police (with fresh blood on it) was usually kept in a drawer in the kitchen. Witness had sent for her married daughter, Margaret Anderton, and they were the only pen de. in -the house until it kappa/ed. had never attempted anything of the kind before. Detective William Redfern said deceased called at the police office at 3.30 on Wedneedaf, and said she wanted to give herself up for Stealing, and when he q'uestioned her she said she had taken a lbs. Treasury note frnm the till at the Imperial Hotel, Colwyn Bay, that morning. and had come away by ,train. She appeared somewhat strange In her 'mannor, and he formed the opinien that she WOO slightly affected men.lly. He meg up the Colwyn Bay police, and they saw the hotel manageress, "who said the deceased had told her, that. inerosne she had taken lea from the till. but she had not missed any money, end as she could not understand what the deceased meant, she told her she had better go home for a time, and she took her at her word and 'went The Elolwerb• Bair pollee, after making their Inquiries, 'phoned that Mrs. Lowe did not wish to do anything dent-her in the anattee, no the Birkenhead -plaice did' not feel justified in detaining the young! woman and witnees sent for her mother and Ira,nded her over to her. The Cormier What was pour view of her? Did she etrike you es-,neing.4asare,,, -Wiinersa:,:Mrell,:ne„ sir; lint she seemed strange: in her nenner.-e TIT sJSITEVICAGTIc. ,f,Vratgift' Td•Tgaief • • ton:: 413, end sister of the deceased, deposed to going to the police office and finding her mother and sister had just left. She therefore went to her mother's house, and her sister complained of her head being very painful, and witness applied a wet cloth to relieve the pain. ' She helped her sister into bed. and shortly afterwards she jumped cot of bed and ettici—" There's something gone in mv heed!" The window blind was down, BO the MOM was somewhat dark. Witnessgot hold of he- to try. and get her back into bed. and as she was. struggling -with her with -that objeot, and 'sleep trying to keep the wet cloth to her forehead, she found herself suddenly covered with blood.  "I dA snot actually 'see hr cat her throat," said the witness, with signs of dishress, in answer to *he Coroner's questions, "bu.t she must have done it when I was trying to get her back into bed. The blood came 014 s 1 over my blouse and arms." _  The emener: Itad-she bed the knite-in bed with her?  —Witness— 7-She must heme had. We were in the kitchen with her before. and she had some supper—a oup of tea. She said sten they were taleng her away," She must have got the knife in the kitchen. without (air noticing it. and secreted it in the bed. She must have cut her throat whilst I I was struggling to get her back into bed, end after doang it she fell back on the bed." Just before it happened witnellei husband and brother had conic to :the house, and- she shouted for them. and her husband TIELIL forr a doctor, and also told a policemen. Coroner: Have you ever seen her like that before? Witness: No, never, sir. She was of such good nature—a cheery girl. P.C. James Massey deposed to going to the, house end getting another constable who was an duty neer to telephone for the sairbulance. He found deceased on the bed bleeding badly Isom a -cut in the throat.. „Hartried to stop the bleeding, and .when the, ambulance came she was 1--ain to the hospitaf with all speed. He found a carving 'knife on the bedroom floor with wet blood upon.*  The Cortee-e—found_ that death was due s self-indiated wound. but ae regarded the etate of ihe young warnam's mind. he considered the evidence inenfEcient to say Whet actually wee her Mate-0f mind et the time. He commended DeneStive, Recb fern upon &sting very. well - the, incfniriee ma./3 antt Ato. seadeng, f,pr the - .