Shocking Suicide at Newton Abbot: The Inquest Yesterday: An inquest was held on Mrs. Pinsent’s body on Friday afternoon—Mr. Thomas May said: I reside at Southford, Staverton, I identified the body of Jane Pinsent, she is my sister. I believe she is thirty-seven years old, and the wife of John Ball Pinsent. I saw her yesterday afternoon; she was still alive, but unconscious. I came to Newton between four and five yesterday, on a little matter of business; came straight to the house from the station and walked into the house. My wife came with me on a friendly business matter to my mother (as I am trustee under a marriage settlement), and the servant was sent up to ask Mrs. Pinsent to come downstairs. She was in her own bedroom. She did not reply, as she had locked herself in. I tried to force the door open, but could not, and we then got a ladder outside, and had to get in by the window. This was about 4.40 p.m. I then saw her fully dressed lying on the bed. I thought she had broken a blood vessel. I entered the room, and the first thing I did was to unlock the door and let the servants in, who were on the outside waiting. On examining Mrs. Pinsent. I thought she had taken laudanum. She was lying on the bed on her back, with her mouth open. She was breathing heavily when I saw her first, and there was a gurgling in the throat. I should think she lived ten minutes after I first saw her. I sent for brandy. I examined the room, and found a blue glass bottle as the mantelpiece, with a stopper in it. The bottle was produced. From what I know of the deceased, she has always lived on good terms with her mother and her husband. She had spent more than her income before she was married, and I had spoken to her about it. This was a thing she had done recently (spent more than her income), but it was not a serious matter. not enough to prey on her mind, or to induce her to take her life. I don’t know if she had been troubled about anything. Mary Ann Couch, a domestic servant in the employ of Mrs. Pinsent, said that yesterday the deceased, her husband, and others sat down to dinner together. Deceased was nursing her baby on the landing before the witness went out after she had her dinner. She did not see her mistress return, but when Mr. and Mrs. May, of Staverton, came, she went to the deceased’s bedroom door and told her, and she said she would be down in a minute. She looked out of the door and was rather pale. Some short time after they arrived, Mr. May went to the room, and could not get access. He then got a ladder and entered the room. Witness then fetched a doctor. Ever since she had been in her present situation she had witnessed no unpleasantness between Mr. and Mrs. Pinsent, or Mrs. Pinsent and her mother. Mr. John Ball Pinsent, the husband of the deceased, said, I live in Buckland and I am a wine merchant. The deceased was my wife. I dined alone yesterday between one and two. Before I left in the morning, at nine o’clock, to go to my business in Queen-Street, I left her in her usual health. She was the same when I came home to dinner. We sat down together, and we made a very good dinner. I don’t know who my wife had written a letter to. Recently she had been complaining of a cold in her stomach. She had the cholic some time ago. She has shown a strangeness of late, and went to consult Dr. Cann, of Dawlish, about a fortnight ago. Dr. Cann had attended her for years. I knew nothing at all about the business. Mr. May came to see her. She had not mentioned to me the subject of her having overdrawn her account at the bank. I can throw no light at all upon the subject. Ann Nathan, cook, in the employ of Mrs. Pinsent said: I was at dinner yesterday, and went directly over to the stairs and saw Mrs. Pinsent nursing the baby in the nursery. She let me have the baby shortly after three, and kissed it, and went in the bedroom and locked herself in. I never saw her again until Mr. May broke into the room and had her lifted up from the bed. Several other witnesses were examined, including Dr. Scott, a chemist of Newton Abbot, and others. The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that Mrs. Pinsent destroyed herself whilst in an unsound state of mind.
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Referenced
GRO0470 Devonport: Jane Pinsent: 1847 – 1884
GRO0517 Devonport: John Ball Pinsent: 1844 – 1890