Romantic Suicide of a Young Woman.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 66, 6 September 1884, Page 5

Romantic Suicide of a Young Woman.

Mr James Hiff held an inquiry at the Hanover Inn, High Beach, Essex, on the body of Jane Margaret Gibbings, aged 19 years, who committed suicide under very romantic circumstances. Mrs Mary Ann Gibbings, a widow, living at Nile cottages, High Beach Road, said her daughter had been in service as a housemaid, but latterly had been staying with witness. She had been keeping company with a young man, and in conse quence of a quarrel with him, had exhibited a strangeness in her manner. On Wednesday morning her dead body was found in a water tank attacked to the premises. In her dress pocket was found the following letter :— " Tuesday night. My dear mother, — When you hear of my distressing end you will, I know, break your heart. When I got into bed, and had been there more than half an hour, the devil paid mo a visit, He stood

talking to me for some time, and told me that he had seen Charley— my young man— with another young woman. I said to myself, Now what can Ido ? To think he who 1 have loved so much should leave me for another ! All of a sudden I thought of the water-butt, and the more I tried to keep away from it the more the devil tried to get mo into the water. He said to me at last, elf you jump in I will get Charley to bring you out.' My head is raving, and I feel on fire. I cannot say anything more. I have left my photograph in my box. Give it to Charley, and tell him that if it had not been for him I should not have killed myself. I however, did it for the best. Now, mother, dear, what was the good of my living ? I was miserable, and could not be happy without Charley. Good-bye, mother. Give kind love to all.— Your loving daughter, Jane Margaret Gibbings."— The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while in a state of unsound mind."