Suicide at Conisborough

Last night Mr FE Nicholson held an inquest at the Three Horse Shoes In respecting the death of Elizabeth Gates, aged 33, wife of Henry Guest, employed at the Rothervale pit, and who lives at Treeton.

It appeared that on Thursday night deceased called at the house of Henry Dale at Newton and asked to be allowed to rest a little, as she had palpitation of the heart. Whilst there she begged a sheet of notepaper and wrote something upon it. She said she had come from Doncaster and was going forward to Conisborough.

A short time after she left Dale’s house attention was called to some woman’s clothes on the riverbank, and on the river been dragged deceased body was found, and was then warm. A sheet of notepaper. Into our umbrella, with the following words written upon it:

“Anyone finding these please take them to Conisborough Station Inn, for New Hexthorpe Doncaster to Mr George Ward signalman.– by that time I shall not be far off in water.”

Deceased had been in the Asylum twice, and was recently taken to Rotherham workhouse. Five weeks ago she and her husband removed from Conisborough to Treeton, and she was unable to settle down.

A verdict that she had committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind was returned.