MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Evening Star, Issue 14186, 11 October 1909, Page 6

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Much public interest was taken in Uu proceedings at an inquest held by the Bon ough Coroner' at the Town Hall,' Brighton recently as to the death of Mrs Agiua Archbult, who committed suicide by throw, ing herself from the West Pier into tin sea. ihe affair caused a good deal oi excitement, owing to the fact that U* deceased’s daughter was fulfilling an engagcineut in the theatrical company plAy mg Ohs same week at the West Pica Theatre. Evidence having been given aj to the recovery of the body from heiieatl the pier,

Mi'S Gladys Violet Fean, daughter oj deceased, and wife of Mr Herbert Fraucii Fenn, said her mother's age was forty-live, and she was the wife of Mr John Archbutt, a.n electrical engineer. Witness had been living with her "mother for the past seven years. For some time Mrs Arch'-uti maintained her, and haeT paid for witnces’j dancing lessons. Her mother had been alb tended by a medical man, a-s she was suffcring from hysteria. Mrs Archbutt cam< to Brighton on Friday. Witness was fulfilling an engagement at the West Fiei theatre. On 'I uosday night her mothea came (o her at the theatre She seemed excited, and said sh« had called on her because she had heard witness was married. She had to appeal again on the stage, and advised deceased to go to her lodgings, where she would f-e» her in the morning, but her mother wailed until the close of the performance, and then walked with hr-r on the pier. Suddenly she passed across to the wee.l side o| the pier, mid immediately afterwards wit nem heard a. splash, followed by fw< screams. the Ijody was recovered next

morning. Ihe boroner : Upon what terms had vo« been with your mother?—We had not Ix-ci very happy, because of her hysterica) tils ■Shu did not approve of my engagement au-d marriage to Mr lean. I Lid assisted mj mother financially, and that assistance did not cease at ter my engagement to Mr Fenn, Did sfie complain of your treatment?—No; she said “Yon hale me.” “No,” ] said, “but it you go on for ever in Ibu way I might do.” Ghe had a great affection for you?—l believe fo. Recently your affections bad been rathei alienated?—l suppose, they had been divided. The Coroner (reading from letters found on Lite West Pier) : -She says: I have so often implored, even cm treated, you on ny knees to give me a little love. I have spoken kindly to you, Only on -Sunday 1 prayed you, for pity’< sake, not to treat me, in such a cruel manner.

In another part of the letter your inothel ssys:

Yon laughed in my face wltcn ecalding tears were running down my checks. WSfanesu: There is jio truth in that. Did you ever have any quarrel with her? —We had a few quarrels, bat I never lost my temper. The Coroner (reading): You. have now taken my life from me. For nearly eleven years I have starved far you to advance you in the profession. You wee my only thought. God forgive job for your treatment. My life is now finarfted. ' Witness: 1 was a» kind as I could be to my mother when abe said rather dreadful things about me. Mr Herbert Praam Eetm, hndbaad of the deceased's daughter, then aukod pen. mission to make a statement. Three mouths ago, he said, when he became engaged to IMies Archbutt, as she then waa, owing to her mother’s threats and her impaired health witness requeued her to leave Mrs Archhutt. The deceased wrote promising to bo less unkind to her daughter, and the latter returned, but Mts Archbuefc resumed her threats, eo that the daughter again left. “I wish to say,” added vritaees, “that! my wife is in no way to blame; ?f any« body, it is I, who book her «w«y.” Tbe jury returned a voadiot of tfricida whilst temporarily insane.