The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-09-09 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

DOUBLE SUICIDE AT WITTON.  A shocking discovery was made on Thursday morning in the Tame Valley Canal near the l'ew Tree Inn, Witten. A passing boatman found a bundle of female clothing on the bank of the canal, and having communicated with the police, i4earch was made, which resulted in the discovery of the bodies of two girls, each about sixteen years of age. The bodies were bound together with a blue satin scarf firmly knotted round the girls' waists. Subsequent inquiries led to the identification of the bodies as those of • Bertha Taylor, I court, I house, James-street, Aston, and Hannah McDonald, of 6, Guildford-terrace, Guildford-street, Aston. The two girls have been miss,in from their homes since Tuesday, and it is con, jectured that they had mutually agreed to commit suicide. Under the clothes of the girl McDonald a pencilled note was found with the words " Goodbye, Mrs. 3lcDonald, for ever." There seems little reason to doubt that this is a ease of double suicide carried out in a peculiarly determined manner, but the police are making active inquiries to a,•sure themselves that there has been no foul play. The girls for some time past have been engaged in the sporting department of Messrs. Kynech and Co.'s Ammunition Works, Witton, and up to the week of the general election, worked pretty regularly. Then werk became slack, and they have made but little time since. The girl-, are described by their parents and friends as being well-conducted, and during the shortness of work have done their best to obtain employment. McDonald has suffered little or no inconvenience from the shortness of work. Taylor on the contrary, is reported to have felt it rather acutely. She was deserted when an infant by her mother, and was adopted by her aunt, a Mrs. Greenhouse, and during the period of the girl's uncmploy they have had but :is. a week for their support. On Tuesday last, Taylor asked her aunt for a penny to buy some " seratchings," and she was given :Id. so that she might also buy a loaf of bread. After that she was not seen alive, no tidings could be obtained of her whereabouts. McDonald, prior ' beiws engaged at Kynoch's was in the service of Mr. Floyd, of Bridge-street, Birmingham, who recently committed suicide by taking prussic acid. The girls were last seen alive on Tuesday night, when they were at the house of a friend in Witton-street. They then seemed in the best of spirits, and when they left thereabout nine o'clock they told their friends they were going to meet Mrs. McDonald, who had been to a christening. They proceeded down FOntham-road, which led in the direction of Witton, and were not seen again alive. The girls have been close companions for a considerable time. The canal at this spot acquiring an unenviable notoriety for suicides, as no fewer than fourteen have taken place there within the last three years.  On Friday. Mr. .1. Ansell (deputy coroner for Central Warwickshire) held an inquest at the Yew Tree Inn, Witten, on the bodies of Bertha Taylor I court, t 1 house, James-street, and EI-11111%4 Macdonald (16), 6, Guildford Terrace, t:nildford -st reel, Aston, whose bodies were found in the Ta111:2 Va.ley Canal, at Witton, on Thursday morning.—Margaret Macdonald, wife of Allen Macdonald, deposed that. her 4laughter was out oi. employ at the rime of her death, but up to :hay :;rd she worked at Messrs. Kynoeh and Co.'s ammunition ‘vorks, Witton. The deceased lived at hoMe, and she saw her alive on Tuctlay evening:last, about sh or seven o'clock, when she left. with l's.:.rtha Taylor, who %rriA present in witness's homie, with the intention of going to the last:tame:l deceased's aunt's house to tea. Macdonald Inn( fr..quently eomphtined of being unable to obtain employment.—The Coroner : lb ° you think she was in any trouble': Witnuss : No: she Was -0 merry.--llmv do you account for her death I think the two gitl plot into Ito do the deed beforek, atrl went ktraizht to the ehnal and .Irownol themselves.- —Can you a,sign any leoll t.n. your .I:Lughter making ay....y wit!, herself •: ~..rept that she was wit ot work, mid knowing: • I ha4l s:2ven children she tbort;4lit she would be. s Imr.len i etc. - Sarah Greenhouse, residing' ,a It tii,e, out t, James-street, Avlto said that she wa- no relation to the deceased Bertha Toy! w, ▪ /ha; i:ert ha lert resided wit!, In•r since she Nll-4 ei:hteen maaths old, at whieh ag;.! sh • lVa, 1 hy 111:n11w:34 WllO Weill 1!1 :1,14111'111 I.WO I:llttjt •,;!1;) 11;0 10 h,r.cit 1 he lllaht...;liam Workhouse. A pr.,seeation was -'it! -'c ins:ituted by the parish authorities, and Mrs. Taylor was cumin-lied to take the ,hildrett oat ut t wouldion,e. .-zince that time the mother had never !won seen. . Witness Heat iti.,l 111, piece of wit!l which the two b0.11.-!s were tied tor,-thei as her property. Deeeasof had been ..mt Of \Via It -1111:e July %DI, I.ht she never wanted to WA, a good, in 40 :less roghl -11 .1114 Jestlay h,:rs:ll. .1 man n Li:11:11 to 1111 !I%l' 1110 ho.lle,' in Ole 1-0111 Tilol*-,13y )111111•Z. They were tied roz,,:ther 1...11,1: I • , ti I were 13e: to taco.—