Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 25 January 1912
Girl-Wife’s Suicide
Doncaster Coroner Condemns Poison Laws.
The Doncaster Coroner, who held an inquest yesterday at Denaby on the body of Annie Higgins (22), of Blythe Street. New Conisborough, a married woman, who committed suicide Tuesday night drinking carbolic acid, said the law with regard to the sale of poisons was very unsatisfactory, and something ought to be done.
The jury’s verdict was “Suicide during temporary insanity.”’ The evidence showed that Mrs. Higgins gave birth to a child about twelve months ago, and that had left her in a poor stale of health. She had also suffered from influenza.
Mrs. Rose Fox, a neighbour, said on Tuesday last the deceased sent a chemist’s shop for two bottles of carbolic acid, and the explanation she gave was that she intended to disinfect. Shortly afterwards she went upstairs, and about twenty minutes later her husband called out to her, but received no reply. He went upstairs, and found his wife lying on the bod with the bottle at her side.
Death took place shortly afterwards.