AN EASTBOURNE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 11725, 7 April 1902, Page 5

AN EASTBOURNE TRAGEDY

A .SENSIBLE JURY. I Public interest in tile above tragedy was manifested fry a considerable attendance at tho adjourned coroner's inquest. Tlie fata 1 occurrence took place on December 12, when Alice Funnell and her sweetheart Lawrence Osborne were found in their lodgings wounded by revolver bullets, die young man being dead. His head was resting against tho knee of Alice Funnell. The coroner stated that while Miss Funnell was in the hospital an envelope dropped oat of her pocket, and it was found to have on it the words: '"' 1 shot myself and Charlie.— Alice." Further letters in Miss Funnell's handwriting were now produced, great importance being attached to these as bearing upon the question whether she was a, party to the firing of the weapon. Discharged from the hospital about a week ago. Miss Funnell was now able to attend, and in reply to the coroner she expressed a. wish to give evidence. Sho said she and deceased were engaged to he married, but she did not know if it was to marry her that he came from Loudon to visit her. During the days prior to taking rooms at the lodging-house they were out together, and Osborne several times produced the revolver, and on one occasion fired it off in a country lane. Ho threatened her that unless she would consent to become his wife he would kill hor. On the night before the tragedy he compelled her to write the following letter, dictating the words, and holding the loaded revolver at her head :

"My dear Father,—l am just writing a few lines to you. JNo doubt these will bo the last I shall ever write to you, for 1 cannot endure this any longer—utter impossibility to do so. Give my brothers and sisters and granny and grandfather— I cannot write any more, dear father, as I kd quite done for in this world. Trusting, dear father, wo shall in the world above, and that you will think the opposite way about matters concerning last night. You will see that I am going to die happy with Charley, the one that I love so clearly. This was my last wish that I should die with him, and so pray you forget me as soon as possible. You will soon find out where we are. T trust, dear dad, you will carry out my last. wish. Bury Charley and I together. Wo dip together, so we wish to be buried with each other."

Other letters in a similar strain were written by her on the fatal day, always under threats. Sho admitted, however, that they were, otherwise on good terms, and that they played " Ludo " together in the afternoon. Osborne copied out the following lines from a well-known song : What are we waiting for, 0, my heart? Kiss me straight on the brows and part, Again, again, my heart., my heart! What are v/e waiting for—-you and 1 1 A pleading 100k —a stifled cry, Good-bye for ever ! —ere we die. The last, three words were deceased's own. The coroner read the following letter addressed by the deceased (who w;w commonly known as Charley Osborne) to Miss Funnel! : —"My true, doar Violet, —Come, down to .Ka.stbou.rne, and then wo (yon and I) can be happy. You know what I mean. I shall watch every afternoon train, darling. We had a jolly fine night last night, pet. Walking all the way back to Eastbourne is not much of a joke. Be quick, darling, and come down at .nee.-—Charley.'' Miss Alice Bunnell said she made Osborne's acquaintance at Shepherd's Bush some twelve months ago. She described tha circumstances of the tragedy. Deceased, she said, sat across her knees and started singing " A little more work for the undertaker." Me fired a. shot at her, and then she heard two other shots and a gurgling sound. Replying to the coroner, witness said sho did not in any way agree to die with deceased. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that, death was duo to bullet wounds, but that the evidence was insufficient to proce whether those wounds were indicted by deceased or by Alice Funnel!. In reply to the question : " Was there an agreement between Lawn-nee. Osborne ami Alice Bunnell to die together, and were the fata! injuries the roult of thai agreement, she being present, and aiding and all-fitting'.'" thirteen of the jury said " Yes," and one was neutral. The coroner said that the verdict was in law one of wilful murder, and a warrant being made out for the young woman's committal she was removed in custody.