The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1875-08-31 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

STRANGE SUICIDE OF—A—fiinG GIRL Mr. Carter has held an inquest on the body of Elizabeth Smith, aged 16, of Kilburn, who was found drowned in the Thames on Saturday. Mr. Henry Smith identified the hod) as that of Lis daughter, whimo he lest saw alive about seven weeks ago. uharles Raid, a young man, of Hammersmith, stated that he had known the deceased to speak to and be in her company 15 or 16 days. Ile met her on Friday night about a quarter to nine. She said, " I have left a letter for you, one for my father, and another for my mother, and it is the last time you will see me." Witness asked why. She replied, "Time will tell, you will know in the morning." A minute afterwants she met a Mr. Martin Ilarboys, whom she suddenit kissed, and said, "Good bye, I shall see you no more. She then walked on over Hammersmith Bridge, witness following, and passed on to the towing-path. Suddenly she made a rush to get into the water, when witness seized her by the arm and prevented her. She begged him to let her Co. and said that her reason for doing X 0 will be found if he went to a Mrs. lAurie, a laundress, who had the likeness of a young man named She then struggled with witness for haltru;-hour to get into the water, until she was at length quite worn out, and fell down feinting. Shortly after reviving she again tried twice to jump into the river, but was restrained by the witness,' who at length tried to induce her to go home. She consented to go. They walked along the towing-path, and had got to the centre of Putney.bridge, when the ' deceased jumped upon the bridge parapet, but was pulled hark by witness, who then threatened to omit some one unless she came along home. They remained on the bridge until 2.30 in the morning, or a quarter to three, when she came hack on to the towing path, and begged witness to let her go, as she could die happy. She also attempted to get at his knife, and asked him for it, but he refused. She afterwards asked for his scarf, as she was cold; and upon witness giving It to her she triad to strangle herself with it, but he agrin frustrated her attempt. This last time was about 25 minutes to live in the morning, and she then expressed her intention of going straight home. She begged him not to come with her, no people In Hammersmith niight remark It, and they then parted about 50 yards below the first Iron bridge on the towpath from Putney, deceased refusing to go to his mother's and have breskfast. She thanked him for looking after her, kissed him, and left, arranging to meet him in the Grove, Hammersmith. He never again saw her until she was found dead. Mr. Arthur Edward Stainforth, an officer in her Majesty's Calvary, identified the body as that of a domestic servant who had lived with his family for three or four years. This witness produced a letter in the handwriting of the deceased, found in her lex, in which she expressed her Intention of committing suicide, and praying to the Almighty to forgive her, and bless her parents and brothers. The letter, which was a very long one, also contained paragraphs to the effect that she had a good master and mistress that she was out of her right mind, and had only one friend in the world, and that she should meet all her friends in Heaven. The jury, afer a short deliberation. returned a verdict of "Suicide whitsi of unsound mind." The Coroner toll the witness Reid that if the letter had not been found he would have been in a very awkward positlon, and he WAS much to blame for not callifig the attention of the police to the deceased.