The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1892-10-22 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SUICIDE OF A LADY.  A suicide of an exceptionally painful character has just occurred in Stockwell. Some months egos gentleman and lady took lodgings at a house in Stockwell Park crescent, the gentleman stating that he was an army surgeon on leave of abeence. From circumstances that have since transpired there is reason to believe that the parties were not married. The gentleman acted at different times as locum tenens to two well-known local practitioners. He did not stay regularly at the house with the lady, but visited her very often. The parties appeared to be on very affectionate terms. Frequently the lady received letters from the gentleman wows he was unable to visit her, and these she generally read to the landlady with every indication of p'es.sure. About a month ago she told the landlady t ba, she had informed her " husband " of her state of health, and that he had toll her that it was unfortunate, and that he would be unable under the circumstances to take her a ith him to India. She became very moody, and remarked to the landlady, "If he does not take me, I shall go to my grave." Within the past fortnight she received three letters, and from her manner the landlady inferred that they were of an unpleasant character. On Thursday morning last, upon the landlady entering the bedroom with breakfast, she found her lodger in a state of unconsciousness. She bore every appearance of having undergone great pain. Her mouth was burned and the face distorted. Drs. Jones and Lewis were soon in attendance, and a nurse was obtained. From investigations which they made, it was found that deceased had taken laudanum and also carbolic acid. In an interval of partial consciousness she stated to the nurse that she had drunk a tamberful of the latter poison. It is inferred that she first stupefied herself with the laudanum and then drank the acid. She lingered until Friday, dying without giving any information as to hes past life. On her effects being examined, it was found that she had destroyed every clue to her identity. Under her pillow was a phatograph of the gentleman who had lived with her. Several cards were found hearing the mune , of a eaptaiu in the Indian Medical Service. At the Arstelope Tavern, Lorn road, Brixton, on Tuesday evening, Mr. G. P. Wyatt held an inquest on the body of Edith Macbean, or Hamilton. The young woman had been living for about two months at 10, Stockwell-park-crescent, as the wife of Mr. Wm. Simmons Percival Rickett, of the Indian Medical Service, who was the principal witness. He stated that he met the girl at Brighton on June 6. She told him she had visited that town to seek employment, but, having failed in the effort, she was almost in a starving condition. She asked him to give her a meal, which le i did, and in further convers3.tion she declared she was an orphan, and the, her father, who was a doctor formerly in practice at Sydenham, had died four years' previously, leaving her penniless. She then begged him to take her back to London, as she had no money to pay her fare. After some remonstrance he consented, and they reached London together about midnight. She then further begged him not to leave her until the morning, when she said she would seek apartments and endeavour to obtain employment. He took her with him to the Alexander private hotel near ' Victoria Railway Station, and the next day he obtained apartments for her at Anselin.road, Fal ham, representing her as his sister, and asking the landlady to take care of her. For himself he took rooms at Earls-court. He occasionally visited her and provided her with means to purchase nec,ssat ies. He made several efforts to obtain a situation for her as lady s help, but was not successl ul, as she could give no recommendations from foriii,r employers, or references to friends or others who knew her. She had only mentioned two frieuds—. 1 a medical man named Fisher, who she said had I been a partner with her father, and a girl named 1 Alice Anders She also said that for three years after her father's death she lived with a man named Douglas. She appeared to be-uneducatei, and he did not credit her story of her previous history. He was away from her for several weeks, but when he returned to London on July 13 she met him at the railway station and entreated him to take her to live with him. He ultimately consented, and took the apartments at Stockwell-park-crescent. He again and again urged her to obtain sotne employment, but she made no effort to do so. On September 16 he left her and went to Bedford. She wrote to hint several times, once threatening to destroy herself, and, in reply, ha told her it would be. by.ttsr e both their interests that they should WC. Re Isent, her a to pay for her lodgings, supposing oho would leave them and be able to have £2 or £3 to help her along, The next he heard of her was that she had poisoned herself.—Mrs. Lucy Smith, the landlady of the house in Stockwell•parkcrescent, said that after Ricketts went away, the girl, who she understood was Mrs. Ricketts, was depressed and at times excitable. She expressed disappointment at the letters received from her " husband, ' and on Thursday morning witness found her insensible in her bed —Dr. O'Donnell, who was called in, described the symptoms, and said the girl rallied just before her death and told him she had swallowed chlorodyne and carbolic acid, bottles of which were found in the room. Death was due to her having taken these poisons.— ' Tne jury found that the girl committed suici le whilst mentally deranged.