The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-04-19 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

TRE ASTON ROMANCE.  UNREQUITED LOVE AND SUICIDE.  On Saturday afternoon. Dr. Wynter (eomner) held an enquiry at the Vine Inn, Alma-street, relative to the circumstances attending the death of a single girl, named Jane Woodward (21). The deceased was a penurnaker, and hxlgecl at 4. Gerrardstreet, Aston. About five weeks ago, she returned home one S lay night, and sitting down began to cry bitterly From that day she had always seemed somewhat distressed. Soon after then she made a voluntary statement to her landlady to the effect that she had been engaged to a young who lived in Porchester-street, Birmingham, but that the engagement haul been broken off. Last Wednesday evening, she and a female friend of hers left work together, and whilst proceeding along York-street the deceased requested her companion to go toa chemist's shop with her, stating that in consequence of their being over run with mice at home, she had been requested to take a packet of " ver • killer" back, and that they would not supply her with the poison unless she was accompanied by a wltness. Satisfied with this explanation, the friend went as desired, and deceased Was supplied with a packet of " vermin killer." Deceased then seemed in her usual spirits, but on the following day, contrary to her usual habit, she returned home a little after two in the afternoon, and when asked the cause of such an unusual circumstance, said, "Is'pose I can ' 'are arf at day, if I like." Soon after she asked far pen and ink, and being supplied with these materials, repaired to her bedroom, where she remained until • o'clock at night. At that hour she came donnstairs, but did not go out, and about half-past ten she went to bed, taking a liqhted candle,and some coffee in a tea cup upstairs with her. Nothing more wait seen or heard of lier until about seven o'clock, the next (Friday) morn ing, when she was discovered by her landlady in bed speechless, and suffering from convulsions. Her foster-mother, a Mrs. Hughes, nnd medical aid were immediately summoned. Dr. Yokes' assistant was quickly in attendance, and an emetic was prescribed, but she died before it could be administered to her. When the medical man AMY her she was convulsive, and subject to much muscular twitching, and in fact exhibiting the general signs of poisoning. The cup, in which she had taken the collbe upstairs on the previous night, was found by her bedside. It contained a bluish stibsterree, which 1)1.. Vokes said was a mixture of arsenic and strychnine, the usual ingredients of " vermin killer." In the room was also found a portion of the pncket of "vermin killer," which was a powder of a bluish colour. There was no . doubt in the medical mind that the deceased died from the effects of INrison. fetective Medium deposed to making enquiries with regard to the death of the deceased. On searching her bedroom, he found four letters, signed by the deceased. Two of them were addressed to Mr. James Horton, 25, Porchesterstreet, Birmingham, one to her sister, Miss R. %Woodward, Kingsbury-place, Victoria-road, and the other to her foster-mother, Mrs. Hughes, William-street. In one of the letters addressed to Mr. Horton she had written :—" Dear John,--Will you kindly forgive me for treating you so nastey on November 20th but I have repented sinse that time, and I oftimes sit and think of the happy oures we have spent together', and ()fames wish I could have got you to have yenned the old love back again. But I impose you have turned rite agenst me altogether. But I hope we shall met better friends in the next worlile. Dear John I (leant want you to give me all the blaime if I was to explain all to you. Ent it is of no good (bible that know hits its to late. ..... . Dear John it was not because Will had any love for me that he went with me but I planely see that he wanted to part us for when you was away with your hollidays he asked me to iro to a danceing room and I refused. Dear John I wishe I had kept the promi4 you asked me, but I have cried many an our Sinai I broke that promise ; it was not to go to the 1110111 without you ; but we all do things we cut not to do I think it was the happest time of my life when you askel me to go those Icily walks in Sumer, when the edges was greetie and the flours in bloome. It seems hertrending to think our love shed be so changed and we puss one anuther in the street as we did on Ester Saturday. I hope God will bless you and that you'll prospur. . • • It is my wishe for you to have my watch it keep it as long as you live in mernery of your Old true love Jenny Woodward WiAlteinglyou good 'ay & God bless you."— , The other communication, addressed to the evident object of her affection, consisted simply cf an autograph copy of the words of the song, "lii I the Gloaming." and other sentimental pieces of I poetry. The letter to her mother made reference to family matters, and in the last paragraph or sie the deceased desired to have her love given "to Charllett, Enna, Poly, 'rout, irorge, and Xeilly. ' In the letter to her sister she said :—" I hope you wont fret t, about me for I shall be better of. It was very wickhed to take my life away. I haver t dun anything ells but think about him (referring to Horton) 1 (lout no how it is I seem to Lave more love for hint now than when I was keeping compney with him. There isent a night T go to bed but what he is on may mind and Dear rose I fell that I cannot live without him. I have retten ft letter for John and I want you to see that he as my watch and one of my cabners." The letter closed with a desire that she should bo remembered to all her friends, whom she hoped to meat in the next world.  In summing up, the Coroner referred to the evidence of the witnesses, and alluding to the letters said that the nature of the epistle?" made manifest the fact that the girl had a deep affection towards the man Horton, and that,in consequence of some estrancrement between them, her mind had become unhinged. With no hesitation whatever, the jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane.