THE MELBODRNE SUBURBAN TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 27 June 1911, Page 5

THE MELBODRNE SUBURBAN TRAGEDY

MURDER. AND SUICIDE BY A SISTER. THE INQUEST. (United Press Association.) MELBOURNE, Monday. At the inquest on the bodies of Mrs Russell and Matilda. Ford, victims of the Fitzroy tragedy, on June 12th. a verdict was returned that Russell administered poison to her sister., and then took it herself there being no evidence to show the state of her mind.

(A dreadful tragedy was enacted at Fitzroy. Melbourne, on Monday evening, 12th inst.. when a woman. Rose Russell, poisoned her Matilda Ford, and then, ended her own life by the same means. Rose Russell, a married woman, about 30 years of age, who was separated from her husband, lived at 33 Little George-street, Fitzroy, .with her daughter, a child ■eight years of age. Matilda Ford, her sist r, lived a few yards away, with a man named Charles Freeman. Both women -were addicted to drink. Mrs Russell was a strong, healthy, goodlookinig woman, but reckless in. her behaviour. Though s 1 e drank heavily herself, she constantly worried about the drinking habits of her .sister, who was and sufiJered from a constant cough. Frequently, Rose Russell had said that if she could not prevent "Tilly'' (her sister) from drinking she would one day kill her, and kill herself. These threats, through having been made so frequently, at length were passed unnoticed, but the deed was done eventually with the trag<Jy of suicide added. Inquiries elicited the information that while disposing of isome articles at a jewellery cstaifilielhjment, Mrs Russell teok a. qulart whisky ibottle labelled "poison"' off a. sheilf behind, tibe counter while the proprietor's 'back was turned. This was full of cyanide of potassium. This makes it pllWir.n •that Mrs Russell must have put some of the jpoison in the whisky which she bad ait the house, and let * her sielt'er drink- it, and, pouring out some more, •poisoned herself. A .post-mortem examination of the body of Matilda. Ford showed traces of cyanide poisoning, but that made of the body of Rose Roissail showed no internal trace of poison, though certain external inddcaitions pointed to the possibility of the .poiscm having caused death. The woman Russell attempted suicide ten years 'ago.)