The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1875-05-29 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE AT LEAMINGTON.  A ease of subside of & singular character was on Wednesday investigated at Leamington, by Mr. W. S. Poole, coroner. About six months ago a young man, about twenty-one years of ago, named George H. Townsend., who had been in the service of a gentleman in Oxfordshire, engaged himself to Mr. Raper, a Leamington florist, to learn gardening, and was paid about 20s. a week. In his former place of err. vice lived a cook named Sarah Savage, to whom ha became attached. When Savage removed to Bowl. worth the acquaintance was renewed, and she was frequently visited by Townsend. The family with which she was living at Kenilworth were to have left that place on Wednesday for Corley, in this county, and this circumstance seems to have had a very Is. pressing effect upon Townsend, who on Sunday last endeavoured to dissuade her from going to Corley, as it would be so far for him to have to travel to visit her. He urged her to seek a situation in teaming. ton, or to marry him. SI replied that he Gould not afford to keep her, if they got married,And that she did not care to leave a comfortable home to swek another situation in Leamington. This roused Townsend's displeasure, and he amused her of not oaring for him, and threatened her that if she did um go with him she should not go with anybody else, and added that they should both die together. This ! occurred on Sunday last, and on the following even. ing they met again at Kenilworth. Townsend told Savage he had come to ask her forgiveness for whet had occurred on the previous evening, and to wish her good bye. Her suspicions were not aroused, and she supposed that he merely desired to wish her good bye on leaving Kenilworth. He had never used any threats, excepting once saying they should die togs. ther. He seemed quite cheerful when she parted with him on good terms on Monday last. During that day he visited Coventry, and pawned his writing desk, presumably to get money with which to buy poison. Concealed in his bed-room was found, after his death on Tuesday morning, an empty bottle which had contained laudanum, and bearing the label, 'Laudanum—poison. Thomas Loveitt, chemist, Coventry."—Mrs. AeFeton, of 14, Upper Bedford-street, Leamington, at whose home deceased lodged, stela( that *hen she last law the deceased he appear to be in more than usnally good spirits, and that she could not believe he had committed sui. cide—Mr. Raper, the deceased's employer, stated that for some time past Townsend had appeared to be greatly depressed, and to have a languid and sal. len look. Ile understood that he was in trouble about his sweetheast. On his bed-room being broken open on Tuesday morning the deceased was found dead in bed. On a table was the following letter, in an envelope, sealed, and addressed to Savage, his sweetheart :—" Leamington, Monday morning, 1875. —To the one I love—Farewell my dearest Sarah. Farewell my dearest dear. Dear Sarah, I cannot be happy hear on earth For my trouble is very great because I have treated you so unkind. So my dear. est don't put yourself about for it is not your fault for I have brought it on myself, Dear Sally, I have loved you, and do at the present time, but I shall never do any good, I am sure. Good by and God bless you now & fey ever. Dear Sally I hope you will get this letter. I should like you to have my picture in remembrance of me.—From your loving G. H.