The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-17 00:00:00

THREATENED SUSPENSION OF 20,000

FORESTERS.

Thirteen years ago the High Court, the supreme
governing body oi the Foresters, now numericallY
the largest friendly society in the world, made it
compulsory that all future members admitted into the
order must pay contributions graduated according to
age and the benefits promised. A number of courts
have persistently violated the law, and haye disre-
garded warnings from the two last High Court meet-
ings. The executive council have just issued a final
warning, in which they intimate their intention of
enforcing the law, which will entail on the offending
courts suspension from the order. They add that,
as they are loth to take this step, they hope the
offenders will now promptly oonaply with the law.
It is computed that this notice affects 20,000 mem-
bers with over .£lOO,OOO funds; but their financial
condition would be much improved if they obeyed
the law.

Youth discounts the future, but age offers a pre-
mium for a return of theaost.

SUICIDE THROUGH LAWSUITS.

At the Fir Trees, Wanstead, on Saturday, Mr.
Lewis held an adjourned inquest on the body of
Henry Richard S'ollard, aged 62, a master lighter-
man and bargeowner, who was found shot in an out-
house of one of his houses on Dec. 31 last. James
William Davis, of Maybank-road, Woodford, a rope-
er, said that the deceased was his father-in-law,
his place of business being at Tower-buildings, High-
strect, Wapping. Witness last saw the deceased
conscious at half-past eight o'clock on Dec. 31, when
Witm ss went to business, leaving the deceased at the
brals fast table. Witness returned at night, and
learnng that deceased had not come home, he went
to Minor House, which was owned by the deceased,
but uroccupied, and, going to an outhouse, found the
deceased lying on his right side with blood issuing from
his forehead, while his face was begrimed with clotted
b!ood and dirt. He appeared to have been rolling
about As if in great pain. He was still moving about
and g; oaning, although he was unconscious. The
assistance of a neighbour was secured and the de-
ceased was taken home, when Dr. Argles was called
in, but the deceased never recovered consciousness,
and died at a quarter to eight o'clock on the Friday
morning following. Afterwards, searching the house,
witness found the pistol produced (a single-barrelled
one). uring the last two years the deceased had
been involved in seven or eight actions, in which he
had been unsuccessful, and had had to nay a con-
siderable sum of money. Dr. Frank Argles, of Wan-
stead, said on Jan. 4 he made a post-mortem exami-
nation, and came to the conclusion that the deceased's
death was caused by the bullet which he found on
removing the dura meter. Thomas Henry Stollard
said the deceased was his father, and ho last saw him
alive on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 30. He then seemed
very depressed. He and witness had been walking
about London from place to place endeavouring to
borrow money upon his furniture in order to be able
to pay oEf an execution which was to be put into the
house on the following day (Wednesday) at twelve
o'clock. He was unsuccessful in borrowing the money,
and this preyed a good deal on his mind. He re-
marked, "Good God! what shall I do?" Besides
the money deceased had lost in the various actions,
ho had lost £l6OO by one man who absconded. For
ix n.onths the deceased had been somewhat depressed,
but for the last two months had been much more so,
so much so that witness had had to go about with
him to transact business. About two months ago one
afternoon witness was returning to the office when he
heard a knocking at the rear, and going quickly he
found the deceased standing upon a seat with a nail
in one band and a cluipper in the other. Directly he
was seen the deceased jumped down, and when asked
what he had been doing he replied "Nothing." The
jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst in a state
of temporary insanity."