The Recent Suicide at Wellington

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 118, 16 November 1893, Page 2

The Recent Suicide at Wellington

(PER PBESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, November 15 An adjourned inquest on the body of a young woman known as Alice Clark, who was found dead in bed on Saturday morning last, was resumed this afternoon. Inspector Pender represented the police, and Mr Skcrrett appeared for the young man Jacks, who lodged with deceased. Constable Hutton deposed that torn fragments of three letters were found in deceased's bedroom, and these he pieced together. In one of the letters, ad« dressed to Jacks, the woman expressed her deep regret that Jacks was compelled to break up the home, and went on to say, " You tell me that I cannot live with you any longer. Well, I love you so much that I cannot live without you, though I admit the prospect of suicide is not very exhilarating. Had you kept me as you promised I could have forgot the past and been happy in your love. Far better that I should die now than sink any lower." This letter was for Jacks,. and the other was intended for the inquiry, being as follows :— " I know that it is very wrong to take my own life, but I have my own reason for doing it. I do not know that I should write this unless I should exonerate Mr J from any blame." The constable stated lie had ascertained that the deceased's real name was Amce Cavanagh, and that she had becm going under four different names. So far as he could find out she was a single woman, and was not married to the man. Clarke-William M. Jacks, a warehouseman, and a single man, gave evidence that he had known deceased for four months. They lived in Tinakori road as man and wife. When witness told her he had to travel for his firm he offered to pay her passage money to Grafton, near Sydney, her birthplace, but she declined this assistance. They oc enpied separate rooms, and on Friday night bade each other an affectionate good-night. Witness heard no disturbance during the night. The revolver found at deceased's side belonged to witness, and when he last saw it it was not loaded. The Coroner said the evidence pointed conclusively to the fact that the deceased bad taken her own life, and the jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane.