Determined Suicide of a Woman.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1885, Page 2

Determined Suicide of a Woman.

A suicide of a premeditated and iroat determined oharaoter took place yesterday afternoon, the perpetrator of her own destrnotion being a young and highly-attraoti vesingle woman named Alice Barnaby, who died at 3.20 this morning from at least two separate do6ca of a preparation of a most poisonous compound known as " Bough on Bats." As before stated, the suioidal aots whioh ocoasioned her death were committed yesterday afternoon, but the unhappy girl lingered till death put an end to her Bufferings at an early hour this morning. From enquiries it has been ascertained that Alice Barnaby, who was aged only 22 years, and who was a doineatio servant and a native of Northampton, England, had been staying; for the hut threo weeks with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Igoe, who have within the last week onened a dining-room on Lambton Quay, immediately opposite the Exhibition Buildings. The girl, though not employed regularly by Mr. Igoo, has, since the place was opened, assisted the proprietor as a waitress, and even in so short a time had succeeded in establishing herself as a general favourite with the patrons of the establishment by her attention to the reaoiretaents of the oastomors and her neat appearanoe. Mrs. Igoe states that the girl was more than usnally lively yesterday at dinner time, and at the oonolnsion of that meal she montiojiod that she was going for a walk. Following up the aequenoe of eventejt would appear that she called at Mr. Mcc s chemist Bhop on Lambton-quay, where she purohased a paokefc of "Kough on Eats." She was absent only a short time, and on her return to Igoe's she proceeded to the kitchen and aaked for a oup of tea, whioh she took into a private sitting-room and drank. Before leaving the kitchen she put her arms roind Mrs. Igoe, kissed her, and said "Good-bye; I'm going to die." Mrß. Igoe, thinking that the unhappy young woman, who was in the best of health, and who Bpoke quite cheerfully, was only joking, asked what ailed her, and received the reply, "Oh, nothing." Suspootingthat all was not well, Mr. Igoe demanded what it was she was attempting to oonoeal, and as she prevarioated and evaded a straightforward answer, he took the paokage—whioh turned out to be the remainder of the paoket of " Bough on Bats"— from her by foroe. The girl then admitted that, after purchasing the poison, Bhe had proceeded towards Thorndon and had swallowed a quantity of the stuff, and had taken a seoond doae in the onp of tea. Dr. Cahill was at once sent for, and that centleman used the propor remedies demanded in such a oase as hers, and subsequently called in Dr. Kemp. The united efforts of the medical men proved apparently so suooessful that they left the girl abont 9 o'olook last night, as they imagined, out of danger. Mrs. Igoe sat up with the patient, who talked quite rationally and calmly, but Mrs. Igoe is distinct in asserting that she never onoe mentioned her private affairs, either before or after Bhe had taken what unfortunately proved to be the irrevocably fatal step ; nor did she, though pressed upon the subject, allude in the slightest manner to the reasons whioh had prompted her to commit selfslaughter. The girl, after the dootors left hers appeared to be cheerful, and oonversed freely on general topics, and her friends had no idea that the end waß approaohing. At a little after 3 o'clook this morning the oaso took a turn for the worse, and within a few minutes she passed peacefully away, apparently without any suffering. Alioe Barnaby had only been 16 months in the oolony, and up to the past few weeks had been in domestio service in this oity. , Sho became intimate with tho Igoes some months since, and as she was out of a situation, and, other than themselves, had no friends in Wellington, and was destitute of money, she gladly availed herself of Mrs. Igoe's offer to live with her till she obtained another situation. An inquest will be. held on Monday morning, at 10 o'olook.