The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1874-05-02 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

THE MYSTERIOUS DOUBLE SUICIDE  IN PARIS.  The correspondent of the Daily News, writing a few days since, furnishes the following details concerning the mysterious suicide of an English couple in Paris :—" The suicide of a young English couple at the Hotel St. Petersburg, 35, Vue Caumartin, has been the talk of all Paris to-day. I have just returned from the Morgue, where the bodies, as is the French custom, are exposed to public view for identification. Immense crowds congr, gated about the door of the Morgue, many people not having nerve enough to go in, but eagerly asking questions outside. he sight, indeed, was not one which it might have been thought anybody would have cared to look upon from mere curiosity. The man's age appears to be about 30. He is of short stature, with very small hands and feet, great muscular development of the arms, shoulders, and chest, short brown beard and moustache, Altogether he has the air of a fashionable English athlete. His clothes, which together with those of his companion were hung above their heads to assist in their identification, were a morning suit, well cut, and of the first quality. I heard a Frenchman say that he looked as if he never had had a care in his life. His companion, presumably 18 or 19 years of age, looked as though not in the same station of life, though her clothes were good and her linen fine. Her hair is singularly long, and dressed wills curls turned up in Victoria bands, as was the fashion twenty years ago. Her height is 5 feet; plump in form, menacing stoutness. An Englishman present said he was familiar with the man's face, which he had seen for years in Rotten row. The silver plates on the dressingcase have no mark or cypher. This unfortunate couple arrived at the hotel on Wednesday week, each carrying a small valise in band. The gentleman asked for a good room. Being told that there was only one, on the fourth floor, the lady said, 'Never mind; we can change to-morrow.' They did not come down for dinner, which provoked notice, though not alarm; but th.. following day, no response being made to knocks, the door was broken open, and the strangers, half undressed, were found dead in bed, locked in each other's arms. On the counterpane was an empty phial, which had contained prussic acid. A full bottle of laudanum was on the night table. The police report states that, , whereas the woman had been dead ten hours, the I body of the man was warm when found. Hence , the conjecture that possibly the murder led to a remorseful suicide. The marks on the linen of both were clumsily cut our, with scissors, and the rags burned in the fire-place, but a ticket in the man's hat showed that it was bought of MacCarthy and Co., 30, Ludgate hill, and 30, Gresham street. I This is the only clue to the identity. Telegrams to the London police have not yet produced any , information. Toe woman had no wedding-ring, but a turquoise ring reversed to simulate one. She I I was in an advanced state of pregnancy." I A Birmingham contemporary remarks —lt is strongly suspecte , that the bodies of the Englishman and woman who committed suicide at the Hotel St. Petersburg, Paris, are those of an absconding bankrupt jeweller and publican of this town, and of a respectably connected young lady from Wednesbury, with whom be eloped three weeks ago. The bankrupt's wife and the lady's relatives feel t onvinced a to the identity. To clear up all doubt the brother and brother-in-I,w of the lady have gone to Paris, and photographs of both partieo have been sent by the man's wife to the Paris police.