Fearful Suicide of a Lady

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 53, 13 October 1885, Page 3

Fearful Suicide of a Lady

Dr Thomas has held an inquiry at Hornsey into the circumstances attending the death of Mrs Annie Wilson, aged thirty-three, wife of an independent gentleman residing at Holmdale Villa, Park road, Crouch End. It appears that the deceased, who possessed a private income, had for the past twelve months been suffering from hysteria and extreme nervousness. She had also had .delusions that her husband wished to poison her, and was in the habit of putting poison in her food. Of late she had gradually got worse, and in consequence of her threats and also attempting to commit suicide, persons were got to watch her movements and to prevent her from doing herself any harm. At about six o'clock one morning, the deceased (who was to be removed to a lunatic asylum) rushed to a hack room window and attempted to throw herself out, but was prevented by the husband and two friends. Whilst the husband went downstairs to send off some telegrams for further assistance, she got out of the room, and threw herself over the banisters ; but her husband just at the moment being at the bottom, he succeeded in catching her in his arms and thus prevented her from injuring herself. The deceased was afterwards got up stairs, and was quiet for a time. Afterwards she rushed across the room, and took from the shelf a bottle in 'which was a bone stopper, and having removed it, she placed it her mouth and forced it down her ffhroat with her fingers. The deceased died in a few minutes. The jury returned a verdict that she had committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.