The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-11-04 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

On Tnesday afternoon Dr. Handwicke held an inquest at
the .• Castle,- Holloway, Lontion,voneernina the death of a
man, name unknown, about thirty years of age.
• • •

Mr. William Henry Dunkin, 1, Goldsmith's-square,
South Hornsey, sold on Saturday evening, about half-
past six o'clo,k, he was visiting at the house of Mr.
Brett, surgeon, Stoke Newington-green, when one of
the servaNts came into the dining. room and told him that
a man was killing some one on the green. She had heard
shrieks, and some one calling out that he would murder
him. He went out and saw deceased in is state of
great excitement standing in the road shnutins and
waving his hands, and calling out, "1 am mined ;
T have committed murder ; no one will save me. I will
kill myself !'' He endeavoured to get some one to hold
deceased, but two working-men who passed at the tune,
though entreated, refused to render any assistance, and
walked away, saying that the man was in Blum-. The
deceased then bent his body forward and ran against a
tree, hie head striking against it with treat violence.

Hs staggered into the roadway shouting, but not so vio-
lently as before. He then knelt down, said with clasped
hands said, "I have been stricken by the Almighty,
and I call upon Him to have mercy upon me ! '
After uttering these words he got up and walked
towards the railings that surround the green. About
a minute afterwards deceased fell on his face, and he
thought that the deceased was to exhausted that he
had fainted. The night was very dark, and it was
impossible to see what the deceased was doing, but on
going up to him he saw that his throat was cut, and a
pool of blood was near him. Seeing what had occurred
he ran to a neighbouring publichouse, where he found
a young man, who returned with him, when they found
a,sigauce had arrived.
Hr. George Stevens, M.R.C.S., Stoke I'ewington-
-I,Teen, said he was called to see the deceased on Satur-
day night about half-past six o'clock. He was dead,
but the body was quite warm. There were two severe
wounds on the throat. He saw a penknife lying on
the right side of the body, the small blade open and
covered with blood. The cause of death was fainting
from loss of blood.
Policeman David Wansby was called to decease and
found him dead. He searched the pockets, and found
in the breast pocket a letter enclosed in an envelope
but not addressed. It ran thus :--" October, 28, 1871.
Dear M.,— Forgive me and spare all. I know I slid
commit my ,slf. If not I—l have suffered. Yours,
itc., Anon's." Theye was also found sixpence in
silver wet the same amount in bronze.
. . .

Henry Hutch, butcher, Stoke Newington-road, WM
attracted to the green on Saturday night by the
screams of the deceased, who was calling out, "I have
offended my Cod." Ile attempted to hold deceased,
but was unable to do so. He became alarmed, as de-
ceased threatened to take his life repeatedly. The de-
ceased remarkeel repeatedly, "Carey has been the
cause of all." Had assistance been rendered the life of
deceased would have been saved.

The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while of
unsound mind."

At this point a Mr. Hare, 85, Church-street, Essex-
road, entered the court, and asked permission to see
the body. On his return he said he believed the de-
ceased was a person he knew, a clerk, who was six
years ago confined in the Distim-road Lunatic Asylum,
Birmingham. He had been discharged, and was living
in London; but he had been missing for some days.
He had been induced to make inquiries, as he had seen
a notice of the suicide in the newspapers of that
The Coroner said he Lad no doubt that the deceased
was the person referred to, but the friends should have
an opportunity of identifying the body.