The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1883-01-12 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SELSRBORNE,  SUICIDE OP AN ELDERLY WOMAN.  An elderly woman, named Maria Woodward, aged 61, and living in Long-street, committed suicide on Sunday morning. She had been living as housekeeper with an engine-driver on the L. & S.W.R. named Dieon, and on Sunday morning she was heard about six o'clock getting up. Dison asked her what she was doing, and she tdd him she was going to the w.c. She, however, it appears, fully dressed herself, put on her bonnet, &c., and made her way to the river, and there, it is believed, threw herself in. The body was noticed in the water near the bri Ige on the New-road, by a groom employed at the Castle, who immediately informed the police. The water where the body was found is very shallow, and the clothes of the deceased were to be seen above the surface, and were distended, or blown out, by the force of the tide. The inquest was held at the Black Horse Hotel on Monday afternoon, before Mr. H. Nutt, coroner, and a jury of which Mr. Alfred Dingley was chosen foreman. John Brown, a helper in Mr. Digby's stables, stated that as he was going over the bridge near the Castln,yard on Sunday morning about half-past eight, on his way to breakfast, he saw something in the river on the Purlieu sic, He went to the side of the river and found that it WAS the bo ly of a woman, lying eSt on her face. He saw no signs of life, and he want to the police-station and gave information. George Dyson, engine-driver on the London a nil S nuth-Western Railway, said the deceased Was 61 years of age, and he had lodged in her house for the last 20 years. On Saturday evening, when he came home, he found deceased sitting in a chair, and said to her, " You look a little flighty; how is it?" She said " rhere is nothing the matter," but he was satisfied that she had been having something to drink. He heard deceased get up a little tefore six next morning. He got up himself about hall-an-hour afterwards, and lighted the fira. He did not hear anything further of the deceased till the police came to him. When out of drink she was a clean, industrious woman, but she had given way to drink since her nephew, a m -able mason, went away to Toronto abut three months ago. On the Saturday night she told her sister to inform her nephew, when she wrote to him, that she had been drunk every day since he went away. Supt. Florance gave evidence as to the recovery of the bo ly, which Was lying on the left ride, fao3 downwards, part of the clothes being out of . the water. Deceased WAS fully and respectably tressed. The body was 22 yards from the bridge, and about 4ft. from the edge of the river. Some 30 aeraons at firet identified the body as that of another woman, but on Ire g eing to her house to make eneuiriee the d eor was opened to him be the woman hared. The witness Dyson afterwards identified tne body Ann Bowe, sister of the decease I, spoke to being fetched by Dyson to prepare his super. When she had been at the house about two h nrs deceased was led in by another woman, named Mlitabeth Aadrewm. Deceased had had s eine drink. Pew since she had her heal cut open she was affected ty a little drink. By the jury : Deceased Was not in drunk that she was unable to walk, but she appearel to be e) weak from drinking bafore that she required to be led home. The jury returned a verdict of "Sticide whilst in a state of temporary insanity," and gave their fees to , tho eietv of deceseod.