The Northern Daily Times. — 1853-10-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUPPOSED SUICIDE AT WEST DERBY FROM UNREQUITED LOVE.-MYSTERIOUS CASE.  On Saturday an inquest was held at Club-moor, before C. E. Driflield, Esq., the coroner' for the district, on the body of a young woman whose name turns out to be Maria Clarkson,, eighteen years of age, and whose remains were discovered on Thursday evening last by a servant man, John Caton, in the employ of B. H. Jones, Esq.,of Lark-hill, West Derby. It appears that whilst Caton was in a field close to Mr. Jones's residence, he observed the body of a female floating on the surface of a pond in the field. On the body being dragged to the land it was found to, be in a: state of decomposition, and had evidently been in the water some days. It is probable, from letters, which were found in the possession of the deceased, and which were produced at the inquest on Saturday, that the unfortunate deceased committed self-destruetion in consequence of an attachment she had formed to a young man at Fleetwood, being unrequited. The parents, who are recently dea,l, resided at Fleetwood, and her father carried on the business of a tailor, and also an hotel-keeper, at that place. The first witness examined on the inquest was John Caton, who deposed to discovering the body, and taking it out -of the pond assisted E. by a fellow-seriant, named Robert Jackson. Mrs. Morris, 31, :Evertors-village, 'said she knew the deceased, who 'entered- her service on Monday, the 26th September. On the evening. of .Tuesday, the 4th October, at about a quarter to seven,.ueceased went for sonic candles, but did not return till half-past eight next morning, when she said that she was chased' by two men; -and that she .was frightened and lost- her ways She looked very. untidy. Witness did not say much to her, as it was not her intention to retain her. She desired her- to. take her 'breakfast, and then carry the elothes to mangle. Deceased did as directed, but did not return, and witness had heard nothing further of her until seeing the body. Some other witnesses having been examined, the jury, after ten minutes deliberation, returned the following verdict::—" That the deceased was found drowned in a pond, but how or by what means she got into it, there was no evidence to show." The letters to which we have alluded, as having: been found upon the deceased, were three in number, and apparently from a suitor at Fleetwood. The first letter breathed attachment to the deceased, and the second which seemed to be in reply to the deceased's complaint of being hard worked, stated that hard work was good for the health. The third letter  expressed the wish of the writer that deceased would forget  GALE ON TILE IRISH COA ST;—The steamship Adiniral, of Glasgow, which left Londonderry for Liverpool, on Thursday, did 'not arrive here until yesterday morning, about 11 o'clock. She met with a--violent storm; and was obliged to put into Belfast for coal and provisions. The steamer Sea  Nymph, which left Newry, for Liverpool, at half past eleven o'clock, on Saturday • morning, did not arrive here until half-past five o'clock last night. A heavy sea was running during the whole of her passage, and the force of the gale carried away her figure head.