The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-21 00:00:00

in Istritt `4l:ehr,

THE SUICIDE OF A S''Outilllt.lDtriL a' ASs!
- ITFAC URER..

Tee issieece on the esdy of Mr. George Mills, of
the Hid, Am ;lecote, who was found shot on Fri-
day, the 13th, was opened on Monday, befoe: Mr.
It. Docker, coroner, at the house cf Mr. C. Ba 1,
Five Ware Inn, Cl.urehill.
The first Nvitr.ess examined was Miss Fanny
Green, of Norton, who deposed as fol'ows : I found
Mr. Mil's on Friday at a'eout 4 o'clock. I was
pa-sing alun4 the Stourbridge Road at the time.
When I fiot 'about 80 y.lrds away from the Five
Ways Inn I saw a man lying under the hedge oi
the left side, as if he was esleep. I saw he was
dead by the blood coming from his ears and by the
oolour of his face. He was lying on his back and
had a revolver in his right hand. I ran to the Five
Ways Inn anti gave information and a man and a
young woman aecompanied me to tI-.e place. They
then went back to the house and the police were
sent for. A man had previously passed me on the
road. I heard a shot whilst coming down the road,
bit I thought someone was shooting rabbits
Eliza Brooks. granddaughter to and living with
Mr. Hall, said she saw the deceased about twenty
minute's to 4. She was looking through the house
window when deceased passed in the direction of
Stourbridge. He was walking slowly as if he was
cot sidering„ She watched him go up the road near
to the place where he was found, and he then stooped
down and she thought he was picking acorns.
By Me. Shepherd : She did not hear a shot. De-
ceas d was carrying a satchel in his left hand.
The satchel produced was the same.
Police-sergeant Payne, stationed at the Broad-
waters, said erom information he roceivcd he went
to the Five Ways Inn, and from there he went up
the road about 100 yards. He foaled deceased lying
on the grass near the hedge, on his back. ,Ile was
quite dead and was bleeding from the ears. There
wrs a hole in the top of his head and pert of the
brain was exposed. He had in his right hand a
revolver and his arm lay across hi A breast and the
revolver pointed over his shoulder. The revolver
w.is grasped quite tight in his hand Witness ex-
rniued the revolver and found it had been recently
discharged, and he drew the cartridges out o the
oiler five t haerbers Toe bag produced was lying
1)y the side of deceased. The spectacles were lying
his waistcoat. The deceased had his gold watch
and E. 2 8s 6id in his pocket. A letter was foiled,
which the Cot oner opened, addressed; "To any
brether in humanity." It began, "Gone mad. I
cannot bear this depression any longe:. God only
knows my suffering." . There were other expres-
sions betokening mental excitement, tied- on the
hack of the paper was written, "I walked- all day
to try aul throw this off. Useless. Broken com-
pletely. GAL"
Mr. John Bullet) Shep'nerd. solicitor, Stourhridee,
said he identified the body of deceased as Georg,.
of The Hill, Amblecote. Deeeesecil was a'
glass manufacturer and was in partnership, and the
partnership was about being dissolved, deceased
having ar:anged to buy his partner's interest in the
busine! s. The day before his death witness had
C :mpleted the arrangement by which the purchase
was to be carried out, and Mr, Mills expressed great
satisfaction at what had been done. Mr. Shepherd
said he thought it well to add that eighteen months
ago deceased had the eon-lust of a very le,rge and
important business, for which h e and his partner
had paid a very large sum, and at that time he bid
witness the business was wearing him out. Witues,
urged him to leave home and take a voyage to Au-
stralia, as he appeared quite unfit to carry on buei-
ness owing to his extreme depression, Daceased
refused to take a voyage, but he gave up the con-
duct of the business, and took qui t country
journeys for a time. Deceased thought he had
quite r covered himself, but witness did not think
so. After this there were negotiations as to the
partnership, and deceased agreed to ling the busi-
ness interest of his partner, and terms were settled.
Four or five days before his death witness observed
the same extreme depression in deceased's manners
as eighteen months ago, and he was of opinion that
his mind was deranged.
The Coroner said the only thing for the jiry to
say was whether the deceased was in his right mind.
there was not a doubt in the world but th.v he was in
an unsound state.

The jury returned a verdict l'hAt likvAlseci,.!orn-
mitted suic'cle by shooting niniseit waiist in an un-
sound state of mind."

The deceised gentleman vvas buried on Tu-sday
at the Cemetery, Cross Roads, Wollaston. The
service, which was very quiet, was conducto.l by he
Rev. J. S. Boller°, vicar of Amblecote.