The Daily Times. — 1860-10-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

AFFECTING SUICIDE THROUGH DISAPPOINTED LOVE.  On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Harding held an inquest as the Saracen's Head Hotel, Hanley, on the body of Adelaide Marlow, 27 years of age, who had committed suicide by taking oxalic acid the previous day. The deceased, a fine young woman, occupied a respectable position in life, and was very highly respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. She resided with her mother at Etruria Vale, and carried on business as a dressmaker. For some weeks she bad been in a depressed state of mind, caused, it now turns out, by some unpleasantness with her sweetheart, a respectable young man, named Steele, to whom she had been engaged for seven years. The engagement, it appears, was objectionable—though on what account has not transpired—to Mr. Steele's friends, which had the effect of inducing him either to break off the match altogether, or to slight the lady. Whichever it might have been, the fact preyed upon the mind of the deceased to an extent which, there can be no doubt, ultimately induced insanity, and while under its influence she committed the rash act.  On Friday morning she rose about eight o'clock and went into the parlour, when her mother presently heard her crying, and en going thither found her writing a letter and appearing to be in great trouble. In reply to her mother, she promised to some to her in the kitchen in a few minutes. She was heard crying again shortly afterwards, and her mother went again to her, receiving the same reply as before. Presently she came into the kitchen with a letter in her hand, which she gave to her mother, and then said, " Oh, mother mother, I have taken poison." Her mother immediately went to procure assistance, and sent for a doctor. The deceased lay on the sofa, and half an hour afterwards died. A paper labelled " oxalic acid" was afterwards found on the floor, but it did not bear the name of any chemist, and every effort since made to ascertain where the poison was procured has failed. The letter which the deceased gave to her mother was as follows :—" I feel my time drawing near. I feel quite reconciled to my fate. I have not the least desire to live ; but, oh, how hard to die so young. The only sin I ever committed is loving him too well. He has ruined me and left me to my shame, after seven years' courtship. I have been true to him, God knows I have ; but his stepmother and sisters have always tried to prejudice his mind against me, and they are my murderers and him. Look at his letters, and you will see how he once loved me. But he will never be happy, for he will always have the brand of murder—murder on his conscience. I wish you to bury his likeness with me, and the brooch. Good bye, and bless you all. A. Marlow:" On the back of the letter was, "You may show this to any one ; do not give up his letters." In respect to the allusions in this letter, from which the reader would incline to drawlan inference unfavour-, able to the character of the deceased's lover, according to the evidence given at the inquest, there seems to be no ground for the strong expressions made use of by the deceased, in the sense in which they would naturally be interpreted. A post mortem examination of the body was made by Mr. Grosvenor, surgeon, who stated that it showed no symptoms of disease whatever ; and he was of opinion that death was caused by oxalic acid. The jury returned a verdict of " Temporary insanity."  The _Daily News says a project is on foot for the formation of another Marine Insurance Company, the direction of which, it is proposed, shall consist mainly, if not entirely, of underwriters.