The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-09-17 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

DISTRESSING AND MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF A MARRIED WOMAN IN WARRINGTON.  On Monday last, an inquest was held at the Millstone Inn, on the body of Emma Wilkinson, before Mr. C. E. Driffield, coroner. From the evidence we gathered that deceased was the wife of James Wilkinson, a brushmaker, of No. 12, Regent-street. For some time past the pair lived a very unhappy life, in consequence of certain suspicions the wife had of her husband regarding his constancy. She used to accuse him of paying more attention to other women than to herself, the result being constant feuds and miserable feelings towards each other. It further transpired that Wilkinson had a companion named Wright, who was a constant guest at his house, and on Sunday, the 4th instant, Wilkinson, deceased, and Wright went out for a walk. On returning they all partook of supper, and when Wilkinson had finished his last glass he began to doze by the fire. While asleep Wright and Mrs. Wilkinson went to the door to have a chat together, which, according to the evidence of a neighbour, lasted from twenty minutes to half-an-hour. Just as this interview was about to end, Wilkinson awoke out of his slumber, and heard his wife say to Wright, " Give me a kiss." Wilkinson suspected all was not right, and having heard the kiss given, he rose from his seat, and went towards the door and met his wife, Wright having by this time taken his departure. Wilkinson remonstrated with deceased for the liberty she had allowed Wright to take with her, and threatened to tell her father of her conduct. Qualms of conscience seemed to seize her, for she said "Good night," and vanished. He followed after, and took the route to Bank Quay, but she was non est inrentus. He returned to his home, and took their only child to her father's house, and related the circumstances. Ha prowled about all night in search of his wife, but in vain. The following morning he acquainted Mr. Hunt, the Chief Constable, with what had taken place, and a police notice was issued offering a reward of £2 to those who would give information of her whereabouts. It so happened that on Sunday morning last, two men, named Foster and Balmer, proceeded down the river in a boat on an aquatic expedition. When near Thornhedge (about hall a mile from Bank Quay), they saw something floating on the surface of the water, on nearing which they discovered it to be the body of a woman, which they hauled into the boat. On bringing it to shore it was identified by Mr. Mercer, the father of deceased, who happened to be passing at the time.— Wright, a labourer in the employ of the London and North-Western Railway, stated that he was in conversation with deceased on the evening of the 4th instant, when her husband was asleep by the fireside, their converse merely relating to Wilkinson's intemperate habits. Deceased spoke of self-destruction, but he thought she meant nothing by it, telling her that he (Wright) would try to reclaim him. He acknowledged kissing her, but it was merely out of "sympathy." He confessed he had been "an old sweetheart" of hers, but their conduct towards each other had been of the most honourable kind.—The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict that deceased had drowned herself while in a state of temporary insanity. Mr. White watched the case on behalf of the relatives of deceased.