MADDENED BY WORRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10365, 13 February 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

MADDENED BY WORRY.

MRS. LE CHAMPION TAKES A FATAL

DOSE OF LAUDANUM.

STRANGE DELUSIONS.

The so recently heard Le Champion matrimonial suit (reported in this journal a few weeks ago) has had a sad sequel. Mrs. Le Champion, who will be remembered as the plaintiff in the suit which was ono for judicial separation from hot' husband, his committed suicide. Though successful in her petition, the lady, who i? only 21 years of age, worried much about the fate of her child, whom the judge took out of the custody both of herself and husband, and gave over to the care of the aunt, and the unhappy woman committed suicide by taking laudanum, at 76, Oakley-street, Chelsea.

Mr.Luxmoore Drew, the coroner, held an inquiry into the death at Chelsea Town Hall.

Mr. Troutback,coroner for Westminster, appeared as having acted as deceased's solicitor. She called on him on Thursday, ho said, at his offices in Victoria-street, and consulted him with reference to her action and the appeal which had beon Indeed by Mr. Le Champion. She seemed greatly disappointed at any prospect of delay. She had nt> fear for tie result, but was very anxious about her child. If she worried at all it was certainly over the child. Mr. Hill road the letter to the deceased's solicitor. It read:—"l wish to know if you can got me si separation from my husband on account of ill-treatment. I cannot stand being knocked about. I have groat bruises and marks on my arms. 1 did not like to tell you this when I came at first, but I found my nerve quite gone. If we cannot have a legal separation, let me know if I can have an allowance for my child, as I cannot pat up with it any longer.— Valentia Le Champion."

Lady de t'respigny said she was staying— on a visit—with Mrs Le Champion lately. She was lodging at the house of a Mr. Walker, 76, Oakley-street, Chelsea, whom tho deceased had known for fifteen years. On Thursday the deceased seemed sane, but 011 her return from Mr. Troutback's seemed a little depressed and anxious. She had taken laudanum once before, but its fatal effects had been averted. She retired at eleven o'clock on Thursday night, telling witness not to come in to see her early in the morning, as she had got into the way of sleeping badly. It was nine o'clock on Friday morning before witness went to deceased's room. She found the door looked 011 the inside. The landlord was summoned, and he buret it open. They found the deceased in bod in a sitting posture, with two large-framed portraits— of witness and the other oi witness' daughter —lying on the counterpane. She looked ghastly, but was still alive. By her side | was a 4oz bottle labelled laudanum. It I was very nearly empty. There was also a letter addressed in the deceased's handwriting to " Dear Pappy." In it she said she was sorry she had nob had Loftus' forgiveness before she died.