CHILD SUICIDES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1066, 6 July 1912, Page 4

CHILD SUICIDES.

FROM PETTY CAUSES

A remarkable story was told at an inquest held recently on the 12-year-old Daisy Bank (Bilston) school girl, who drowned herself in a canal.

The coroner asked if Louie Pope, the deceased girl had ever threatened to commit suicide.

The mother replied that the girl had said she would, “in her foolery,” two or three times, “But,” added the sorrowful mother, “we never took any notice of her.

“She had a terrible temper, and I have had to give her many a penny to coax her to do things proparly. If I did not give her just what she pleased she said, ‘I will go and drown myself.’ ’’ The mother added that the girl was usually bright and cheerful, and was in Standard VI. at school. Daring the last two weeks, however, she appeared to have taken an objection to attending school.

No reason for this had been disclosed . The mother threatened to take the girl back to school. “But she did not come within reach of me by yards.” Mrs Pope added that on the day of her death, just as the girl was starting for school, she said to her companions : “You can go on. I am not going to-day. I do not know that I shall go any more.” On being told she must go to school, the girl threw a piece of bread and butter on the floor and ran off. She then skipped in the yard, where she played until 12.30.

On being reproved for not going to school, the girl again declared she would not go. Later, the mother was informed that her daughter had drowned herself in the canal.

Hannah Pope, aged nine, said when she returned from school her sister told her she was going to drown herself. When Louie started off in the direction of the canal witness followed, whereupon her sister threatened to hit her. But she went on, and was amazed to see her sister undress on the tow-path near Rotten Brunt bridge, place her feet in the water, slide into it, and finally disappear. According to the deceased’s schoolmaster, the girl was of a sullen temperament, but did not seem to dislike school. A companion of the girl told him three weeks ago of a threat at suicide if her mother hit her. A verdict of felo de se was returned.

A verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned at an inquest held at Daw End, near Walsall, on the same day, on a 16-year-old lad, named Edward Proud, of Newhall street, Walsall. The lad left home to go to work, and the mother stated that there had been no quarrel or unpleasantness. The same night Samuel Bruce, of Blakenhall Heath, was walking along the canal side when he came upon the boy’s cap, coat and vest, together with a letter to his mother. The police dragged the canal, and the body was recovered.

A girl of 17 said she was with Proud two days before the tragedy, when he told her he was not going home on account of a bother he had had with his mother. Witness handed to the police a letter she received from him. and, in reply to the coroner, said she did not know that the lad was desirous of walking out with her. The Coroner (Mr G. C. Lewis) said he did not believe in making such letters public. A great many of them were written for effect.