The Sun. — 1844-11-29 (London, England)

THE DOUBLE SUICIDE AT MILE-END.  On Wednesday Mr. Baker, Coroner for the Eastern Division of Middlesex, and a jury of the inhabitants of Stepney, assembled at the Fox Tavern, Russell-street, Mile-end, to inquire into the deaths of Charles William Duckett, aged 21, and Elizabeth Williams, aged 28, this two young persons who destroyed themselves by taking prussic acid, under the very extraordinary circumstances which have been already partially detailed in the columns of this journal. The tragical occurrence created considerable excitement in the neighbourhood, and such was the morbid taste for the horrible, that the inquest-room was crowded The jury having viewed the bodies, which lay in the position in which they were discovered on Sunday night, a description of which has already appeared, the evidence was entered into. Mr. T. Williams, a brother of the deceased woman, was first sworn. He said—l reside at No. 11, Cannonstreet-road, St. George's-in-the-East. The & ceased, Elizabeth Williams, was my sister, and resided with her mother, who is a widow. I knew the deceased, Charles William Duckett, who was assistant to, and resided with, his father, a house-agent, No. 9, Raven-row, Mile-end. I have observed that my sister has been very lowspirited for the last three or four weeks. She was most affectionately attached to the deceased Duckett, with whom she has been acquainted for some years. I have in my possession love letters proving that their attachment was mutual. Their attachment to each other was sanctioned by both families, and their marriage was only delayed by Mr. Duckett's circumstances. We attributed my sister's melancholy to the exceedingly jealous disposition of Duckett with respect to her. Several letters were here produced, which were addressed to the deceased Elizabeth 'Williams by Duckett; many of them were poetic effusions, written in the most extravagant love-sick strain. Evidence resumed—l last saw my sister on Sunday after dinner, when I left her at home with my mother. She went out at half-past five on Sunday afternoon with Mr. Duckett, with the intention, as usual, of going to church. He told her to wrap up well, as it was a cold night. My sister did not return from church at the usual time, and between 11 and 12 o'clock I and my brother went to the house of Mr. Duckett, sen., to see if she was there. Mr. Duckett himself opened the door, and said he had not seen either Elizabeth or his son. He accompanied me back to my mother's, and then returned home again, wondering where they could be. In about three-quarters of an hour after, Mr. Duckett again arrived at my mother's, and related the shocking occurrence, and how he had found them both dead at his house. We never had any suspicion that either of them contemplated suicide ; but, about three months ago, Duckett borrowed the Pharmacoperia, a medical book, from me, saying he wanted it to aid him in preparing colours. The Coroner here handed to him a letter which was found in an envelope with a black border lying on, the table in the room where the bodies were discovered, addressed " To Miss Margaret Chapman, 21, Lucas-street, Commercial-road," a cousin of Miss Williams. Mr. Baker proceeded to read the following, written on the envelope immediately under the address : " It is our last, our sacred and dying wish, that this letter be delivered into the hands of the above lady. Such is our final request, and whoever may this find, we pray they may give the same to her.—Signed E. W., C. W. D."  The enclosures were then read ; one consisted of poetry addressed to Miss Chapman, beautifully written and illuminated in various coloured inks, entitled " The Last Lay of the Broken Hearts." The verses were 24 in number, but the following extracts will afford a fair sample of the entire composition : " Change thou the scene—look here and thou shalt find, " The spirit wounded with sternest sorrow's dart ; " The madden'd brain, the wild, the wandering mind, " The cheek that's blighted, and the Broken Heart. " We've loved each other, joined in hand and heart, " Firm bound together in one holy tie, " Forsake we cannot, and we ne'er will put; " Together live, and then together die." At the conclusion of the verses was written the following :  " This is the holy vow, freely given from both our hearts. We have lived for each other. We solemnly and without reluctance mutually consent to die together —testifying to the truth thereof we have subscribed our names, thus proving our perfect will to share the grave in the arms of one another. " ELIZABETH WILLIAMS and "