Weekly News. — 1891-10-15 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DISTRESSING SUICIDE AT PARKSTONE.  On Friday m)rning last an inquest was held at the Station Hotel, Parkstone, on the body of Emilie Monk (32), wife of John Monk, of Perlin 11 Cottage, Sandy Lane, Parkstone, who was found drowned in a pond. The circumstances were peculiarly distressing. Mr. G. Braxton Aldridge (coroner) conducted the inquest, aad Mr. George Best was appointed foreman of the jury. The first witness,  John Monk, jo'hbing gardener, Penh'll Cottage, Parkstone, said deceased was his wife; they had been married six or seven years. They had one child alive and another having died. His wife had been fairly well. She had not been strange in her manner at all. Once, when the last baby was a few days old, she said that if anything happened to the baby it would be the death of her. Last Wednesday evening they went to bed about 8.15, and the mother, contrary to custom, took the baby to bed with her, and when he asked her why, she said "It's only for a minute, Jack." In about a couple of hours after, his wife put her hand on the baby's face, and finding it a little cold, she said " Oh ! God, the child's gone! Good bye, Jack! Gone! Gone! God bless you, Jack! Fetch the doctor." She continued to call cut " Dead ! dead! Good bye! good bye." He told her the baby was all right, but she would not listen. She was a good mother, and very affectionate. He ran for Dr. Greensill, who was out; someone who appeared at the window promising to send him immediately he returned. His house was about three quarters of a mile from the doctor's. When he got back the baby was in bed, but his wife had gone. He searched every room, but did not notice whether she had taken her clothes or not. He rolled the baby in an overcoat and ran about the woods, round the chicken house, and then up to the ponds, but could find no one. It was very dark, but not raining. He then took the baby to his sister-in-law's at Parkstone. He continued his search about the woods and the bogs constantly calling " Emmy," till about a quarter to six next morning. He then went to Sergt. Bridle's house, and after searching two of the ponds went past the Coy Pond, going towards the woods by the sea, when he turned back and saw his wife in her nightdress floating on her back in the middle. He dashed in, the water reaching to his waist. He lifted her out, and though he fell down with her once when he got her out of the water, he carried her to the house. She was quite dead. They had lived happily till about 18 months, ago, when they had a little dispute about money matters. He had struck her, but he did not turt her and had not intended to hurt her. They had no disagreement since. They had had a lodger, but they had decided he must go, and it was not true the lodger left because they quarrelled. They had been particularly happy the day of the occurrence, in fact his wife and child had been on his knee an hour before they went to bed. There were no intoxicants in the house that he knew of, and his wife was a sober, quiet woman.--By the Foreman: The baby was auite well.—By the Jury: He went to fetch the (lector for his wife, as he thought she was either dying or going mad. His wife went to Havre in France that was where the money was in dispute. His wife was a French woman. She had taken about £5 of his money to her sister._  Henrietta Teague, a native of Dieppe, France, said deceased was her sister. Her husband was a cab. driver. There was no insanity in the family, and she had not heard her threaten to commit suicide. She seemed bright and cheerful, and did not complain of being badly tteated. :She had a sister at Havre, but witness knew nothing about any money matters between her sister and deceased. When the deceased went to France, she did not think it was because of any unpleasantness with her husband, but because she had a great desire to go, and was afraid if she asked her husband she would be refused. _  P.S. Bridle said that about 6.30 on Thursday morning Monk came to his house and asked him to help in searching for his wiie. He went out three-quarter, of an hour later, and met Monk at Castle Eve. He said he had found his wife in the duck pond on the kill, and he went in the water and took the body out and carried it home. He went to see the body. He had known Monk for a couple of years, and he had heard nothing against him He believed, at rare intervals, he did drink. He (witness) examined the body, and found no bruises.  The coroner said there were no suspicious circumstances connected with the death. The quarrel had taken place some considerable time before the occurrence, and they had no knowledge of any unpleasantness since. He though it very probable owing to the loss of her first child, and fearing the loss of the second child, the woman got nervous and began to really believe the child dead, and then finding herself alone she became insane and destroyed herself.—A verdict of 'suicide whilst temporarily insane" was passed.