SUICIDE OF A YOUNG WOMAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9907, 28 November 1893, Page 6

SUICIDE OF A YOUNG WOMAN.

--.-,___■_ ■■ November 11 ■ Jllrs Clarke, a young woman, living in Tinakori road, was found dead in bed this morning with a bullet through her heart and a revolver by her Bide. Mrs Clarke, who had been living apart from her husband, was housekeeper to William Winter Jacks, a warehouseman in Abbott and Cos. Jacks, who was in the house, states that he did not hear the report of the revolver, only one chamber of which was discharged. Death must have been almost instantaneous, as the missile passed through the heart. The only theory for the rash act is that Jacks informed deceased he would shortly sell off, as business engagements would take him out of town for a time Deceased left a letter, but the contents have not yet been divulged. November 15. At the inquest on the body of the young woman known as Annie Clarke, Constable Hutton deposed that torn fragments of two letters were found in deceased's bedroom, and these he pieced together. In one of the letters addressed to Jacks the woman expressed her deep regret that Jacks was compelled to break up the home, and went on to say: " You tell me that I cannot live with you any longer. Well, I love you so much that I cannot live without you. I admit that the prospect ef suicide is not very "exhilarating. Had you kept me as you promised, I could have forgotten the past and been happy in your love. Far better that I should die now than sink any J lower." This letter was for Jacks, the other was intended for the inquiry and was as.follows:—"l know that it is very wrong to take my own life, but I have my own reason for doing it.. Ido not know I should write this unless I should exonerate Mr J. from any blame." The constable stated he had ascertained deceased's real name was Annie Cavanagh. She had been going under four different name 3. So far as he could find out she was a single girl, and was not married to the man Clarke. William M. Jacks, warehouseman, a single man, gave evidence that he had known deceased for four months. They lived in Tinakori road as man and wife. When witness told her he had to travel for his firm he offered to pay her passage money to Grafton, near Sydney, her birthplace, but ehe declined this assistance. They occupied separate rooms, and on Friday night bade each other an affectionate goodnight. Witness heard no disturbance during the night. The revolver found at deceased's side belonged to witness, and when he last saw it it was not loaded. In reply to a juryman, witness said he did not tear up the letters. The girl was somewhat despondent lately. Charles Barnes, commercial traveller, said he saw deceased on Thursday, and had a walk with her. She then appeared to be much put out. She said everything was going wrong with her, and she would make an end of herself. She told witness she had Jacks's revolver fully loaded, and added that there was enough for both of them. Witness remonstrated with deceased for speaking as she had done. Eventually deceased admitted that if she shot Jacks she would be a murderess, and promised not to again offend. Witness saw deceased next day at her house, when she again acted strangely and produced a revolver, but eventually threw it into a chest of drawers. He believed the woman intended to shoot Jacks. The jury, after consultation, returned a verdict " That the deceased took her life while in an unsound state of mind:" The foreman informed the acting-coroner that the jury desired to express theira^preciation of the t^t3d_aciiKßa^pi^eTbyCOTSiaiileS?ytfeße_ "nTpiecing the torn letters together, &c.