The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1889-02-02 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE CAUSE FOR THN MISERY.  Mary Ann Elson said: I live at 44, Portland Place, Leamington. I have a daughter attending the Warwick Girls' School. She was a great friend of the deceased. I have known deceased between two and three years. I have never heard the deceased threaten to commit suicide, but I have been told she had by friends. I believe there was some trouble at Cooke's, caused by books and stationery ordered there. I may explain that last term was my daughter Clara's first term at the school, and as there were a number of things required I gave her permission to have an amount at Cooke's. The list of books she wanted was given to her to take to Cooke's, and the books came to me to be covered. My daughter also had stationery there, but she always told me what she had. Last week the bill was sent in from Cooke's, and I considered it very large, and said I would have no more bills, but pay for everything when it was had. I paid the bill on Thursday. When I went to see the governess she said she hoped my bill at Cooke's was not large, and I showed it to her. She said it was impossible for any child to have used that amount of stationery in the time, and advised me to ask for the separate items, as the stationery was put down all together. The name of deceased came up, and Miss Fisher asked me if I knew her, and I said I did, and that I had forbidden Clara to speak to her. I had found that during the early part of last term Lizzie Chandler had obtained 4d. worth of stationery in my name. This was found out, and Miss Chandler sent a message by Clara to say she was very sorry, and if I would not make a fuss about items of books and stationery so far as it had gone she would send me the 4d., which she did. I did not make a fuss about it or go to the mother.  The Coroner: The fact is, you found things were put down on your bill which were ordered by deceased? No; Ido not charge anybody, because I don't know. I feel sure Clara did not order them, but I accuse nobody. Mr. Cooke suggested that I should go carefully thron4h the list and see if Clara could remember, and send him a list, which I did.  The Foreman: Did your daughter dispute any items on the bill? Yes, a great many which she had not ordered and had not had.  They were put down to yon in Cooke's bill? Yes, there were two books on the bill which Clara had never had; one of them she had ordered, but the order was countermanded.  Mr. Boddington : Did you go with your daughter to Mr. Cooke's ? No, sir, I went alone. Did Mr. Cooke explain that things wereordered by a girl who gave the name of Bison but was afterwards found to be Chandler? Yes, he did. _ .  Mr. Hunt : If this child waa a friend of your daughter's, why did you forbid your child to speak to her? Because from the affair of the 4d. and other things I had seen. I thought it would be better for them not to be such friends together. If your daughter did not have the books, who did have them ?I don't know.  A. Juror: You have no proof that Miss Chandler had any of these things you dispute? No, I have not. The Coroner : All you say is that when your bill came in it was much larger than 3ou expected, and there were many items your daughter did not have? yes,.  A Juror: Did Miss Chaudler have an account at Cooke's ? The mother told me she paid cash for what she had.  Mr. Boddington : She paid some cash and had other things in the name of Elson.  A juryman and Mr. Chandler protested that there was no evidence of that kind.  The Coroner: You are going rather wide of the mark.  The Coroner : Deceased says in the letter, if you call on Mrs. Elson you will know my misery, the jury would like to know if you can explain what that means? I have not seen the child for two months, and I have never spoken to her or sent any message to her regarding what I thought. Not at any time? No. What do you suppose she refers to in this letter when she says you will be calling down about her. Did it have any reference to this case? If she felt that it would be wholly from a few words dropped at dinnertime on Friday among the children.  You were not therc,and it was nothing from you? No, it was nothing from me. I had not seen the child.  Have you ever heard deceased threaten to destroy herself? Never myself. I think she was a very excitable child. A Juror: Do you think the child was afraid to go home—afraid of being punished? I suppose that would be the oase. The Foreman: The mother would not know except by hearsay. A Juror : When your daughter goes to Mr. Cooke's. do you sign anything, or can she get what she wants without? There was no signature required. Mr. Cooke lets them have what they like without an order from the parents ?-11fr. Boddington : Not unless an account is opened first.  A Juror: I think that is a very loose way. Mr. Heath: You cannot understand what this means—" If you will call on Mrs. Elson you will know my misery, which if I stopped at home I should be beaten for; Mrs. Elson will be calling in a few days to tell you about me ? The only way I can explain it is that she must have felt, when they said my bill was too large, and I intended to find out about it, she was frailty of having more  than the 4d. worth of stationery. The Coroner: Your daugater of course knew that the bill was too large? Yes, decidedly. A Juror : What did the articles consist of? Stationery of all kinds. Have you the account? It is in the hands of Mr. Cooke. It was El 17g. 9d. for one term, which I considered a very large bill. Mr. Boddington : More than double what it ought to be.  A