Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1875-08-13 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF A WOMAN. An inquest was held at the Town-hall, on Monday, before Mr. H. Lock, deputy-coroner, touching the death of Elizabeth Gerrard, aged 56, of Grove Buildings, who was found drowned on Sunday morning in the river Frome.  A-1;OP of 11, named John James Cull, said on SundaY morning he was going along the Frorue bank about a quarter to seven, and saw the body of a woman in the water, near the old cottages called " The Compasses," her head being in the direction of Friary Mill. He called a man named Churchill, and then fetched the police. The body was got out of the water. John Churchill, waterman, said he was called by the lad just after seven, and got the deceased out of the river. She was qutte stiff when he laid hold of her in the water and drew her to 91,2 side. .„.  naa, Henry dh Gerrar, usband of the deceased, said he last saw his wife alive on Saturday night, a few minutes after 11. That was when he went to bed. She had gone to bed two or three hours before dark, as she had done for three or four months. Ile asked for a match, and she told him where there was one, but that there was no candle. On that he undressed and went to bed in the dark. He had previously seen her about seven o'clock, just before he went out. She was then in bed on account of her weak state. Mr. Dimon attended her some time, for heart disease, but gave her up last March. She was nervous and of irritable temper, and there was talk of her going to the Asylum. They never used to have angry words. On Saturday she was not more irritable than usual. She had never threatened to injure herself or any one else in his presence. About five on Sunday morning when he awoke and found his wife not in bed, he got up and searched the house without discovoring her. The front door had been unlocked, and was partly open. He inquired at Mrs. Candy's, a neighbour s, for her, but found she had not been there. He then took a walk on the Bridport road, and turned in to the fields just beyond Damer's barn—he could hardly tell what to do; he began to feel alarmed; did not expect to find her there though he looked about. When he got back about eight he learntthat his wife had been found drowned. Witness said he was not the worse for liquor that night knew perfectly well what he was about. Between seven and eleven went for a walk and then went to the Castle, where he had two or three glasses; his wife slept at Candy's one night during the week. Mary Jane Guy, living at the back of Grove Buildings said she knew the deceased very well by sight. On Saturday afternoon she saw Miss Candy loading her home, and spoke to her, when she said she was in a very low weak state. Before this she had always been a cheerful familiar woman. Had known her for eight years. On Saturday witness thought she seemed hardly in her right mind. Mrs. Raikes said she knew 4the deceased, from calling at the house as a district visitor. On Friday last the woman told her how ill she was and very unhappy, and that she wished to go to the asylum. Witness told her she was not ill enough for that. She told her if she did not go she felt that she must destroy herself. Witness told her that if she looked to Jesus He would help her to bear it, and that she would be better in a day or two Deceased said her husband was very unkind to her, and that she could not bear it. Witness had been away from the town for three months, and, on her return, deceased sent for her, and this was her first visit, though she had been in the habit of calling on her for the past 18 months. Deceased told her that on Thursday night she left her husband in the middle of the night, and went to Mrs. Candy's. [The husband said he was at Mrs. Candy's first ] Before going away she begged and entreated the husband to keep sober and give attention to his wife. On Friday she told the woman she had better have Mr. Belson to see her, and said that if her husband would not pay for it she would. Witness thought that her disease and suffering affected her mind a little, but that she wag not so bad as to be suitable for an asylum, or that she would be received into one. But she was anxious that Mr. Emaon should see the woman to decide it. Gerrard recalled said his wife went to Candy's after him on Thursday night, just after 11 o'clock. Mr. A. Emson, surgeon, said he had repeatedly attended the deceased professionally, and saw her last in the beginning of June. She was subject to old and incurable heart disease, which produced dropsy,• bronchitis, with other usual effects. They were relieved from time to time by medicine and treatment When he saw her at the beginning of June she was very depressed in spirits, and there was a certain amount of brain excitement going on On the 11th or 12th she seemed much relieved. He told the husband she must be well looked after; but it did not at all appear to him that any further steps were then necessary, although it was clear that throughout her life she would be an invalid. In early life she had lost the use of a band and arm, probably by a fit, and he had no doubt that the brain was affected by it. Ho had not seen her for the last two months, so could only conjecture her mind had become deranged, and that she destroyed herself in consequence. The Coroner read over Mrs. Raikes's evidence, and Mr. Emson said no doubt the deceased wag deranged, and that upon it he should have ordered her removal to the asylum. Ile had never seen any unkindness or ill-treatment of her on the part of her husband. Mrs. Guy said during the eight years she had known them she had never heard of any ill-treatment Mr. Force said he had known thorn some time, and testified to his general kindness. Sometimes when she went home with a glass of beer he would sit down and sing to her. Mr. Miles, one of the jury, said he had frequently seen deceased and her husband walking together on the Bridport road very comfortably. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased drowned herself when in an unsound state of mind.  No"pi; outai.lo attributo the result 17 --drink. They :41y that both the man and his wife drank immoderately, and that only a few days ago the man pawned his wife's wedding ring to satisfy the craving.