The Potteries Examiner : — 1874-11-21 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THE SUICIDE FROM THE SUSPENSION  BRIDGE. A. question which will be in hundreds of mouths durinn the next fee. days is whether the time has not arrived when some means shall be adopted, or at beet attempted, to prevent weak-minded people from ending their career by leaping over our Suspension-bridge. It is only 3 months since the last life was sacrificed atthis otherwise inviting spot; and the question arose at the time, and was widely canvassed, Whether the bridge in its present form does not present some attraction tepee. none who may be nurturing a larking inclination to terminate what may be an unhappy career. The bridge was opened in the year 1861, and we believe that the number of suicides since then has averaged oue per annum ; but when we find that there was a ease of self-destruction there only in August last, and another not very long before that, it becomee a serious question whether something ought not to Ibe done to counteract the feeling of infatuation which would.be suicides must possess before they can summon up resolution to take the leap which must necessarily end in instant death. 'rho last person who jumped over the bridge was an elderly man, and he seemed to have been driven to desperation by family trials. On Monday last there was another case, but of an entirely different kind. The victim was a woman, and u woman in her teens, and from what we can learn she min prompted to the commission of the act by a feeling of jealousy. The precise particulars we have not ascertained, but we beard that it was disappointment in a love affair that has led to the unhappy termination of her young life. About noon, yesterday, a girl of 19 or 20 years of age, named Lucy Emma liarrant, in service at Mr. Thomes Baker's, No. 13, Elgin-park, Redland,was sent out to purchase some milk, and never returned.to her place. Shortly after three o'clock in the afternoon, a woman (afterwards ascertained to be Lucy Durrant), was seen to scale the parapet of the bridge, and jump off. She fell Mkt the mud, and was there found quite lifeless. The attention of P.S. Snook, who was on duty in the Bridge Valley.read, was directed to the occurreuce, and he hastened to the spot. The body had in the meanwhile been brought to the river bank by Joshua Evans, who lives at Long.row, opposite the Gloucester hotel, Hotwells, and another man named George Sheppard, residing at Oxford-street, St. Philip's, and the mrgeant, assisted by P.C.'s 95 and 108 and a man named John Handy, who lives in the Pithay, and saw the fatal leap, removed it to The General Draper. On being senrch,l, there was found upon the sinlortunate WOMall II locket containing the portrait of a man, a silver ring, and a pocket handkerchief. In the meantime the girl's axistress had made inquiries after her missing servant. Some three months ago the young woman attempted to destroy her life by taking laulannm, bat a doctor 'was sent for and her intentions were frustrated. Since that she has threatened to jump over the bridge, and after she had been out of the house for some time yesterday a piece of paper was found in her bed. room, upon which were written the words, "Pay my debts out of my wages, as you will not see me again.' This note was apparently intended for her fellow-ser- ' Cants, to whom her determiuntion to destroy herself ' had been communicates'. Fearing that what she had threatened she would carry into execution, her mistress at once sent a description of the girl to the Clifton re. serve station. TWA deszription ran as followe: " About 20 years of ege, rather short in stature, fair t.omplexion ; dressed in a light cotton drem, black jacket, and black fclt hat." 'to thin we may add that she was considered a pretty girl. A groom was allso directed by Mrs. Baker to mount a home and ride straight away to the bridge, describe the girl to the toll.takers, and so prevent her doing the act which she had cantem. slated. And it will be necessary to cut toe thread of the story and go buck a little. The spot at whioh the girl threw hen,elf over was on the Clifton side look. ing towards Rownimin ferry, near where the Imt suicide mcurred. She first made the attempt on the Leigh side, but she was etopped, and sent beck by the toll. keeper there. She then, it is thought, went down to the ferry, crowed over at the Hotwelle, and came up to the Clifton side. Meanwhile the Leigh gate.keeper had informed the Clifton gate-keeper of what he hod seen, and of his belief that she meant to commit suicide. An hour or no after a young woman passed through the Clifton gate, who, the keeper thought somewhat answered the description he had got. He immediately followed her, and sew her sitting down close to the side, but directly she KIM 111121 she leaped on the railings with cat.like rapidity, and before he could interpose was over; though so elme was he to her that, as he made a grab at her, her hand passed through his as eke fell. We have already stated that a manservant rode up in hot haute to the Clifton gate-keeper, hut, unfortunately, it was some ten minutes after the girl had jumped off the bridge. He, however, inquired of the toll-keeper if a girl, giving a description which answered to the misfortunate Woman, had palmed on to the bridge and when told what had happened, said the girl's raislress had just found a letter giving an intimation of her intention to destroy herself, and had sent him off as fast as she could. George Edney. the toll-keeper whe tried to prevent her lent attempt, in quite unnerved by the shock which the terrible incident hoe amsed him. The unfortunate girl's parents rmide at Stowmarket, in Suffolk, and are respectable people in their station of life.  On Tuesday afternoon, the inquest was held on the body of Luny Emma Durrant, who commi.ted suicide. The jury deliberated for about a quarter of •I 1 and returned a verdict of fele de se.