Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 25 May 1928

Woman’s Suicide.

Coroner and Conduct of a Wombwell Lodger.

A verdict of “Suicide while temporarily of unsound mind” was returned yesterday at Wombwell on Ellen Wright (24), wife of miner residing Thompson Road, Wombwell, who drowned herself in a canal near the Cortonwood Colliery on Monday.

Mrs. Lunn, wife of George William Lunn, of Roebuck Street, sister-in-law of deceased, said that at about 10 o’clock on Monday morning Mrs. Wright came to her house. She left her little girl (aged 2), saying she was going down the street. Witness understood her to mean that she was going to do some shopping. Later William Rounds, who lodged with the Wrights, came in. She asked him where Mrs. Wright was, and he replied that he did not know. Rounds left the house and returned about noon in excited condition. She asked him “What has gone wrong?” “It looks funny,” he replied, “I may as well tell you. I have been thick with her. I loved her.” She asked him how long it had been going on, and told her it had happened before.

In evidence Rounds said: “I admit I have been with her many time before but not that morning”

The Coroner said there had been frank admission on the part of Rounds as to his conduct with the wife of the man with whom he lodged. That was about all one could say in his favour.

The jury censured Rounds, but one of them remarked that there were six of one and half a dozen of the other.