The Northern Daily Times. — 1856-11-20 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

LOVE AND SUICIDE.  A most painful enquiry took place on Monday, before Mr Wakley, the coroner, at the University College Hospital, respecting the death of Caroline Hobbs, aged 19, who poisoned herself under the following melancholy circumstances .—The deceased had formerly been in the service of a gentleman's family, whose name was given, in Burlington • gardens, and by whose wife she was greatly esteoned. A connection between her and some young man, a former acquaintance, arose, which ended in most unfortunate results. In order to bide her shame she left her situation, and took lodgings in the house of a Mr. Maskell, at 5, Augusta-street, Regent's-park. As she was a very wellconducted young woman, Mrs. Maskell also became interested in her. She had no visitor of any kind, except an elder sister, durirg the time she lodged there. On Tuesday morning last, between nine and Ken O'clock, this sister was with her, arid she was then verytlow in spirits, and said she could never live separated from him. She went out afterwards, and returned at half-past eleven o'clock, when she cooked some beef steak, and ate a portion. Between half-past one er two Mrs. Maskell heard a moaning, f dlowed by a heavy fall on the floor of the deceased's room, and upon running up to a=certain the cause, found her lying iaseusible, and frothing at the mouth. Two small bottles, labelled respectively Laudanum--Poison," and " Essential Oil of Bitter Almonds," together with a wine glass which had recently been used, were found upon the table. A medical man was at once sent for, and by his directions she was rern,ved to University College Hospital, where she arrived in articulo mortis. Mr. Price Jones, the resident surgeon, examined her, and, finding whet she had taken, and that she had lived more Ulan forty-five minutes after swallowing the prussic acid, at once concluded that • the opium had retaraed its action, thereby offering a chance of recovery. On this account, and from the weak state she was in, he was afraid to use the stomach pump lest he should produce esphyxia and destroy the only hope left. Other remedies were applied, but. she died at ten minutes before four o'clock. A post mortem showed that, in abeut ten weeks, the poor unfortunate creature must have become a mother, and this it was that impelled her to terminate her existence. Shortly before she swallowed the poison she wrote two letters, addressed to her mother, and Mrs Maskell. The letter to Mrs. Maskell said :—" lam greatly obli4ed to you for your kindness to me since I have been with you. God will reward you and your children. If you will go to my mother, at 6, Polygon Clarendon-square,she will tell you what to do with ma. I have been driven to deep sir ! My sister will be up at five o'clock." The letter to her mother began by saying that her case was a fearful one, '‘ For you don't know half my sufferings . . . . Don't fret for me -I will go before and be ready to reelive you. Give my love to my father and brother, and I hope they will be goad to you. I hope my poor dear sister wili be well provided for. I beg you will not scold my dear Harry; it is not his fault, and I love every hair of his head. Write to him and he will pay my funeral expenses. Pray doe% wrong him fur my sake. Don't scold him. I could not die happy if I thought you would do so. My dear Jane (her sister) will give my love to Mrs.—, and tell her all about it . . . . I am not yet nineteen years of age, and don't forget my birthday (the 26th of December). Tell my Harry I love him, and can't bear to be separated from him." She then alludes to some one who has spoken against her to a former employer, but does not intend to retaliate, as it would "do her no good," and she would " not hurt a hair of anybody's bead but my own." and thus concludes :—" I have put all my things right for you to lay me out in, which you will see, and I have sent him my likeness. I have only my clothes to leave you ; I wish I hal more. Good bye ! God bless you I—Your affectionate daughter, "