The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1901-01-23 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE TOWN'S WAR FUND. I A DOMESTIC SERVANT'S • SUICIDE. A ROCK FERRY SENSATION.  HANDED OVER TO THE SOLDIERS' & SAILORS' FAMILIES' ASSOCIATION.  On Tuesday morning Mr. Cecil Holden, borough coronsr, conducted an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Edith Mary Cowderoy, aged 14 yaws, daughter of Henry Cowderoy, a storekeeper residing at 10, Livingetone-road, Tranmere. Up to the time of her death deceased was a domestic servant employed by Mr. Pratt, of 13, Rockville-street, Rock Ferry. Mr. Cowderoy, father of deceased, staled that his daughter was fairly healthy, and did not complain of any particular disease at any time. He had never heard her threaten to take her life. On Sunday, 13th January, she visited him, and told him she had won a watch in a competition. Her father, who wished to ascertain the truth of the statement, sent • letter to the place from which deceased eaid she had received the watch, and subsequently the letter was returned. On Sunday last, between five and six o'clock, she came home, and in the course of a conversation with her, be checked her for being untruthful. Without making any reply she went upstairs, and later on was missed from the house. So soon as this was disoovered, he and his wife, thinking from the manner in which deceased went out, there was something wrong with her, went out to search for her. He went down towards the shore, while his wife went to Mr. Pratt's house. He could not see her, and after looking about for some time, be returned home. He bad never seen the bottle (preduced) which had been found at the bedside, and did not keep each a thing in the house as carbolic acid. His wife had on one occasion been in an asylum, but be knew nothing of his daughter's having been insane. The coroner, addressing the jury, said the mother shoued be called to give evidenre, but as she had been in an asylum it might be bad for her to be called. Mr. Bdward Pratt, deceme.d's master, was then called. Restated that on-Saturday last at about a quarterto eix.in die evening, the deceased girl came back to his home, after paying a visit to her parents, and went upstairs to her bedroom. RN:trey afterwards her mother came in, and his wife (Mrs. Pratt) then called upstairs to see if she was all right. Deceased answered to the mill and Mrs. Cowderoy waited, however, for some time, and as deceased did not then. make her appearance, they again called, and this time received no answer from the girl. Witness then went upstairs, accompanied by Mrs. Cowderoy, and on trying the door of the girl's bedroom found it looked. On breaking in the door, they saw deceased lying on the bed in an unconscious condition, and with the blue bottle, which had contained carbolic acid, lying on the, dreesing-table at the side of the bed. He dispated. Mrs. Cowderoy for a doctor, and in the interval, before she returned. administered an emetic of mustard and water. Dr. Barry arrived immediately atterwanis, and in spite of all he could do, the girl died shortly afterwards. Witnees did not keep such a thing in his house as embolic acid, and had never seen the bottle before. In answer to the foreman, witness said he had noticed, at times, a wild appears:ice in the eyes of deceased. She was rather excited at times. P.C. Donegan stated that he had made inquiries at all the chemists' shops in the district of Rock Ferry, but had been unable to find where the bottle had been bought. At one shop he found a stock of bottles like the one produced, but found that whereas the bottles kept there had red labels, the one in question had no label at all, and hail only had upon it a piece of damp paper. Dr. Barry stated that on Saturday last, at about half-past five, he was called to see deceased, end found her lying an the bed in the bedroom. He noticed that her lips were white, and that, in fact, all the symptoms of carbolic acid poieoning were present. Ile administered emetics, and attended the girl until her death hail-an-hour later. He had since made a postemortece examination, and found the body wellnourished. The cause of death was shack to the system consequent upon the local effect of the acid. The Coroner then addressed the jury, and said that was all the evidence in the case. It was very plain that the eirtuse of death was in accordance with the testimony of the doctor, but what they had to decide wasethe state of the girl's mind at the time of her suicide. It was a pity they could not discover where the poison had been purchased, because carbolic acid wee not a registered poison, but it was of comae possible for it to be purchased at paint shops, etc., so that it would be difficult to find where the girl obtained it. The jury, after a few minutes' cieliberae t:cn, returned a verdict of "Suicide whiled temporarily insane."