From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 3 February 1900. Price 1d.

SUICIDE OF A YOUNG WIFE AT CANTERBURY.

The City Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson) held an inquest at the “Black Griffin,” St. Peter's Street, Canterbury, on Friday evening, touching the death of a young married woman named Alice Mary Brett, who committed suicide on the previous day.

Frederick George Brett, bricklayer, living at 3, Foundry Cottages, North Lane, identified the body as that of his wife, who was aged twenty-three years. The deceased was confined on January 13th and was very well in health until after the third day. From that day she had very strange ideas come into her head and said she would never get over it. Dr. Sworn attended the deceased while a Mrs. Sharp, of Headcorn, nursed the deceased. On the previous Tuesday the nurse left owing to some misunderstanding. At 10.30 on Wednesday night witness last saw the decease at alive when she appeared very comfortable. At 4.15 in the morning the deceased was missing and witness was informed of the fact by his sister, who was with the deceased. Witness searched about but could not find the deceased. He went downstairs and into the garden where he saw a chair against the wall. On the opposite side of the wall was the river. There was a footprint in the chair. As he could not find the deceased he sent for the police.

Lucy Brett, 63, Whitstable Road, stated that deceased was her sister-in-law. After the nurse left she nursed the deceased. On the night in question she was with the deceased, but seeing that the deceased was asleep she laid on the bed and dropped to sleep. When she awoke she found that the deceased was missing. She then informed her brother.

Edward Stringer, living at 4, Wood's Passage, stated that he was going across Barton's Field at about 8.45 on Thursday morning when he saw the deceased in the water. As the woman was dead he went and informed the police.

Dr. Sworn deposed that he attended the deceased at the confinement. Everything went on satisfactorily till the 20th when deceased had delusions. Death was caused by drowning.

The Coroner having summed up the jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst of unsound mind.”

From the Whitstable Times, 16 June, 1900.

BOY DROWNED IN THE STOUR.

The Canterbury Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson) held an inquest on Wednesday afternoon last, at the "Black Griffin, St. Peter's Street, touching the death of a boy named Horace Edward Parks, aged 15, who was drowned the previous evening in the Stour at Bingley.

William Henry Sutton, living at 2, Cotton Mill Row, St. Stephen's, deposed that deceased was his half-brother, and lived at the "Tower Inn," St. Radigund's. Witness saw him alive on Tuesday playing bear the stream at the back of the house. He had only lived in Canterbury about two months.

William Paris, aged 13, brother of deceased, stated that at about six o'clock the previous evening he and the deceased left home and went to Bingley meadow. They undressed and both went into the water, Witness went into the shallow part. Deceased said he was going across the hole. When going across witness saw deceased sink and then come up again. This he did for three times and then sank and witness did not see any more of him. When he first went down witness told some boys on the banks that his brother was drowning, but they thought he was only playing about and they would not go into the water after him. Witness went for a boy named Parry, who was in the other field, and he came to his assistance.

Archibald Parry, aged 15, stated that he lived at 9, Knott's Lane. On the previous evening about 7.30 he was in the meadow at Bingley when the last witness told him that his brother was drowning. He ran across the field and jumped into the water with his clothes on. With the assistance of another boy who also jumped into the water he got deceased out. They put him on the bank and applied artificial respiration.

Mr. Sworn, surgeon, stated that he was called to Bingley on the previous evening. He found deceased on the bank. He was quite dead. The cause of death was suffocation from drowning.

The Coroner having summoned up, the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death" adding a rider that the Town Council should be written to on the subject of the bathing at Bingley.

A collection was made on behalf of the two boys who tried to save the deceased's life, and about a sovereign was collected in the room.

From the Whitstable Times, 6 July, 1901.

INQUEST ON AN INFANT AT CANTERBURY. SHOCKING DISCLOSURES.

An inquest was held at the "Black Griffin," St, Peter's Street, Canterbury, on Tuesday evening by the City Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson), touching the death of the illegitimate child of Lily Carter, of Hastings.

Lily Carter, wife of William Carter, a private in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, who was now serving in South Africa, stated that she resided in apartments at 18, Wellington Road, Silver Hill, Hastings. The deceased was born on February 11th this year, and she had it baptised in the name of "Albert Carter," whereas it was an illegitimate child and the father was named Gerr. The child had never been very healthy from birth. It was always crying, and she had never had any peace with it. She took the child to Dr. Blaine, of Hastings, who said the child could not digest the food witness had been feeding it on and advised her to get some Mellin's Food. This she did. She had been feeding it on bread and milk. She came to Canterbury the previous day because she heard that her husband had written home and said he would shoot witness when he got back because she had that baby. She left Hastings the previous day about seven o'clock and arrived at Canterbury at 9.30 the previous night. She went to a beer-house in Canterbury to sleep. A sailor accompanied her to Canterbury and she paid for his and her own lodgings.

In answer, to the Coroner, witness said she received money from the War Office. The last time she received £2 19s. 5d. She left half-a-sovereign at Hastings to pay for the keep of her two children. The sailor came from Hastings with witness. His name was Neave and he came from Sheerness. She paid his railway fare.

The Coroner asked the witness if she thought it right to receive that money from the War Office and to appropriate it in that way.

Witness said the money kept coming to her.

The Coroner said he hoped that she would feel the effect of it some day.

Witness said the sailor had gone back. She had known him a long time. She used to go to school with him.

In answer to the Coroner, witness said the father of the child was a married man.

Witness (continuing) said she got up that morning at about eight o’clock. After washing she went to look at he child and she found it dead. She asked where the nearest doctor lived and she was sent to see the Coroner.

The Coroner.— But you did not see me?

Witness.— No.

The Coroner.— I sent you on to Mr. Prentice.

Witness.—Yes.

Mr. Z. Prentice, surgeon, deposed that the last witness brought the deceased to his house at 8.20 that morning. She was accompanied by a naval man. The child was then dead and had been dead for some three or four hours. He had since made an external examination but found no marks of violence. The cause of death was diarrhoea, probably accelerated by injudicious feeding.

The Coroner, in summing up, made some strong remarks on the life the mother of the child had been leading.

The Foreman of the jury (Sir. H. B. Collis) said there was only one verdict to return—namely, that death arose in accordance with the medical evidence. The jury might be well advised in commenting upon the immoral life that the woman had led. She had taken money from the War Office which was supposed to be given to deserving persons, and misappropriated it in this way.

The Coroner said there was another matter he should like to refer to, and that was that the woman had registered the child in the name of her respectable husband. It was a terrible crime!

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, it being understood that the authorities would be communicated with, pointing out that the War Office allowance should be sent to the woman's mother, so that the two children should be looked after, and that it should not be sent to the mother in future.