The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1864-07-19 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE BY A YOUNG FEMALE AT BLANDFORD ST. MARY.  An inquest wee held at o'clock on Monday morning, on the boo of Rhoda Cr..., at the Nee lon, ',fore W. H.. Atkinson, Esq. After tbe jury had vowed the holy, which promoted nearly the mune appearanoe as when taken oat of the water, the folowing evid. nee •as given :- Elisabeth Collins deposed that she lived at Blandford SI. Mary, and was intimately acquainted with Rhoda Cross. The lass time the saw her alive was between helf.pees 8 and 10 o'clock on Saturday night. Deceased said she was going home. Soon alter 11 o'clock witness was a her y home, and, when near Mr. Mono-kiwi.* shop hoard a shriek in the direction of the river. She iosnoliately gave an alarm, and when she got to the bank of the river eke found on • branch of a tree the deceased's block silk dress, crinoline, little Jacket end hat, and ekaa to the edge of the water her heir net. About 9 months ago the deceased whilst conversing with witness said tbst she should drown herself, so she wee very low and unhappy. Witness persuaded her off it, and walked boine with her, and mole her promise n. 4 to do so. By the jury: Did not know that deceased had ever been disappointed in love. Did not deliver a letter to bee ea Pistorday, nne on any previous occasion unknown to her parents. Witams mentioned It to her own mother what deceased said as tudronniug herself on the owns night.—John Allen said that on Saturday night he was returning from Etlendford about 11 o'clock, and when near Mr. Monckton's shop he beard a stream, which be thought at the time came from some person the other side of the river. He left hie basket at Mr. Monektou'a, and when in the meadow he heard • person, which be believed was the last witness, call out, and he underflood her to say , "Here she is," but she said, "here's her clothes." Had he not misunderstood, be would have gone into the water. The scream we. a faintkind of .cream, not like one calling for help. The night was very dark, and though every eseition was used they could not succeed that night in ending the body.— Henry llonckton,slioemaker,rtated that shortly after 11 o'clock be, with the polio, and others, made search for the decossed,but not finding bet that night they renewed the search the next morning shortly after three o'clock ; and • little before four P.C. Pore and her brother mw something white, and then her beck hair Boating in the water. Mr. Gulliver and another man then came up eith the boat, and the policeman and witness lifted the body in. The body was not quite in the middle of the river—rather more to the meadow side. It was lying on its face, with the head dorm the strewn, and the bok hair Seating. It wag in about lone feet of water. Wito4o. knew the deceased well. She bore an emellent character, and sae an industrious and lisnl.woiking girl. A report having been circulated that Oil deeeseed was seen reading • letter the same ivening by Mr. Hall, coachtin lder, Sopointenden. Watts was requested Sy ehu coroner to go the Not-office and enquire if she had received one there, and to request Mr. Ball's atteh• dance. On 64 r-tnm the enperinteudent stated that 'ho deceased had not received any letter from the poet"(floe °lie:sta.—James Halls. enachbOilder, stalest that on Saturday evening, &boot half-mot eight o'clock, he can standing against his shop door, whin the deo:seed came by from the direction of the pristotlee. reading • 'tier. Ile said to her " Mary! what got • love idler?' To which the media I that ohs had. Me thee said, " I hope there is something gond in it." and she oohed, "Yee. there is something good in it," snit held it op in her band. He saw Host it wan • note, and Mat she bad the enraluve in lo r hand. A. enon as the ,aid on, she crumpled it up and put it in the right toad pocket of Crh lecke*, sod po"..d on. Sh• aproared very obeerful, good to.pered. and toppy. —One of the juryman stated that be saw the &wooed Ming too-arils Blandfned at 8 o'clock sgua Dorringtnn, re.iding in Illandferd, deposed that on She previous Tuesday evening she welted hog. fr„„, League with kb' doomed, and ou that witj she mid  her. 'was it not Amor she bad never heard from Nightingale since be left I" to whit* mite... repliet by a.king deNmeed if be tad never sent or writteo to her stiles be left. To which she retell a, N...- •nd let h.,a she sal eoine to ram through where he livid, sb• could not me in how lon or short • time, .n 1 if eh. found that he was . married neon she would go and ten los ads how be hat acted with her, as ohs tl.ought it es., not right that snob a blackguard as he was ghoul& pima through the onintry, deceiving poor gilt, ...be vs., Dec. Ased lied told wit wan before that Nightimmle had been in the habit of 11.11 ring with her, and that hia promived to take her to a oonsert, but that he did sot, and that she had neither seen or lewd of him sin...— Meyerst parties present stated that they had seem the. deceased in Nightingale's comiany. who wAs at dub time in Messrs. Bennett and Bird'e employ a. a tailor.— Diis being the whole of the eviilenoe, the cornser pointed out that there was a singular leek of evidence le the ease. There was no doubt, he condifered, that the ilemmard met with her death by drowning, and that it was her own aot, but had no e•ideiire as to the motive., He therefore euggested that so open verdict Amnia be given. In this the jury acqui. Ito d. and returned as their verdiet, "That the deceased committed, suicide by drowning in the river Stour, but there was ni evidence to show in what state of mind she was in at the time.