South Eastern Gazette. Tuesday 28 December 1841.

Suicide of a young lady Unknown.

A jury were on Saturday night assembled before Mr Carttar, coroner, at the "Hope Inn," Lewisham, to enquire into the circumstances connected with the death of a young female, name unknown, who was discovered hanging in a bedroom at the above house on Thursday afternoon. The deceased appeared to be about 24 years of age, and from her appearance and dress is a person of respectability. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased came to the above inn at about 8.30 on Thursday morning and ordered breakfast. She appeared in a depressed state of mind, and stated to Mrs. Town, the landlady, that she had been up all night, and requested to be shown to a bedroom. In a few hours afterwards she was discovered hanging from a small nail on the inside of the door by a piece of ribbon. The deceased was instantly cut down, but life was extinct. Previous to the deceased retiring to the room she stated to Mrs. Town that she expected her father in the course of the afternoon. The coroner said he had caused an advertisement to be put in the papers, which would most likely lead to a discovery. It would be, therefore, better to adjourn the enquiry, which was done, accordingly, until Thursday next.

From the Kentish Gazette, 4 January 1842.

CORONERS INQUEST.

On Sunday a gentleman who visited the "Hope Inn," Lewisham, identified, with feelings of great distress, the body of the unfortunate young lady who was found hanging in a bed-room of the above house on Thursday last as that of his sister, Miss Georgiana Charlotte Death, aged 24, whose father carries on an extensive business as a milliner and bonnet-maker in High street, Aldgate. Information of the identify having been given to the coroner, he directed that the jury should be re assembled on Monday night at seven o’clock, when the following evidence was produced:—

The case created considerable interest, and the inquest-room was crowded to excess.

Mr. T. E. B. Death deposed that he lived at 83, Aldgate, and was an engraver. The deceased was his sister, and was unmarried. Saw her alive after twelve o'clock on Wednesday night, and she was missing on the following morning.

The Coroner having remarked that it would be better to hear evidence as to the discovery of the deceased, called Mrs. Ann Town, landlady of the "Hope," who deposed that the deceased came to the house on Thursday morning, and requested to be shown to a bed-room, as she felt fatigued from sitting up with a sick friend, adding, she was going to wait for her papa, to proceed by the train to Brighton. She ordered coffee, which she partook of. She then desired that her shoes, which were dirty, should be cleaned. She also said she would pay at once as she should not have time when her papa came, which she did. The deceased locked the door after witness left the room, previously requesting to be called at three o’clock. Witness went up about that time and knocked at the door, and, receiving no reply, became alarmed. After repeating several times the knocking, her husband broke the door open, and the deceased was found hanging behind the door. Witness feared that something had occurred when she could not get in. The deceased appeared much distressed in her mind when she came into the house in the morning.

Mr. Town, the husband of last witness, corroborated her evidence, adding, that, upon entering the room he found a box placed against the door, and the deceased hanging by a riband from a brass nail in the door. Her feet scarcely touched the door. Witness was much shocked, and, when he recovered took the deceased down and sent for Dr. Brown, whose assistant attended. The deceased was quite still and cold.

Mr. Death, who was dreadfully affected, was recalled, and stated that his sister was a girl of strong feeling, and soon excited. On Wednesday night they played at cards. He noticed particularly her excitement upon taking or losing a trick. She afterwards had a slight difference with witness, and the deceased went into hysterics, and afterwards refused to go to bed. Witness went to bed, leaving his mother and two sisters with the deceased; but she still refused to go to bed, and they left her. Instead of following them she left the house, taking the key of the street-door with her, but he could not say at what time. Her excitement, at times, amounted to almost a state of madness, and on one occasion, about three years ago, she attempted suicide by taking laudanum. The servant, upon coming down on Thursday morning, found that the deceased had gone out, upon learning which they went out in search of her in all directions, and gave information to the various station houses, but without success. He discovered by the papers where to find her. She has no friends at Lewisham, and he could not account for her taking that direction. There was a strong attachment between deceased and a highly respectable young man, which attachment was recognised by the friends of both parties. She had been at a school at Blackheath.

By a Juror:— There was nothing more than the game at cards to excite her, which it did almost to frenzy. She was left alone, as it had proved the best way to reconcile her on previous occasions.

Mary Jones, servant to Mr. Death, spoke to the excited state in which the deceased was on Thursday evening, and after the family had gone to bed she heard the door slam. Upon going to deceased's bed-room for the key, which was her custom, she discovered deceased was not there, and upon further search found the street-door unfastened. The deceased was soon excited.

Miss Louisa Manning, residing in Regent-street, knew the deceased intimately. She was of a strange and contradictory temper. She was most kindly treated by her family. She would often sit up all night.

Mr. Brown, surgeon, of Lewisham, saw the deceased after she had committed the rash act, and he considered that she had died from strangulation, and without a struggle. She had been dead about six hours. Had since examined the body, and was sure that she had suffered the greatest agony from hysterical mania.

Mr. Thomas Mee Dalby, surgeon of New Broad-street had attended the deceased for the last five years. Had done so lately for hysteria. On one occasion, had been called when the deceased was suffering from taking laudanum, which she had done to commit suicide; and from her constitutional excitement, which was almost natural, he was not surprised at the act which she had committed. He was quite certain the deceased was not pregnant.

The jury having expressed themselves satisfied, returned a verdict:— "That the deceased committed suicide, labouring at the time under temporary derangement."