JANE WILLIAMS
SAD CASE of DROWNING at NEWBURY.
MELANCHOLY END OF A YOUNG WOMAN.
The body of the young woman, Jane Williams, whose sudden and mysterious disappearance last week produced so much excitement, was found early Tuesday morning in the Kennet, not far distant from Greenham Mills. The deceased, who was about 20 years of age, was a domestic servant, and went out on the afternoon of Sunday June 17th, and did not again return. She appears to have spent part of the afternoon and evening in the company of a young man a soldier. She had promised to have tea with her mother, and parted from the soldier ostensibly with that object, at about half-past four, rejoining him at six, but where she went in the meantime is not known, as she did not go home according to promise. She parted from the soldier in St. John's road, at nine o'clock, and went down the town, as she alleged to see a female friend.
She was next observed standing alone on Newbury Bridge, and an hour later she was seen in West-mills walking along by the water-side. She was then alone, and about ten minutes afterwards some residents in West-fields sate they heard cries for help proceeding from the direction of the river. It is conjectured that the shrieks proceeded from the deceased, though nothing definite has been adduced, and probably never will be cleared up, as the only person capable of affording any explanation has now passed to that bourn from which no traveller returns. One thing, however, is pretty clear, that the girl was never afterwards seen alive. Her friends became alarmed at her absence, and the police were informed.
An active search was instituted, and the river was dragged in the locality where she was last seen, while the relatives made enquiries of their friends living at a distance. No trace of the missing girl could anywhere be discovered, and a good many people doubted that she was in the river, but had gone away from the neighbourhood.
As a last resource the superstitious plan was tried on Monday evening of placing a quantity of quicksilver in a loaf of bread and placing it in the water, allowing it to drift where it would, the belief being that it would be attracted to the dead body, and remain stationary over the spot where it lay. An instance where this was successfully tried at Newbury was mentioned in the Gentleman’s Magazine of a hundred years age. The experiment of last Monday, however, was not attended with success, The loaf was started at the bend of the Kennet at the top of Northcrott and, watched by a large number of spectators, it proceeded down the stream. passing under Newbury Bridge, but soon afterwards was lost to sight.
The river was also drawn low on Monday, and at the spot where the body was subsequently found the water was very low, but nothing was seen of it. It was not until the following morning (Tuesday) that a woman living in one of the cottages close by the stream, who went to dip up a bucket of water, saw the hand and arm of a woman just under the surface of the water. She called her neighbour, who went and informed the police. Police-Constables Jones and Hibbs were were soon upon the scene, and went to the mill to obtain a drag. Meanwhile Mr. Lipscombe, of West-mills, came along, and obtaining a prop, got the body to the bank, and assisted the policemen to get it out of the water.
The girl was fully dressed, had her gloves on, but her hat was missing.The body was taken to a stable at the “ White Hart,” where it was laid to await the inquest The features were very much discoloured by the action of the water. It is a singular fact that the body was discovered within a few yards of the place where the body of the man Neale, a brewer's labourer, who was drowned a year or two back, was found. It thought that the body passed through the hatches at Town Mills, and followed the course of the river. The clothes of the deceased would make the body buoyant. The facts as elicited at the inquiry will be found in the subjoined report of the inquest, where some facts are deposed which probably afford a solution to this distressing occurrence. A great deal of excitement was aroused and during the holding of the inquiry a large number of persons assembled in the Market-place, anxious to learn the verdict and any of the painful facts connected with the unhappy end of this poor girl.
THE INQUEST.
The necessary inquiry held on Tuesday evening at the "White Hart" Hotel, before Dr. H. Watson, J.P., Borough Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. G. Clements was foreman. The jury having viewed the body, which was lying in an adjoining stable, the following evidence was taken.
Thomas Williams, hawker, said he was brother to the deceased, whom he identified as his sister. He had seen her once since Christmas.
Mary Williams, mother of the deceased, said she last saw her on Saturday week, when she went to see her at Mrs, Blacket’s in Porchester-villas, where she was living as a general servant. She had heard that she was leaving and she asked her if this was true. Deceased said it was and that she was going te leave that night. Witness asked he to stay until Monday and she promised she would. She also said she would come home and have a cup of tea on Sunday. Witness told her she should expect her, and then said good-night. She made no further remark about her leaving, and beyond crying when she left she saw no difference in her manner than usual. She did not give any reason leaving her situation, nor did she come home on Sunday to tea.
Mr. W. J. Blacket, residing at No. 6, Porchester-villas, said the deceased had been in his service since March 20th. She had frequently spoken to Mrs. Blacket about leaving, particularly on the Saturday morning, the 16th. She gave no special reason, but said she should leave at 6 o'clock that evening. Her mother hearing of this came up in the afternoon and persuaded her to stay a day or two longer. She accordingly stayed over until the Sunday and did her work as usual on Sunday morning, She went out after dinner as she always did, without making remark to anyone, and from that time they saw no more of her.
Mrs. Blacket happened to go on Saturday evening to a desk which she always kept locked, and in which there were several sovereigns, perhaps £8 or £10. She found that nearly the whole of the money was gone. She went up into the deceased's room and found there a sovereign and some silver. She identified the sovereign from an ink mark upon it as having been one of those in the desk. The money had been all safe about three weeks before, and no one else had been in the house. When witness came home that evening about 10 o'clock. Mrs. Blacket acquainted him with the discovery she had made, and he charged deceased with having taken the money, saying It was a very serious matter and he might have to place it in the hands of the police. She made no reply except to deny having taken it. Nothing more was said, and neither he nor Mrs. Blacket afterwards referred to it in any way. They expected her back on the Sunday evening as usual, but she did not return. They communicated with her mother the following day. They had not the slightest suspicion that the deceased contemplated suicide.
Caleb Bartholomew a private in the 1st Wilts Regiment, said he knew the deceased. he last saw her on Sunday week when he met her by appointment about 20 minutes past two just outside Porcherter-villas. They went for a walk towards Sandleford, and returned by way of Long-rneadows about half-past four. He left her just above the "Black Boys." He saw no difference in her manner and conversation. She said she was leaving on the following day, but did not say why she was leaving. She said she was going home to tea, and about six o'clock she came to his home, No. 3, Park-view-terrace. They went for a walk again in the same direction, a young man named Hammond being with them. They returned at ten minutes to nine, but as she refused to pass Mr. Blacket's house, he took her round by Long-meadows again. Hammond went on straight down the road, and waited at the "London Apprentice" for witness. He left her at the corner of the road leading up to the back of Porchester-villas. He told her she had better go in and she would only be a quarter of an-hour late. She however said she going to see a girl named Willis. Instead of going home she went down the road leading to the station, and he did not see her again. There was no difference in her manner in the evening which would lead him to suppose anything dreadful was going to happen. He had only known her for five weeks, and had walked out with her every Sunday. Previous to leaving her that evening he asked deceased if she was in trouble, and after repeated questions she admitted she was. She did not seem to care to teII much about it, but she gave some further particulars and they parted good friends, arranging to meet again on Tuesday evening.
William Piddington, carpenter, living in West-mills, said he knew the deceased girl. On Sunday week the 17th, at ten minutes past two, he saw her in West-mills just beyond the swing bridge. He said to her "Are you going up to take the sea-breezes Janie?” and she said "No not exactly." She passed on up the waterside, and as she got to Mr. Adey's the builder, she stopped and turned round, but went on again. He only knew her by speaking to her in the street. He went indoors soon afterwards, and heard nothing more until Monday night when he saw her mother and Mrs. Aldridge going up the waterside. He asked them if they were after her daughter, as he had heard it said that if things did not alter she should drown herself. He told them what he had seen the previous evening, and they went up as far as First-bridge, but saw nothing of her.
Emma Lailey, living at Greenham-cottages, Mill-lane, said she got up that morning a little before six and going to the river to dip up a pail of water, she stood looking at the water, thinking of this poor girl, and thought she could see something. She took her water to the wash-home and returned and looked at the object for several minutes, when she saw the hand and arm of a woman. She called to her neighbour, and he agreed to go and fetch the police. She stopped until two policemen came, who went to the mill for a drag. In the meantime Mr. Lipscombe came along the lane, and she told him the fact. He carne over and obtained a prop, with which he got the body to the bank.
P.C. Jones deposed to searching the body. and produced a letter found on the deceased. It was written on black-edged notepaper, and was addressed to her mother. The action of the water had, however, rendered it almost undecipherable. Nothing could be made of the first part, but the latter part ran as follows:-
“Give my love to them and all belonging to me. I could not tell Absalom [her brother] this morning what was on my mind. For to see how sorrowful you seemed to look and knowing I am the cause of all this, it nearly breaks may heart. I ask once more dear mother you to forgive and all my friends as well, if you can, but I expect they will it very hard to do. I have no moreto say now my dear mother, I must close with fond and dearest love to all my brothers and sister and especially to you dear mother, and close with love from your wayward daughter, JANIE”
P C. Jones said several other letters were found upon the deceased, but none bearing upon the case. There was no money, only an empty purse.
Mr Blacket said the notepaper on which the letter was written was similar to that in use in his house.
A juror said he understood the girl meant to have sent the letter to her mother, but was unable to find a boy to take it. The date on the letter was scarcely discernible but it was either Friday or Saturday.
Mr Richard Hickman said by order of the Coroner he inspected the body of the deceased. The face was a great discoloured and swollen, and the upper part of the chest. There were no marks of violence on the body. The head was not cut, nor were there any wounds anywhere on the body. There was no doubt in his mind that she was far gone in pregnancy.
The Coroner asked if this was all the evidence the police had to offer. He had heard that persons had heard shrieks on the Sunday evening.
Sergt. Borlase said he had also heard rumours of this but could bring no definite evidence of ther same.
The Coroner, in summoning up the evidence, referred to the painful nature of the case and said that there was no doubt but that the poor girl, involved as she was in a double trouble, premeditated this act. She had borne herself in a wonderfully calm manner, having disguised her feelings rom the young man she was with on Sunday, so that he failed to notice anything unusual. Acting under his suggestion the jury returned the following verdict: “That the said Jane Williams was found drowned on the 26th June in the river Kennet in this borough. There were no marks of violence found on her, but how or by what means she came into the river no evidence doth appear”
The Coroner said before the Jury separated he wished to express his great regret that the jury had still to view the bodies of the deceased persons under such circumstances. He had written to the Mayor and Corporation respecting the want of a public mortuary (hear hear), as it was neither reverent nor decent to have to place a body on a sack in a stable.
In answer to his application the Town Council quite acquiesced, but there appeared to have been a little delay in obtaining a site. He believed a suitable site had been fixed upon and the Chairman of the Estate Committee had told him it would be proceeded with as soon as possible (hear hear). The funeral of the deceased girl took place yesterday at Newbury Cemetery.
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