Mexborough Times, January 30th 1915
Conisbrough Sensation
Tragedy of a Worried Mother
Wanted to Die
The death, in tragic circumstances, of Mrs Annie Elizabeth Sargan, a member of an old established and widely respected Conisbrough family, occupied the attention, on Monday morning of the Doncaster district coroner, Mr Frank Allen, and a jury.
Joseph Sargan, Butcher, of Conisbrough, said deceased, who was his wife, was 59 years of age. She had been afflicted with ill-health for some four months past. Since September, when her son enlisted in the army, she had been very troubled and upset, and had said more than once that she would like to die.
In consequence of a low state, he and his son, William Henry, kept a careful watch on her but on Saturday morning, shortly before seven, he lefther inthe house with their daughter, while he went into the shop to attend to the business. He returned a quarter of an hour later, to find that his wifehad sent herdaughter upstairs to play the piano, and had herself disappeared. He at once sent round to the houses where she was likely to be found, and searched the village until eleven. At daybreakhis son went out and resumed the search, finding his mother’s body at length in Mr Wilson’s dam on the Low Road.
Mr Henry Sargan, son of the last witness and of deceased, confirmed his father’s story as to his mother’s troubled state. He did not join the search on Saturday night, but on Sunday morning he went out at daybreak and went to the river. Discovering nothing there, he went to Mr Wilson’s dam, to which there was a private road from the highway. There he found his mother’s body floating in about 6 feet of water, and drawn close-up to the shuttle. He summoned the police, and with their assistancehad the body conveyed home.
The coroner said that was all of the evidence, and upon it the jury had the alternative of bringing one of three verdicts. They might find that the unfortunate deceased committed suicide during temporary insanity, or that she met her death accidentally, or again they might leave the verdict open.
After a brief discussion, the jury returned a verdict of “found drowned.”
Mr A Moody, on behalf of the jury, expressed sympathy with the bereaved relatives, and the coroner tended his personal condolences.