A SYDNEY LOVE TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 83, 7 April 1881, Page 4

A SYDNEY LOVE TRAGEDY

The Sydney papc ra contain particulars of a sad tragedy which occurred on the 26th of February. A yoang girl, about 17 years of age, named Charlotte Fanny Bray, daughter of Mr Bray, J.P., was found dead on the railway line near the Redmyre station, having been run over by (he traiD. Some sensational stories were put about of outrage and murder, but subsequent inveatigation made it clear that ilie girl bad committed suicide under the icfluence of disappointed love. From the evidence given at the inquest by her sister, it appeared that the deceased had placed her affection 1 * on a youDg gentlemen Darned Russell Robberds", who lived in the same neighborhood. She never told her love to him, nor was he aware of the feeing with which she regarded him. Her sister Alice says:—" I waa her confidante. She told me she liked a gentleman whom Bhe used to see in the train when she was goiog to school. They had not mef, but she used to see him on the road and at the church, c b. 3 wts fond of him, aud ÜBed to Bay she wished be would speak to her, that she was too nervous herself to address him first. The fact of her not having been able to meet him used to grieve tur." On Saturday, the 26.h ult , the deceased left her home in the afternooo, BnJ appears to have walked to tht> Redmyre station, apparently in the hope of seeing the young man she loved, who ordinarily returned home between six and seven o'clock. At any rate a young girl resembling her was seen at the railway station about half-paat (our o'clock, and later, about seven o'clock was observed leaning against the fence, close to where the body of the deceased was after wards found. Mr Robberd's hou9ee, distant about 400 or 500 yards, was in view from this spot. Other evidence showed that she bad been in a desponding state of mind. Mr Robberds stated that he knew the dtcased, but did not think he had spoken to her during the last two years. He had never spokea to her of love. The jury returned a verdict that she bad committed suicide, and that at the time she was not in her light mind.