The Telegram. — 1899-01-24 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

MARRY.  Disclosures of a sensational character were made at the coroner's inquest at Hanley on Friday afternoon into tire death of Miss Catherine Devine, who shot herself near Dr. Cram's house ou Wednesday night. The tragedy had excited the greatest interest locally, and tire inquest was attended by a large number of the public. Mr. H. E. Bishop appeared on behalf of Dr. Craig, nod Mr. Richardson represented Dr. Schorstein, of 11, Portland Place, W. No-oue ssw the lady shout herself, but a workman W.O heard the report of firearms aL Once called tue police. Detective-inspector said that only one laurel of the tivaichatuticred revolver had been discharged. The Otoo-asild lady Was breathing, and was removed to the parade romn. In her dress pocket witness found among other things a newspaper cutting, which read as follows :—" He that wrongs his triend wrongs himself usore, and ever hears about a silent court of justice in his breast." Another paper was the receipt, dated June 11th, 1898, of a registered letter posted to " Hr. Craig, Shelton, Stokiern-Trent," and there was another similar receipt, dated Janoary 15th, 1899. Her purse also contained a lady's vi..iting card, Learing the following partieulars :--" Mds D.,virre, 54, Glebe Studios, Glebe Place, S.W." Written along the top of the card were the following words :—" Please inform Dr. Craig, of Shelton. That will be understood," while between the name and address were written the following words, "Papers in escritoire at " the address given. .  Maivi Macartoey, of the London Hospital, identified the body as that of Catberino Deviee, who she helieved was the daughter of Mr. Peter Devine, an artist. D.,crased was about forty or forty .five years of age. After the tragedy witness: an leceits-41's best friend (deceased had no relativ( in England), went to her studio and found an envelope endorsed as follows : . . .  " 010 to be opened by a person in authority or & friend in cnie of my dying away from home. Jan. 18, 1899." Iniide that envelope was a letter enelosel in a b'aelt•edged euvelove, also endorscd in the di• ceased's hand writ in,r, as f Mows : . .  "Only to be opened by a person in authority or a friends. I should like Mr. eneckett, War Office, notified of iny death." Witness explained that Mr. reßeckett was a re!ative of hers, and an intimate friend i'deceased, Tile letter in the black-edged envelope said : "The gentleman ti whom till accompanying packet is addressed, Dr. Craig, of Shelton, Sts.:lceon-Trent, is directly responsibl for this act. He is aware that it will take place to.day, when, and how, and lies never at any time attempted to atone for the unhappiness and injury he has caneed. He admits his fault, hut never tried to reliev-ire ti the burden, but only told me I must (and the 'must,' said the coroner, was underlined) bear it. CATHERINE DKV lag." "His letter this morning is in safe keeping, and he seerna perfectly resigned that I must die.—Jannary 18, 1899.'' Dr. Craig said he had known Miss Devine for 25 years. She was an intimate friend of his late wife's. In 1896 the acquaintance was renewed after deceased's return from New Zealand, and at Christmas that year she stayed with witness and his daughter. Continuing, the doctor maid: In a conversation that occurred at that time, it transpired that if she ha I remained in England instead of goinir abroad it was possible I might hate uiairied her. I am speaking now of the seventies. Time Coroner: You say it transpiredf—Yes; in conversatitm on various things on that night she asked me why I could not do it now, and since that time she has porsecuted rue continually on  th is question. Tll.l Gunner: I suppose but for the got i.g abroad you would have been agreeable ?—Yea; she Loraine aware of that, and bile at once asked me why I could not do lb now. I said 20 yeate altered circumstances, and I had no idea of marrying any. body. Since that time I believe you kept up a pretty persistent corcespmdence ?—Witness : She returned to the house about the succeeding April— April, Pig, I think—and again urged me to marry. I refused. The next evening when I returned 1 found that MIS 3 Devine had told the servant she 'sad in.port,mt letturs, and hail left the house, and I heard nothing more about her . .  for two months. I don't know- how the corresspondencis began again, but she wrote to me (I was very angry) and said she should not come bark t the house again, and she never has been. She wrote me asiin. •In November last witness 1-aw deceased in London, and it was then arranged that she should visit hen early this year, she undertaking not to refer to the marrying quenion. Witness had to postpone the volt, as certain alterations were tieing made t, his house. She wrote an angry letter, and his refusal, witness thought, ha I led up to her  death. Deceased had neyera-1 time threat:med to destroy herself. " I conclude," said Dr. Craig, "that my refusal  to have her at iThrisanias had led up to this event. For I had ay,ain a declaration that she could not go on any longer in this state. But I stand here before you all, and I swear most solemnly that I did not know the woman was in the neighbourhood until I was fetched." Contin- ung in all emphatic manner, witness Bail! : " You have knorvii me lor ao years. Do you think I should have stood by and seen a destroy herself ? I thought a good deal of the woman. Do you think I should have stood by and let her do it ? I have had so many threats of this kind before, and every time I tried to dissuade her from doing this. I repudiate the idea that I was a party to this thing." The coroner, in summing up, said he was sorry for the sake of Dr. Craig, that the deceased had written in the way she had, except for this fact— that it had given him the opportunity of explaining something which might vissibly, in the minds of a number of people, have required explanation. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."