The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-31 00:00:00

'succession

SUICIDE OF THE DEAN OF BANGOR,

The Dean of Bangor, thc Very Rev, Henry T.
Edwards, M.A., wtSl found deai in his bedroom at
Ruabon Vicarage, on, Saturday morning, under most
distressing circumstances.. He had been staying with
his brother, the Rev. S. W. Edwards, vicar of
Ruabon, during the past fortnight to recruX his
health, having for some time been in a most
depressed state of mind. On Saturday morning,.
he was found to have committed esti ci d e by
igranging himself from the bedpost with a leather
belt. The news was received throughout the
Principality on Saturday with profound consternat ion
and grief; the Dean being held in high esteem by
both Churchmen and Nonconformists. The Dean
had been unable to preach or conduct services for
the past six months. 'Latterly he had esffered from
sleeplessness and nervousness, and was greatly de-
pressed in-spirits.
,On Friday he attempt'ed to pro-
cure poison!from the-focal chemist and druggist, but
was refused: ELS htiCT been closely watches by his
friends for some day*. He had recently returned
from a long cruise in the Mediterranean, btd!l With
little benefit tolls health.. Shortly before his leath
he expressed the belief that he would never re..4l,yer
from his protracted illness..
The late Dean .was son of the late vicar of LlAre-
gollen, the Rev. William Edwards, and was born at
Llanymawddwy, Merionethshire, in 1836. Aft.2r
being educated at Westtninster School, he graduate.
at Jesus College, Oxford,' taking his B.A. degree
1860, and M.A. in 1873. He was ordained deacon
' by the Bishop of St. Divid'is, and priest by the Bishop
of St. Asaph, in 1861; -when he. was appointed to
the curacy of Llangollen'; He remained as his father's
curate until 1866, whenhe was promoted to the
charge of .Aberdare, South Wales, by the trustees of
the Marquis of Bute. In 1869- he was preferred to
the vicarage of Carnarvon- the. late Bishop of
Chester, and continued there'untit his elevation to the
Deanery of Bangor in 1876 bYthe present Bishop of
that diocese. The deceased vvus an exceedingly able
preac3ter both in English and Welsh and was also
author of several English and Welsh publications, the
most noteworthy being "The Victorious Life." "The
Church of the Cymry," and a Welsh homiletical corn-
rnentn ry on the Gospel of St. Matthew, published about
two years ago. In his later years the dean sympa-
thiied with the High Church school of thought. The
name of Dean Edwards will be remembered for his
recent onslaught on the tea-drinkinghabits of modern
society, which he held to be the cause of "the general
physical deterioration of the inhabitants of these
islands;" • He was twice married, his first wife being
daughter. of Mr. David Davies, of Maesyffynon,
Aberdare; who died shortly after his appointment to
Carnarvon; leaving him with one daughter, and his
second wife being a member of an old. county family
closely indentified with Nonconformity, Miss Jones,
of Treanna, Anglesey, who died several years ago,
leaving three children.
At Bangor Cathedral, on Sunday, noallusions were
made to the death of the dean, but suitable anthems
were sung, and the "Dead March" was played. In
many of the Nonconformist chapels special prayers
were offered on behalf of the family of the deceased

The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances attend-
ing the death of the Dean of Bangor was held on
Monday at Ruabon.
The Rev. Ebenezer Wood Edwards,. vicar of
Ruabon and brother of the deceased, said that as
early as January last the deceased gave up all hope of
ever being in good health again, telling:witness he
felt something give way in his brain like the snapping
of the mainspring of a watch. He expressed a wish
to be placed in an asylum, but witness was-averse to
this, and deceased took a long voyage in the Mediter-
ranean. Instead of improving, however, be grew
worse, and on returning to England, consulted
several medical, men. Dr. Playfair. advised
him to visit Ben Rhydding. He. stayed
there till Friday week, when he came .to Ruabon.
He was then as -bad as ever, suffering intensely
from fits of nervous depression. For months past
be could only obtain sleep by using sedatives. On
Friday he was more than usually depressed, and again
urged witness to place him in a lunatic asylum. In
fact, he seemed so conscious of his danger; so' deter-
mined to be placed under restraint, that on that day
he actually packed up his things in a •portmanteau,
saying he wished to be taken to London and placed in
the charge of Dr. Winslow. Witness did not, how-
ever, apprehend any immediate danger, and so did
not accede to his wish. On Saturday morning, on
entering the bedroom of the deceased witness- found
him hanging with a leather strap round his-neck. He
was so horror-stricken he did not cut him olow n until
sonic one directed his attention to the fact that the
body was still, warm. A doctor bled him, but it was
too late.

Medical evidence showed that the deceased had
been dead about half-an-hour.
A verdict was returned of "Suicide while in
state of insanity."