The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1891-07-04 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

SUICIDE OF A DOMESTIC SERVANT.  On Monday morning an inquest was held by Dr Writer on the body of Clara Lamb, who was found drowned in a pit at Mill-end, Kenilworth on Friday. Mr. H. Street was chosen foreman of the  jury. Elisabeth Owen, wife of William Henry Owen,  machinist, Payne's-lane, Coventry, deposed that the deceased was her sister, Ind was a domestic  servant living at Hr. Newbold's, London-road, Coventry. Her age was 30. Witness last saw her alive on Tuesday evening, when she came to her house and remained with her till a few minutes to ten o'clock. She first knew that she had left Coventry on Friday night, when she received a letter by the seven o'clock post from her. The  letter was as follows : " Dear Siater,—l don't know what has been the matter with me lately, but I have seemed as if I eould not get on with my work, no matter how I tried, and I left Mrs. Newbold's this morning in such a plight. I feel as if I must get away, but don't think too badly of me,dear sister,for no matter how bad I am, I have always loved you, and I don't want to be any trouble to anyone, but it seems as if I am always causing trouble. I am sending you this money (postal order for 205.) to take care of fo-, lie if I should, want It; if not, you can keep it, for there is no one with more rights to anything belonging to me than you. I am all right, dear sister; don't think any harm will come to me. From your ever-loving sister,  C. LANs." She heard nothing more until Saturday morning, when a Mrs. Brewer told her that Mr. Walker, who had kept company with her for about three weeks, had been to her house and had told her that her sister had been found in the water at Kenilworth. She believed the deceased and Walker were on the best of terms. Her sister had appeared depressed for some time past and had been suffering from influenza. About a month ago she came up to her house in a very low state, and only spoke four words to her. She received a parcel by post on Saturday morning, which had been sent by ..her sister, containing wearing apparel, her watch, and several other small articles. The parcel, which bad been posted at Kenilworth, contained no letter or note. Jacob Walker, milkman, of Clayfield, said he had known the deceased for six or seven years, and had kept company with her for about five weeks. He last saw her alive at Coventry on Sunday, the 21st inst. She had not written to him. He first heard that the deceased had drowned herself on Friday night, when he was fetched by the police to identify the body. When he last saw her (on Sunday night) he arranged to take her to the camp on Thursday, but deceased said she would write him first and  tell him if she could get leave. She did not write, however. There had never been any unpleasantness between them, and deceased had never threatened, in his presence, to commit suicide. He did not know if she want to the camp. She knew the locality where her body was found well. She had often paid visits to Brewer's, who used to live at reply to Mr. Street, witness said he was not aware that Brewer, who was a married man, kept company with her. James Halliwell, bailiff to Mr. Trepplin Kenilworth, said his son, who had passed along the gravel-pit field, ran home and told witness's wife that a woman was in the pit. Witness was afterwards told of it, and he went to the pit and with assisi.ance recovered the body. His wife came down directly after and identified the body as that of Clara Lamb, whom he had seen visiting at Brewer's last summer. He sent for a doctor and the police. There were no signs of a struggle having taken place on the banks of the pit, and deceased by slipping into the water could not have got into the middle of the pit where the body was found. The footpath across the field ran to within a few yards of one side of the pit. The hat, handbag, and umbrella produced were lying by the aide of the pit. Mr. J. Clarke, surgeon, said he was sent for on Friday evening to go to Villiers-hill, where he saw the body of the deceased lying by the side of the pit. There were no marks of violence on the body, and from a superficial examination he had since made, he could find no trace of deceased being enceinte. Death was undoubtedly due to drowning. Police-sergeant Allcott gave evidence as to searching the clothing of the deceased, and finding a purse containing 9s. Bd. He afterwards had the body conveyed to the Engine public-house. On Saturday morning he went to Mr. Newbold's, London-road, Coventry, where deceased had baen living, and Mrs. Newbold handed him tl.e following letter, which was found on the dressingtable in the room which the deceased occupied:- "Dear Mrs. Newbold,—l do not feel able to do my work here, and I do not like to see you doing it for me. It makes me feel ashamed of myself, for you might be likely to think 1 was getting idle because I am going to leave, but that is not so. I cannot, no matter how I try, get on with my work, so I am going away from it, for I feel that I am only in the way here, and make you all uncomfortable." Continuing, the witness said deceased's time was up to leave Mrs. Newbold's service on the Bth of July, and on Thursday morning she said to her mistress that she felt a day or two of holiday would do her good. Mrs. Newbold said if she thought a few days' or a week's holiday would do her good she could have it provided she would remain in her situation. Deceased had heen treated by Dr. Fowler for general debility. The Coroner, in summing up the evidence, said it was a question for the jury to consider whether deceased cams by her death by accidentally slipping down the pit into the water, or by taking her own life, and if in the latter case whether she had become temporarily insane. The evidence showed her to be in a low state of health and distressed in mind, and also in extreme melancholy caused by illness from which she had suffered. Neither Walker nor other friends had quarrelled with her, and there was no evidence of foul play. The jury returned a verdict "that deceased committed suicide by drowning whilst temporarily insane."