The Northern Guardian. — 1892-10-26 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

THE CHARING CROSS MYSTERY.  THE VICTIM IDENTIFIED.  A PATHETIC STORY.  Yesterday afternoon, Mr Troutbeck, coroner for Westminster, held an inquest into the circumstances of the death of " a woman unknown," who on Friday while unconscious from the effects of poison was removed from Charing Cross Hotel to Charing Cress Hospital, where she expired. The body has been since lying in the mortuary of the hospital, but up to a few moments before five o'clock it had not been identified. The inquiry was fixed to be held at that hour in the Boardroom of the Hospital. The jury had already assembled when a tall, clean shaven man, whose Inverness cloak was worn over a suit of black, presented himself, accompanied by a solicitor. The stranger asked to see a photo of the dead woman. It was shown to him by the Coroner's officer. He then said he knew the deceased, and being forthwith conducted to the mortuary he formally identified the remains. The unknown man returned to the inquest room, and the proceedings being formally opened, he presented himself at the table and announced that he was present to answer any questions that might be put. Being sworn, the stranger, whose aspect was very demure, and who is apparently between 35 and 40 years of age, gave his Baffle as Robert Davidson, and said he was an engineer, living in Vauxhall Bridge Road. He had known deceased for sonic years under the name of Rose Gordon. On the 27th of Septemer he wrote her stating that he desired their intimacy to cease, and that he had left with his solicitors a sum of money to be given to her. He had received letters from deceased asking that the intimacy might continue. Other letters written to him by deceased were of a threatening character. He had found her a great deal of money, and had finally told her it could not continue. He wished deceased to accept the money he offered on the 27th September. She was to take a house where she could let lodgings, as he was out of employment. He had an interview with deceased after the proposal was made. She then became excited, as she always did when money (pies. tions were raised. To his question, "What can Ido for you ?" deceased replied. " The only way is to I get oat of it. I don't want you or your mone3." Subsequently she returned his photograph, but he put the money into her solicitor's hands and deceased afterwards called there and took it away. Deceased had several times threatened suicide, but these threats were so frequent that lie did not take any notice of them. . . .  At this point of the examination the coroner handed to the witness a letter written upon a sheet of blue foolscap, and asked if he could identify the handwriting.—Witness said he could. It was that of deceased.—The coroner said this letter had been sent to him, and was as follows : Charing Croats Hotel, 20-10-92. To tiro Coroner, - .  Dear Sir,—l am qu'ite aware that this will seem a most extraordinary thing for ice to do at a time like the present, but when I tell you I am quite alone in the world, without friends or relatives, you will understand why I make the following request of you, feeling sure that you will, as a gentleman, do the utmost io you. power to do as I request you now. In my trunk you will find my purse, in which you will find four £5 notes and £2 gold and 128 silver. You will be kind enough from this sum to pay my bill here due from to-day, as I paid my bill this morning, and you will find the receipt in icy trunk. You will please give to the three maids that have waited on me during my residence here the sum of £1 each, and to the two door porters the sum of 5s each, and I now thank all , the attendants in the hotel for their kind land courteous attention to my wants during my residence here. Will you also endeavour to find a home for my little canary, where he will be taken care of? It is the only little pet I ever had, and it is hard to leave him, but I cannot hurt him, for I love him too well. Will you also be kind enough to undertake to see that my body is buried, awl not subjected to a post-mortem, as I have a great horror of this, and there will be no maxi for it. Let my other clothes and things be sold, and, after all expenses have been Raid, anything remaining can be sent to the box at Bow Street for the relief of some poor mortal who thinks life worth living. I have learnt to-day how utterly alone I am in the world, and it has filled me with a grief and despair I cannot endure and live. There were faults on both sides, but I think a little forbearance from the stronger would have been more charitable, and certainly more honourable and manly. To trust me alone 104 lam, and knowing the tendency I have to self-destruction, out in the world without a friend anywhere was the act of a coward, and by refusing to answer any of my appeals for explanation he conduces to my not, and perhaps wonders at the delay. Why do I linger? What hope can there be in my heart when the curt message was sent me "out of town" only Monday last? I should have crushed and ruined him, but even now in this bitter hour I will be more noble than he has proved, and let his conscience be his accuser. But shall his God or mine adjudge him less my murderer because men shall say "temporary insanity?' That condition has indeed passed ever me, leaving me so weak and irresolute that I cannot decide on anything, and so conclude the best way out of my difficulties is to go hence and be no more trouble to anyone. I have to-day taken back the greater portion of the money he would buy his freedom with, keeping only what is required for my last uses. If disclosures make it appear I have been extravagant, let my judges remember the miserable position I was in, and think would they have been better than I ? e sen Will he a few yellow roses to • . . .  mingle with mine, and will he ever- forget yellow roses? No, I think he will not, and for years the sight of them will make him wish he had less unworthy proved.