The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News. — 1903-06-05 (Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England)

SUICIDE OF A GOLCAR WOMAN AT MARSDEN,  INQUEST.  On Monday morning at the Mechanics' Hall, Marsden, Mr. E. H. Hill, of Halifax, cwoner for the district, conducted an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Martha Brierley Dyson. aged 15 years, a married woman, residing at Golcar, and formerly of Blackpool, who was on the previous Friday found in the canal at Marsden. Mr. Fred Barker was elected foreman of the jury. Humphrey Taylor Dyson, husband of the deceased, said he was a tailor, and was living at Rye. field Terrace, Golcar. He last saw his wife alive at a quarter to six on Friday morning, when he went to his work, leaving her in bed. From what he had since heard she left home about eight o'clock, and went to Milnsbridge, where she purchased a piece of beef. She occasionally did her shopping in Milnsbridge, but had no need to go to Marsden. Witness was sent for at. about eleven o'clock, Alien his wife was found to be missing, and he searched Milnsbridge, but failed to find any trace of her. She had never been ill mentally, and had never threatened to destroy herself. She had been troubled through them leaving Blackpool at Easter, and it had greatly depressed her. Only a fortnight ago he suggested taking her back, but she said it was too late. He knew of nothing else to trouble her.  In answer to a Juror witness said his wife did not pass her home on her way back, but went by a lower road evidenly with the intention of seeing her son, who worked in a mill there. James Henry Shaw, of Booth Banks, Slaithwaite, foreman at the Marsden L. and S.W. goods station, said he saw the deceased on the canal bank on Friday, looking depressed and lowspirited. He was in the warehouse about twenty yards away from her. He saw her go under the bridge, and as he did not see her come out at the other end, he went to see what was the matt2r. This would be five or six minutes after he saw her go under the bridge. He heard no splash. On arriving there he found deceased in the water on the opposite side of the canal, her head being about three feet below the surface, and her feet resting on the bottom. He returned at once to the shed to get a coupling stick, which was ton short to reach her, and he was going back to fetch a rope when some other railway men came down and with the help of the stick, got her out. She was not dead when taken out of the water. Witness went for medical aid. He was away about twenty minutes, but the woman was dead when he arrived back. There-was a quantity of meat near the place in which he found her. In reply to a question by the Coroner, witness said he did not think the men who got her out knew anything of ambulance work. By a juror : Ile had not noticed her walking backwards and forwards at the place. Sergeant Haynes deposed to finding only a purse in her pocket containing ss. The Coroner briefly summed up the evidence, and after a few minutes deliberation the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased "drowned herself whilst of unsound mind."  Printed and published by J. W. Roberts, at his general printing and publishing office, Bridge Street, Slaithwaite, Yorks,