Broadside entitled 'Awful Suicide'

Transcription

Awful Suicide                                                               

A full and particular Account of the Abduction of a
Young Lady, and awful Suicide committed by a
Captain M. on Saturday last, near Stratford; with
an account how the Lady was providentially saved
from being murdered by him.?Edin. Courant.

A young lady, of considerable personal attractions and now about
nineteen years old, and who, on coming of age, will be entitled to an
independent fortuue of her own of about five hundred pounds a-year,
living in great respectability with her father at Kensington, had been
for some time persecuted with the addresses and attention of Captain
M., who had in some measure been received by her family as a suitor
for her hand. He had, however, lately shown considerable jealousy
of her, and had displayed much violence of temper. On Saturday
last, Miss------had been making a morning call on a lady in the
neighbourhood, whose husband returned home with her to her
father's house, and, in a very short time after, Captain M. arrived,
and, on learning she had just returned home, accompanied by a
gentleman, betrayed the greatest agitation and passion, and, pro-
ducing a brace of pistols from his pocket, declared to Miss------,
that, had he met her with the gentleman, he would have blown his
brains out with one pistol and have destroyed himself with the o-
ther. He then urged her, as a proof of her sincerity, to take a walk
with him. She, however, became alarmed at his violence, and en-
deavoured to excuse herself; she, however, by his threats and inti-
midations, at length consented to go, but her alarm was so great,
that under an excuse of arranging some parts of her dress, she had
an opportunity of retiring for a few minutes, during which time
she desired her man-servant to follow her wherever she went, with-
ont letting Captain M. observe him, and should she be obliged to
get into a coach, he was to take one also, as she was alarmed at
Captain M.'s conduct. They had not walked far before she was
put into a coach by Captain M. ; the servant, however, could not
find another coach to get into, but, at the instant, an omnibus go-
ing the same way, he got into it, thinking he should be able to
keep the coach in sight; in this, however, he did not succeed, and
on coming into the city lost all trace of his young mistress. In
the meantime Captain M. took her from the coach to a Stratford
stage in Leadenhall Street, in which they weni to the Eagle and
Child at Forest Gate, about a mile beyond Stratford ; after they had
been there some time, he again persuaded her to take another walk
in the country, not before she had strong fears of his intending
something dreadful Afcer walking down the lane nearly as far as
Maryland Point, he became suddenly ill, and calling to her to come
to him, fell down. She, however, ran from him, imploring assist-
ance ; he constanly calling out to her to come to him. The only
person ne r at the instant, was an Irish woman, who Miss------
begged would help the gentleman ; he, however, refused to be as-
sisted by her, and called the more, " Mary Ann, Mary Ann, it is
you I want near me ;" at the same time feeling for something at
his breast, under his coat. His illness increased, and by this time
assistance arrived, and he was cenvcyed back to the Eagle and
Child, where he acknowledged having taken laudanum, and under
his coat was discovered a dagger, with which he intended to make
Miss------his victim. The laudanum taking effect sooner and
stronger than he expected, was the cause of her escape from this
horrid project. Mrs Mosely, the landlady of the Eagle and Child,
on his being brought; back, recollected hearing him say as he went
out, to Miss------, " Never mind, Mary Ann, our troubles in this
life will soon be over, and then we shall be happy in the next"
Medical assistance being immediately sent for from Stratford, Dr
Elliott and his assistant soon arrived, and although every means
were resorted to in order to save his life, the quantity of laudanum
he had taken was too powerful, although the stomach pump was
used within as short a time as possible.

Dr Elliott remained with him the whole night, and at 3 o'clock
on Sunday morning he died in the greatest agonies. The situation
of Miss -----, who was in the anjoining room, was scarcely less
pitiable; her friends, however, from what little information the
servant had been able to give, had by this time traced where she
was, and soon afterwards a gentleman conveyed her back to her
father's house. The most remarkable part of this dreadful affair is,
that after his deat, Miss------and her friends for the first time dis-
covered that he was a married man, and has a wife living. An
inquest was held on Tuesday on his body, at the Eagle and Child.

Edinburgh : Printed for John Lyons.?Price One Penny.

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