Folkestone Express
2-2-1924
Inquest
On Monday afternoon a shocking discovery was made in the
Folkestone Warren, near Abbott`s Cliff Tunnel, by Mr. A.W. Bridges, of the
Martello Hotel, Folkestone, who was out shooting, coming across the body of a
woman in a dyke under the cliff, about 150 feet from the top. The County Police
were informed, and a number of them proceeded from Seabrook, and in the
darkness carried the body to the top of the cliff, and removed it to the Royal
Oak Inn, Hougham. It was subsequently identified as that of Mrs. Mary Ann
Datlen, aged 58, who lived at the Red Lion Inn, Dover, and who had been missing
since Sunday. At the top of the cliff was discovered a handbag, and footmarks
indicated where someone had gone over the cliff.
Mr. Rutley Mowll, the East Kent Coroner, conducted an
inquiry into the circumatances on
Tuesday afternoon at the Royal Oak Inn.
The Coroner said deceased was the wife of Thomas Stephen
Datlen, of the Red Lion Inn, Charlton Green, Dover. She apparently left home
about 3 p.m. on the 27th January and disappeared. At 4 p.m. on
Monday the body was discovered three parts of the way down Abbott`s Cliff. She
had recently undergone a serious operation. Her handbag was found on top of the
cliff, and in the bag was found a piece of paper with the following words
written upon it: Don`t worry. My brain gave way. That pointed to a case of
suicide.
Percival Thomas Datlen, of 43, Clarendon Road, Dover, an
engine driver, identified the body as that of his mother who lived at the Red
Lion, Charlton Green, with his father, who was the licensee of the inn. She was
58 years of age. He lasy saw her alive about 10.45 on Saturday night, when she
seemed as usual. She had been worried about her health and an operation which
she had had two months ago. She was last seen on Sunday about 4.40 p.m. by an
engine driver named Edward Iggulden, who saw her in the Market Square at Dover.
He (witness) recognised the handwriting and her handbag. His father said he
would go for a walk with her, but she told him to keep in, and she would go out
herself. She would find some friends, or she would go to No. 5, Park Street,
his (witness`s) aunt`s house. He later made enquiries, and found that she had
not called there. He (witness) thought she must have taken a bus, as she was
too weak to walk far.
Albert William Bridges, of the Martello Hotel, Dover Road,
Folkestone, said he helped his father, who was a licensed victualler. On Monday
afternoon, about four o`clock, he was walking through the Warren with his dog,
shooting. When was coming up a footpath leading to the top of the cliff near
the Royal Oak Inn, his dog`s movements drew his attention to something. He
walked across to where the dog was, and found the body, which lay in a dyke
under the cliff. She was dead. She was three quarters of the way down the
cliff, and had it not been for some brambles and the dyke she would have gone
to the bottom. He did not move the body, but informed the police.
P,C, Luckhurst, stationed at Seabrook, of the K.C.C., stated
that about 5 p.m. on the 28th inst., a telephone communication was
received from the Folkestone police that a woman had been found dead over the
cliff opposite the Royal Oak, Hougham. He was instructed, with other officers,
by Supt. Russell, to proceed to the spot. They arrived about 5.45, and in
company with the last witness proceeded down the cliff. The last witness showed
him where the body lay. She was dead at the time, fully dressed, and still
warm. She lay on her back in the ditch. She had dragged through a lot of
brambles, which evidently stopped her going further down the cliff. They
conveyed her to the Royal Oak on a stretcher. They then searched the top of the
cliff and found a handbag (produced) lying on the footpath, which was about
twelve to fourteen feet from the edge of the cliff and ran along the top of it.
The handbag was at the top of the cliff immediately above the spot where the
body was found. There were also five small footprints leading to the edge of
the cliff from the footpath. He examined the handbag, and found it contained
money, a letter, etc., and a piece of paper which was on the top of the other
things, and which bore the words £Don`t worry. My brain gave way”. There was no
pencil found on the body.
Mr. Datlen, re-called, said he informed the police about 7
p.m. on Sunday evening that his mother was missing. The paper was not like her
writing pad. He did not think she wrote it at home. She used to carry a pencil
with her.
Dr. E. Elliot, of Dover, said he had examined the body, and
found rigor mortis well marked. There were no injuries to the head. The neck
was broken above the third vertebra. There was a bruise on the left side of the
chest, and the left wrist was broken, and both legs were fractured. The
injuries to the neck would cause instantaneous death. Deceased had been a
patient of his for 40 years. He last saw her about three weeks ago. She was not
quite so happy as usual, and said she thought she ought to get on better. She
was operated upon at St. Thomas`s Hospital, London, and she on the whole was
making a remarkable recovery. She was somewhat depressed at times.
The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst temporarily
insane”.
Folkestone Herald
2-2-1924
Inquest
A pathetic story of how depression following an operation
resulted in suicide during a fit of temporary insanity was told at an inquest
touching the death of Mrs. Mary Ann Philadelphia Datlen, of the Red Lion Inn,
Charlton Green, Dover, held at the Royal Oak, Hougham, on Tuesday, by the East
Kent Coroner (Mr. Rutley Mowll). Deceased`s dead body was found about three
quarters of the way down Abbott`s Cliff, in the Warren, by Mr. A.W. Bridges, of
Martello Hotel, Dover Road, who was attracted to the spot by the action of his
dog. At the top of the cliff was found a note saying “Don`t worry. My brain
gave way”.
At the inquest Mr. Percival Thomas Datlen, of Dover, son of
deceased, said that his mother had a serious operation about two months ago.
Deceased left her house about 3.15 p.m. on Sunday with the intention of
visiting her sister, but she did not call on her.
Mr. Albert William Bridges stated that about 4 p.m. on
Monday he was walking up the footpath from the Warren to the Royal Oak Inn,
when his attention was drawn to something by the actions of his dog. On walking
over to the dog he found the dead body of a woman lying in a dyke under the
cliff. Had it not been for some brambles the body would have fallen to the bottom.
He reported the matter to the police.
P.C. Luckhurst, K.C.C., gave evidence as to the removal of
the body to the top of the cliff. At the top of the cliff was a note and a
handbag containing a letter.
The Coroner stated that from one of the letters in the bag
it seemed that deceased had a relation at Hythe. Mr. Datlen said he did not
think the letter had any bearing on their family at all, and he did not think
deceased had been to Hythe.
The Coroner stated that deceased could not have been dead
long, as the body was warm.
Dr. E. Elliott, deceased`s medical adviser, said that on the
whole Mrs. Datlen was making a good recovery after her operation. On examining
the body that day he found that the neck was broken.
The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound
mind.
