Inquest held on 23 Sep 1907

Report of The Croydon Express, Saturday September 28th 1907:

MARRIED WOMANS'S SUICIDE - The Borough Coroner (Dr. T. Jackson) held an inquest on Monday, at the Croydon General Hospital, concerning the death of Harriet Hall, aged 53 years. - John Minter Hall, husband of deceased, a tea buyer, living at 21, Lodge Villas, Windmill Road, said that his wife had not been well for some time, and had been ordered by the doctor to Folkestone, where she stayed for three weeks. She returned on August 25th, not much better. Witness had had slight business worries, and was intending to sell his house. Deceased was also slightly worried. On Friday night witness took some pork chops home for supper, which his wife cooked. Deceased, however, did not eat them. She went to bed at 11.30 p.m., and witness remained to write a letter. When witness went upstairs he found her in a back room, where she was lying down, looking very pale. Deceased afterwards said, "I have taken poison; get me a glass of salt and water." She told Dr. Munster, whom witness had fetched, that the poison was in the bathroom. The doctor advised deceased's removal to the Hospital. Deceased's life was not insured. - Mr. James Ingram Perry Wilson, junior house surgeon at the Hospital, said that deceased was admitted at 1.30 a.m. on Saturday. She collapsed on arrival. Dr. Munster accompanied her and produced a bottle containing spirits of salts. Deceased was treated in the usual way, but died on Saturday from heart failure, due to poisoning. - A verdict of "Suicide during temporary insanity" was returned.