Widnes Examiner. — 1900-09-21 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE EXAMINEB, FRIOAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1900.  A SERVANT GIRL'S SAD END AT STOCKTON HEATH. A Mother Severely Censured.  lAt noon on Tuesday, Mr. Brighouse, coroner, conducted an inquiry in the Parade Room at the Police Station, Warrington, respecting the death of Rebecca Gregory, 17 years of age, domestic servant, in the service of Mr. Walter Jackson. of 9, Grappenhall-road, who died at the Infirmary on Monday morning, from taking a dos ,t el carbolic acid. Mr. Pickavance was foreman of the jury. The Coroner read the police report, which stated that owing to the deceased's ungovernable temper, she received notice to leave the service of Mr Walter Jackson. About 4.30 on Saturday afternoon, M. Jackson and his wife and children w-mt into a field opposite his house, and whil it there he noticed a boy knocking at the door. As the servant did not attend to him, "Air. Jackson went 0 the house and found the servant sitting in a chair in a stupefied condition. He at once went for , Dr. Park r,and she was taken home and afterwards to I the Infirmary, where she died. Serge tntßourne, of the Cheshire County Police, examined the house and found a small vessel containing carbolic acid. Dr. Battle, senior house surgeon of the Infirmary, wrote saying that the deceased died from corrosive poisoning, having in all probability taken a dose of carbolic acid. Mary Ellen Gregory, widow, said the decelsed, who was 17 years of are, was her daughter. She had been in the employ of Mr and Mrs Jackson two years and ten months. She saw her on Wednesday last, when she seemed to be "in the best of spirits." She was then on notice to leave. The Coroner asked witness if she had ever thrashed deceased, for, he said, he had heard a rumour to the effect that she had done so, evidently for leaving her place. Witness : I never touched her.  The Coroner : Did you hive word i with your daughter on Wednesday night because she was under notice?  Witness : None whatever.  The Coroner Then if the gentleman has told me ' this morning that " it is common report that you gave your daughter a good hiding," it is untrue ? Witness : Yes, Continuing she said that deceased was of a very excitable dieposicien. See had net heard her threaten to take her own life. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson had been very kind to her. Mr. Walter Jackson, bank clerk, residing at 9, Grappenhall.road, said the deceased had received notice to leave his service many times, but they had taken her on again. Her present notice expired a week ago, but they took her on for a week longer so that she would be able to find a situation. About 420 on Saturday afternixie last he, his wife and his children went into a field opposite his house and while there he noticed that a boy was knocking at the back door, and seeing that the door was not opened be (witness) went into the house where he found the deceived sitting in a chair in a stupefied condition and no:iced a strong smell of car belie acid in the room. He went for Dr. Parker and she was taken to the Infirmary. Deceased's uncontrollable temper had been the source of great anxiety to his wife. On Saturday she was asked by her mistress why she was not dressed, whereupon she lost her temper and his wife had to leave the house. He had heard that she was not comfortable at home. He was unable to say from whom she got the carbolic acid. None had been in his house for fifteen months.—ln reply to Inspector Phillips witness said that he had never heard the girl threaten to take her life.  Sergeaat Bourne, stationed at Stockton Heath, said that he searched Mr- Jackson's house to try and find the bottle in which she had had the carbolic acid. There was a very strong smell in the scullery and kitchen of the acid. Failing to find any bottle, he went to the local chemist, who said he had sold some carbelic acid to a girl whose description answered that of the deceased. The chemist said she brought a lemonade bottle for it, and said that she wanted it for her mistress. He labelled the hole '• Poison " with two labels. He (witness) afterwards found the small pan produced, which smelt of the acid. He had since made inquiries, and heard that decPased was uncomfortable at home. He had heard that deceased hid sail that before she would go home she would drown herself. Her mother had not a very good reputation and too k more drink than she ought to do. Mary Elizabeth Coultsou, Chapel-lane, Stockton Heath, said the deceased was her niece- Doceased had been to her house cryicg many times complaining of her mother's bad conduct and she bad threatened to drown herself. Her mother had pawned her clothes for the purpose of buying drink, and had taken deceased's wages off her. She thought that the deceased's bad temper had been caused by the ill-usage she received at the hands of her mother, and that she had been driven to her sad end.  Mrs Grezory was a,ain called, and said : What my sister-in-law has said is not correct. The Coroner : But what about the evidence of Sergeant Booms? Witness : I know I have taken" a glass or two "but I was driven to it The Foreman: Did you pawn your daughter's clothes? Witness : Yes, when I was short of money.  The Coroner in addressing the jury, said that from the evidence it appeared that the girl hated her home, and that being the case he could quite understand her taking away her life, when she found that she would have to go home. The jiry having considered their verdict, the foreman said they thought the deceased had committed suicide in a fit of temper and insanity, and asked the Coroner t 3 censure the mother for her conduct. The jury entirely exonerated Mrs. Jackson from any blame. The Coroner said he entirely agreed with the jury. Addressing the mother of the deceased, he said that her daughter went into that state of mind because she did not like the idea of going home. The jury had asked him to cengure her, and it gave him great pleasure to do so, because it had been made clear that she had behaved very badly indeed. He hoped that she would behave better to her other children than she had done to this one. He would not lik3 to be in her position. Ha also warned her against saying anything to her sister-in-law.