The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-04-25 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ROMANTIC SUICIDE.  On Saturday last an inquest was held at the St. Magnus veetry-rietni, Lower Thnines.street, London, tour:lcing the death of Miss Eliza Packer, aged seventeen years, who committed euicide at LundOndiridge. Mrs Kidd said that the deceinuel was the daughtcr of Mr. Parker, a hairdresser, errrying on Mathes. In Milton street. On Thursday evening sllO caned on witness and VIIIII then In excellent spirits Witness tied known her 111,100 she was a baby. Two years ago Mr Albert Smith came to lodge with witness, and lie fell in love with the deeeased, who lived next door. tier parents did not know it, Wilt ha used to leant her unknown to then:, lie had worried her about other young ladles, and she was very niueh vexed. Mr. A. Smith said that he was employed RE a tailor's establishment In the Ony. Ile was Nat '2l years oh!. lie had paid his address,. to deceased ter the last year. On Thursday evening at half-past seven he met her, arid they took a walk round the Southwark.bridge.road and bank again to Wood•street, where she had a few words with him about his not speaking to her daring the middle of the day when he met her, but lie told her he was than In a hurry. While they were spvaklng she thotight that she maw her brother Alfred, and she became elanued, nod said, "If Alfred gees me he will tell my mother, which is nothing but right; but mother has told me that if she ever found me with you she would break my neck." lene then cried, and witness said, "If you cry so ni never me you again." She then amid, " Would you ?" and upon his answering "Yes,' she cried out, "Then ill go and drown myself !" She ran down the street, mid witness followed, but lost night of her. When he reached King William's statue he saw her running very fast, and he rushed sitter her. she ran down the steps of Londembridge, and ne followed leer as he thought, lot lie mistook the steps 41.1W11 which she had tun. Wheu he got to the imttonc he heard In the darkness • female voice, which its recognised as hers He jumped into the water, and was carried under the arch of the bridge. While going through he hoard the deceued again, and he caught hold of iminetlaing, and found it was her shawl. Ile could not boll it, and he found himself drowning, for he could not suite. The next he knew was his being himself pulled out of the water. The witness 110/0 licirst out crying, and exclaimed, " I wide I had been drowned with her; it would have been much better." Ile afterwards explained at some length that lie had quarrelled with the young girl's family two yean ago about a servant that Mrs. Packer had discharged on the charge of stealing. shawl. Ile said, "Thu young WOllll/11 is innooent, and I will 114 t see her tuned oil the streets." Be got her another situation, soil the fancily disliked him on that account. lie had arranged to lottery the deceased at Later, but as he thought seventeen was too young he put it off until Whitanntide. It was all settled between them that they were to take two rooms hi Kennington, and that they would live there quietly on his 4210 a. a week.  Alfred Packer raid that the deceased was his sister. None of the family know that she kept company with llr. A quieter or a latter girl was never known. _  The Jury returned a verdict " That deceased committed imicide by throwing hereelf into the Thames at London-bridge while she was in a state of temporary insanity."