The Express. — 1864-09-09 (London, England)

TOTAL LOSS 01 TES BASQUE DEVEBEUL  EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A YOUNG WOMAN IN THE REGENTS CANAL. --41 INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.) This forenoon Mr. John Humphreys, Middle. sex coroner, held an inquiry at the Black Horse Talmo, ICinpland-road, respecting the death of Ann Holliday, aged 17 years, who committed suicide under very extreur. dimly arcumstanoes. Richard Arnold, 6, Duncan-street, Loudon-fields, said that about 12 o'clock oo Thursday morning he was on the Hamerstombridge when be saw the demand on the top of the parapet. A girl named Louisa Francis had • hold of her, and kept her up. Francis called out that she could not bold her looger. Witness ran up and saved her. Two policemen came up at the time, and one of them took her ioto custody, bat the other said, "Oh, let her go ; she is afraid to drown herself. She would not have done it if no one w..s has." He let her go, and she went away from the cacti. but witness saw bee turn up another strut. He foliose.), her, and saw her rushing up the street towards the Queen's. road bridge. He overtook her. and mid, " You are a very foolish young woman" She said, " You do not know all." A crowd gathered, and she asked the way to Oambridge-heath bridge.. The people said, "She does not mean to commit suicide." After a short time had elapsed wahine saw her getting over a paling next the toe. log path. Louise. Francis caught hold of her dress, but she struck Francis in the fie, end saying "There is oo use in your trying to stop me," forced herself clear. Witness jumped the palings but fell, and deceased pins* into the water. There was a dog present, and witness sent the animal in, but it was not strong enough to pull her out. A crowd gathered, cud amongst them tire policemen. The drags did not come for a loog time. ok methane said that be would go in after deceased, but he did not like the job, and he was ten 'Mentes taking off his shirt and trowsers. He maid that some one in the crowd stole his shirtpin, and when be went into the water be kept his watch in has hand. He could not swim very well, md he came out again. Coroner —With five policemen standing by, did be think it necessary to carry his watch in his band I Witmer said that the gentleman was very vexed about hie pis being stoles). The police said to him that he could have taken twenty shirts off while he was taking off one ; but they did not offer to go in themselves. Ultimately the drags were nought, and deceased was got out, dead. Wit. Dees could not tell who the rolicenian was that let the dimmed out of his custody in the tint instance. Deceased appeared to be sober. Louisa Franca, 5, Mildmay-svenue, Ball's-pond, said that deceased lived with bee. Oo the Wednesday night she met Charles Nicholson, with whom she lived. I here was a quarrel, he struck her, and she mid she would commit suicide. She was not sober. She tried to commit suicide two yews ago. Charles Nl:Dolmen, • seller of "canaries," or stained sparrows, about the streets, a respectably dressed young man, said that deceased lived with him as his wife. Its mat her on Wednesday in the street, and asked her for the key. She refused it, and threw money and mud in his face. He struck her with his open heed, not with his het, mod pushed her down. He knew she walked the streets, but be gave her money to live upon. She bad takes poison mos. It was said she poisoned her child, and she was arrested for it, but it was a mistake. The child died. She lived with another befonshe lived with witness.  The parent; of the deceased said that she lodged three doors from their house in Mildmay-avenue. She never had a child, and she had only beep gives to loose ways for three or four months. Other evideuee, however, was to a very different effect. One witness stated that the deceased, who wee a vary fine girl, had been " gay " to the knosiolgs of tier parents ever since she was • child. She would not have been 17 until May next. The Coroner remarked upon the extraordinary nature of the case. It was a preposterous act for the police to bars let the deceased go free when they bad arrested her in the very act of committing suicide. The state of profligacy (backed was a disgrace to all ooncerned. The jury returned &verdict "that the demised onnmitted suicide while is a state of unsound mind from drink and debanehery." The preosediap them terminated.