Weekly News. — 1890-10-23 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE PAINFUL SUICIDE AT WIM BORNE.  A WIFE'S PATEIETIC LETTER.  As briefly announced Wit week, • painful case of suicide, involving the lose of the lives of • mother and . child, took place on Thursday last at Wimborne. An inquest was subsequently held at the Three Lions Inn , before Mr. T. D B. Rawlins, deputy coroner, on the bodies of Elizabeth Richards (22), wife of James Richards, of Cowgrove, groom to Miss Bankee, of Kingston Lacy, and Florrie Richards (18 months), the daughter of the same.—James Richards, the husband of the deceased, said he last saw his wife alive on Wednesday morning at about 6.30. He left her and the child in bed when he went to work at Mice Bankes' stables at Kingston Lacey. He returned in the evening at about 6.30. When he reached home he found the door locked and the key outside. He unlocked the door and went inside, and got a light and found that his supper was not ready, and his wife and child not there. He «tiled at hie neighbour's house and made enquiry, but hearing nothing he returned wit* his neighbour to the house, and made a further search. While he was upstairs the other man called to him from below, and on going down he gave him • note which he opened and read. It was in the writing of his wife.—The Deputy-Coronor then read the letter, which was as follows:—" Dear Jim,—l don't bleineyou for my downfall, and it is not that I am out of my mind yet that I have drowned myself, but I should have gone crazy if I had not have done it. It is the desolate old place that has drove me to it. Telegraph to Annie. Weep not for me, I am one by myself I hope the Lord will pardon me for my sin Good bye i all. —Witness further stated that his wife had said , • that she did not like living at the cottage as it was so lonely. He had been married about two years, and until quite lately his wife had been living with her mother at Hyde, Bridport, because when he was in service in Leigh Road he had not the opportunity of having his wife with him as he lived in the house. Since he had been in Mies !lankier' services he had been living at Cowgrove, and had had his wife with him. That had only been about a fortnight. His wife had not complained of anything except that the place was lonely, and he had noticed nothing particular about her whatever, and he could not account for her act. His wife received • letter from her mother on Tuesday morning which he read, in which her mother said that if she was not comfortable she had better go home again and stop while he got another cottage. She said nothing to him about going back and he said nothing to her. He had always been on good terms with his wife.—Edith Lambonrue, wife of Charles Larnbourne, of Cowgrove, said she lived close to deceased and her husband. On Tuesday she saw Mrs. Richards in her garden hanging out come clothes. She told witness that she should net dirty any more clothes, but that she should be missing in a few days and that if she went the little girl would go. Witness did not ask her what she meant and she thought she was joking. Deceased had said that she did not like the place. She said she had a good husband and a very good home. She told witness to watch and see whether she should not be gone in a few days. She said she felt lonely and miserable and that it was the last place God made. On Wednesday afternoon witness saw her walking on the road to Wirnborne. She was carrying the little girl. She said she was going for a little walk as she felt miserable they walked together as far as Cuthbury, decearred asking whether she could mist go back another way, and witness directed her to the footpath through the fields by the river. She made no reply to that, and was very quiet, altogether. Witness asked her it she liked the place any better, and she said " No " She left witness to go across the fields, and she hal not seen her since. She had only known deceased about a fortnight. Witness told her husband what deceased said to her on Tuesday.—P.S. Burden said that on the evening of the 15th the husband carne to the Police (station, and informed him that his wife had left home. He showed *itness the letter, and saw that deceased had had a letter from her mother. Ile could not understand what hail become of her. Witness caused inquiries to be made at Wimborne and Bailey Gate Railway Station, and afterwards went back with Richards to the house. The pond near the cottage was searched, and afterwards they went along the river bank from Highbridge to Cuthbury, but found nothing. On Thursday morning he again searched the river, and at about 6.30 he found the bodies in about seven feet of water about three yards from the bank. The child was clasped in the mother's arms. A hat and umbrella was found nearly opposite the place where the bodies were found. Witness went to the house and found that some linen had been hung before the fire, there was also it puree containing about 30s and a bunch of keys close to the letter which had been found. The cottage was in first class order.—The jury returned a verdict "that deceased had droemed herself while in a state of unsound mind, and that she had drowsed the child while in the same condition."