Thomas and Sarah Marshall - final answer (General)

by unknown, Sunday, December 16, 2012, 19:32 (4434 days ago) @ Jean Herbert

This should put the question to rest. Below is a recap of 4 newspaper articles
from the Hereford Times in 1853. I have typed them just as they are
written.

Article 1: July 9th, 1853
Attempted Suicide- A man of the name of Thomas Mansell, shepherd to Mr.
Winnal, a highly respectable farmer, residing at The Court Farm, near Ross,
attempted suicide, by swallowing a considerable portion of a deleterious
preparation for dressing sheep. It appears that Mansell had been carrying on
an intrigue with a female domestic in Mr. Winnal's establishment, which
reached his wife's ears, and she went to The Court, to see and upbraid her
rival for her misconduct. In this the poor woman, who is the mother of five
children, was disappointed, as the guilty creature refused to see her. She
then sought out her husband, who, when he saw her, in a surly tone demanded
what brought her there. He was then mixing the stuff for the sheep and told
his wife that it was salts, and asked her to drink it, as it would do her
good, and she to please him, just tasted it. When she refused to take it he
said he would drink it and immediately raised it to his lips, which his
wife seeing, attempted to prevent, by striking the cup from him. But she was
too late to prevent him from drinking a considerable portion of it. A part
of the liquid also falling in his eyes. Having drunk the stuff he fell
down insensible. Mrs. Mansell immediately gave an alarm, and Mr. Winnals's
groom procured some oil and milk, which he poured down his throat, whilst a
messenger was dispatched for a doctor, who, when he arrived, immediately
used the stomach pump. The foolish man now lies in a very dangerous state,
with very little hopes of his recovery; and if he should recover it is
feared that he will suffer the loss of his sight.

Article 2: July 16th, 1853
Suicide- The misguided man, Thomas Marshall, who attempted his life as
reported in our last, died on Sunday morning from the effects of the poison.
He has left a widow and five children, to lament their loss. it appears
that his wife expected shortly to receive a sum of money, with which the
deceased and the female with whom the improper intimacy existed, intended to
take their departure for America. He had made all the necessary arrangements
for that purpose, and it is surmised that a discovery of his base intension
led to the commission of the act. On the affair being known to Mr. Winnals,
he immediately discharged the female.

Article 3: July 20th 1853
Felo-De-Se Singular Poisoning Case.
An inquest was held at the Linton Clubhouse on Wednesday last, by H.
Underwood, Esq., on the body of a shepherd named Marshall, who had taken poison
under most singular circumstances on the 30th ult. and lingered till Monday
se' night. The following evidence was taken:-
Jas. Marshall deposed: I am a labourer and reside in this parish: the
deceased was an uncle of mine; on the 30th of last June I had occasion to go
to see my uncle at Ecoleshall Court; when I arrived there he had just
finished his breakfast; I did not observe anything strange in his manner; I never
heard the deceased say he would poison himself; he did not mention his
wife's name during the time I was with him; I left him about four o'clock in
the afternoon.
Sarah Marshall Deposed: I am the deceased's wife; I have been married ten
years and have had five children by the deceased; I have not at times
lived comfortably with my husband; his manner has been rather strange to me
lately; I was no aware that he had been intimate with the housemaid at
Ecoleshall Court, but on the 30th of June last Caroline Probert told me that they
had been seen together; I have had reason to complain of my husband's
intimacy with other women on former occasions: in consequence of what Caroline
Probert told me I went to Ecoleshall Court to see my husband, and I accused
him of what I had heard; he said to me "come here, you do not know what
you are taking about", I did not go to him; he was then apparently waiting for
his dinner; I wanted to see the servant girl, but she would not come to
me; on former occasions when I have remonstrated with him he has struck me,
he did not do so on this occasion; after I had been to the house I went to
him again, and he offered me some cider; I said "are you not ashamed to
carry on as you have done?" when he replied that it would make no odds to me or
the girl about him; he then went into the saddle room and drank some
cider; I have heard the deceased say when in a passion or in drink that he
should soon have done with it, which I thought meant that he would destroy
himself; he was very passionate, but when his passion was over he was always
sorry for what he had done:

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