From the Southeastern Gazette, 17 July 1866.

Attempted Suicide of a Servant Girl.

On Tuesday a domestic servant named Mary Ann Laurence, aged 24, attempted to commit suicide, first by poison and then by strangulation. It seems that, through some jealousy of a cousin, the girl left her situation in the neighbourhood of Maidstone, and went to the “Chairmakers’ Arms” George-street. Mrs. Rumbles, the landlady of the house afterwards found her in the back yard insensible, she being, in fact, half strangled by a garter tired round her neck. Mrs. Humbles immediately released the pressure and sent for Mr. Collingwood, surgeon, who found that she had previously swallowed some caustic alkali. This was comparatively harmless in its effects, but the consequences arising from the attempt at strangulation would have been fatal but for the timely interference of Mrs.

Rumbles. Laurence has since been brought up before C. Ellis., Esq., one of the borough magistrates, and handed over the care of her brother.