LOVERS’ TRAGIC DEATH PACT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20441, 20 October 1934, Page 28 (Supplement)

LOVERS’ TRAGIC DEATH PACT.

SPUN A COIN FOR FIRST SHOT. PLAYED PONTOON WHILE DECIDING TO END LIVES PLANNEL DEATH DIVE OVER CLIFF—"I WAS A COWARD" WROTE WOMANFOUND LATER GASSED IN FLAT—FIANCE FOUND SHOT IN LONELY WOOD—"WHEREVER I LOOK I SEE HIM FALLING" —AMAZING LETTER WHILE CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE MELODRAMA OF ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE.

While trying to decide how beet to carry out a suicide pact, Robert Dawson, victim of the Friday Street (a Surrey beauty spot) shooting tragedy, and Elsie Walsingham, who was found gassed in a Pimlico fiat, played pontoon at sixpence a point in a field. This dramatic disclosure was made when the last letter written by the woman was read at the inquest at Westminster concerning her death.

This was the letter: “I wish to clear up this mystery re Peter Dawson. Peter died at 11 o’clock on Saturday morning. He shot himself. Then 1 was to have taken the gun and shot mjeelf, but 1 was a coward. When I saw Peter tlie I could not do it that way. If you have ever watched a loved one die in agony you oddly enough think only of the agony. That is what 1 did, and I ran away. I have no excuse. 1 went out into the road and hailed a woman in a car and asked her for a lift.

“I had promised Peter 1 would join him—and I will—but just then all 1 could think about was the length of time he took to die. I sat beside him for a while and tried to talk to him and to warm liis hands. I think I was a little mad. Three or four times I got everything ready, and then hoped someone or something would startle me into jerking my foot and finishing myself. But I had not the courage, the silence was so appalling.”

[The coroner, Mr. Jngleby Oddie, ex plained that the writer referred to a pieci of string attached to her foot and to the gun trigger.]

The letter continued: “We left on Thursday afternoon, intending to do it then, but Peter wanted us to have a final night at an hotel, where we spent the

happiest time of our lives, and then on Friday we left to go to Bcaehy Head. We were going to drive over the cliffs, but the only thing was we might not be dead when picked up. Plan To Drive Over Black Rock. “So we bought a sharp knife and went to Brighton for some dinner. 1 wanted to dance, but we were too late. Peter was going to cut the main artery of each of us and then drive over Black Bock. Then he changed his mind, and decided he would rather we were together. So we drove to the Downs and got comfortable In the back of the car. 1 got ready for him to cut me, but he would not do it. “He said he would not hurt me, and could not let me cut my own. So we finally decided he would get his shotgun ami I should shoot myself and then lie would. We went back into Brighton and staved drinking tea and talking at a coffee stall until 4.30 a.m., and then drove slowlv through the l'og towards London. We stayed for a while outside SJinfold because it was too early. Then Peter took a lot of his visiting cards, and Ave made a pack of playing cards and played pontoon at sixpence a point, and 1 Avon Avhat avg had in hand. We gave that up and stayed so long that the rabbits came up close and the beautiful pheasants. I Won, But Let Him Go First. “Then Peter said he could not stand it any longer—it was like Avaiting to go oA'er the top in France. So Ave Avent on and got his gun and some cartridges at the post office. We had some tea and Avent into the woods I sat down and he made me comfortable and fixed the gun against the tree and the string to my foot. “I just had to giA e the slightest pressure and it Avould have been all over. 1 said good-bye, but suddenly Peter grabbed the gun and said no, he could not bear to see me die. He knew the sort of Avound shot guns make, and could not stand it. As avo could not do it together avo had to toss for it. I Avon, but knowing Peter’s feelings I let him go first. “I had ncA’er seen a death like that, and T had no idea about it. I thought it won 1.1 be over right away. It was awful. No matter Avheve I look I can see him falling over backwards. I took the string from his foot and put it on mine, and also round the trigger of the other barrel. Groaned and Gasped For Breath. “If Peter had been quiet I could have done it, but he groaned and gasped for breath, and the blood pumped out of his chest, so I held his head and tried to help. When lie died I Avas • frightened, and I just stumbled away and walked and AA'alked until I saA\ - the avo man Avho took me to Ifolmbury. “When I got back it was 2 o’clock. He Avas just like Avax. I got the gun and Avrote a note to the police. Then T Avas sure I saw Peter move, and I got frightened again and went outside and stood there. I took the gun Avith me and laid it under the car. “I talked to him for a while, and as lie did not answer 1 wrote to him just the things I would’ say. I am sure he understood, and T left the letter with him because it was his. Then T found T could not do it. I Avon Id not take his car. but 1 put the lights on so that he avouM not be left too long, then J tried to lift him; but he Avas too cold and stiff. Then I left him and Avalked over Leith Hill till I could get a lift to Cold harbour. There a Mr. Day gave me a lift into Dorking. 1 wanted to get the 8.30 coach.

“T Avalked up and down in an agonv ol mind all night and in the morning did iiia best to get some money for a room with a gas fire, or, better still, a gas oven.

“I had a bath at Charing Cross station It was terribly painful. My feet war. all blisters. All day Sunday I spent m the park and walked about ail night. I have wired to a friend to come to London and will, if 1 can, borrow £2 or £3 from him. Mad . . . Hungry . . . And So Tired.

“Now my name is all over the papers. I don't know what to do. 1 have b'-;en in Paddington station and 1 am writing this on the bench near the seat reservation place on platform two. 1 knotv J am mad, but 1 am awfully hungry, and so tired. If the worst comes to the worst 1 shall use the little money I have left to go into the country and starve to death. It would take only a week or ten

“L wonder if my friend will arrive and if he will be a friend or bring the police. If 1 can get the money, I will take a room or a flat with a gas oven. I am using my Peter’s pen. Please bury it with me, it is a.black one ... I am now in the train preparatory to going back to London.

“1 could only borrow 35/- For the first time in my life, I will not be able to repay debts after promising to do so. How I have managed to roam aoout London all day in evening dress and shoes, the Lord only knows. As Peter said, when I am at all self-conscious I become very unapproachable and a la duchesse. This is the only way to do it. T cannot 'go any further. I am sorry for the lady of this house. She is quite nice.” Wanted to be Big and Heroic. The coroner said there was another letter sent from Dorking, addressed to “Peter, darling.” Passages from it read: “What an arrant coward I am. I would not kill myself first as I wanted to be big and heroic in your eyes. I should have known I could not do it.

“Had it been instantaneous, I would not have minded, but the way you groaned and gasped for breath. I could not do it.” J'olice Constable Latter, a special inquiry officer, said a passport was found on the footway in Francis Street. Westminster. On the passport was the name Airs. J£lsie Hyman, maiden name Wulsingham, described as an estate agent. The book also showed that she was born in London iu 1911. Insisted on Gas Ring. Fernand Robert Belefortis, an hotel keeper, of Charlwood Street, Pimlico, said that the dead girl engaged a room at his hotel. iSho was alone, and gave the name of Kva Brown. She said she was going to slay for six weeks, and paid 28/ in advance. She had no luggage, but explained that she would telephone for it the next day. Air. Oddie: Did she insist on anything about her room? —Yes, she insisted on having a gas ring, and I gave her one. Belefovtis added that he noticed a smell at about 10.30 the same evening. He tried several keys in the door, but could not open it. He also turned off the gas at the meter. Previously he had telephoned to another house for a Aliss Day, asking her to bring some odd keys round. Air. Oddie asked why he fetched Aliss Day, and Bel?fortis replied that it was because there was no one else there, and be saw that there was a light in her room. He afterwards found that the dead girl was in beir, covered by the bedclothes. Girl Who Found the Body. The discovery of the girl’s body was described by Aliss April Day, a journalist. “We forced the door open,” said Aliss Day, “and went in. I lifted the blanket, which was pulled over her face, with a pillow on the head, and removed the gas tube from her mouth.” The gas tube, a relic of the tragedy, was then produced in court for Air. Oddie to inspect. “I thought she was dead,” continued Aliss Day. “I sent for the police and a doctor. I gave artificial respiration until the doctor , came and lifted her down on to the floor. Afterwards 1 found a letter under the pillow. 1 handed the letter to the doctor first and then to the police.” Police Constable L. Anderson said a photograph of Dawson, torn from a newspaper, was under the girl’s pillow. Her feet were cut and swollen. On the dressing table was a receipt for the room and a cloak-room ticket relating to two suitcases at Victoria Station. Dr. Taylor said that death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Inspector F. Norgate, of Dorking, said that the body of a mau named Peter Dawson was found shot through the chest at Abinger Common on August 19. State of Mind Jury’s Only Question. He handed the coroner a 12-page letter found under the man’s right arm, which was in the same handwriting as another letter in the coroner's possession. Air. Oddie said that it was obvious from the letters that the girl had taken lien own life. The only point the jury had to consider was the state of her mind. Without retiring the jury returned a verdict that death was due to asphyxia from coal-gas poisonimr. self-administered, and that the woman tilled herself while of unsound mind.