TRAGIC DISCOVERY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 146, 22 June 1928, Page 10

TRAGIC DISCOVERY

SUICIDE OF A ■■GIRL "CALLOUS INDIFFERENCE" (By Telegraph.) '• ' . (Special to "The Evening Post.") CHKISTCHUKCH, This Day. I'lio inquest into the death of Emily Martha Forward (21), who was found dead in a bach at Bowhill road, Now Brighton, on Cth June, was resumed before Mr. Mosley, Coroner, this morning. Death had taken place about ten weeks before the body was discovered. Mr. I'1. D. Sargent appeared for William Burgess, a tfaxL-driver, who had paid, the rent of tho bach. Constable Henderson said Miss .Forward's head.was lying towards the gas stove, the tube of which had been disconnected. There was a writing pad open on the kitchen table, and there were two envelopes addressed to Burgess.. . v William. Albert Burgess said that he first became acquainted with Miss Forward about fifteen months ago. v Tho Chief Detective: "Is it true that after you had known, her for a while you began to keep company with her1?" —"Not exactly keeping company. I used to go put with her." ■ "Sho became pregnant?"—" Yes. She told me she was." Burgess added that in February ho took a bach at 51, Bowhill road, and Miss Forward went to live there. lie visited her occasionally, but did not sleep there, as he worked at nights. Ho did not sleep there in tho clay time. "How did she get on for food?"— "I used to go down in tho afternoons, ,ai:d give her a few shillings." "Roughly how much per week would that.amount to"" —"About eight shillings." . . ■ . ' - "You took that bach for twelve months?"—" Yes." "How long did you intend her to stay there?" —"I did not intend her to stay there at all. The last time I saw her Mrs. Passmoro offered to tako her." t • "Dicl you know she passed herself off as Mrs. Burgess?" —"No." '' Did you ever say anything about marriage?''—''She was' always asking mo to marry her." ' :"\Vhat did you say?"—"l never answered her." "You did not tell her you were already married?" —"No." "Aiid that you had two children?" —"No." . . \ "That is true?"—" Yes." The /Chief Detective: " You■ are not engaged to marry anyone else, arc you?"—" No." "You were going with another girl at tho time you were going with this unfortunate girl?" Mr. Sargent raised tho question of relevancy. The Chief Detective said that at tho time' Burgess was visiting • the girl ho was married, with two children, and was at the same time going with another girl. Mr. Sargent said that at tire same time tho girl was going with another man. She was also ■■ being treated at the hospital for a certain complaint. Continuing his evidence, Burgess said that the last'time he had seen the girl alive was at tho pictures, one night in March. "Did you part good friends that night?"—" Well, not tho best of friends." "She was going back to tho bach?" —"Yes. She said she never wanted to see me again. She said that sho was finished with me." "Was she crying that night?"— "Yes." . ■ ; Burgess added that he had dorio his best- to entice. her '■ to stay at': Mrs. Passmore's,-but she would-not. "Did you go back to1 Brighton again?"—"No, never." "You knew.her condition. She had no money. Did you never wonder how she was.getting on?"—" No. Sho told nic she never, wanted to see me again." "You took her at her word?"— "Yes." ' . "Did it never occur to you to go down and see how she was getting on for food?" —"No, never." "The evidence reveals a very bad state of immorality on, part of Burgess and on the part of the deceased," said the Coroner, "but I do not wish to add further to that.' The whole of tho circumstances surrounding the death and the discovery of the body of nessity must have been dreadful in themselves, and sufficient to shock tho senses of any reputable citizen, as were "the circumstances surrounding the whole affair." ' , The Coroner's verdict was suicide. He added: "During my somewhat lengthy experience of the weaknesses of human nature, I have seldom met with a case of such callous indifference as has been revealed by the evidenco which- has been brought before me this morning. It has revealed a state of 'things that is a disgrace to plir much-vaunted civilisation, and certainly a disgrace to the the man Burgess, who has given evidence before me."