The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-23 00:00:00

THE SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY
CARRIAGE.

Mr. G. A. Charsley, coroner for Bucks, resumea
the inquest on Tuesday afternoon at the Eton Union
into the circumstances attending the death ef Mr.
John Rogers Coker, who shot himself on the night of
the 11th inst. in a first-class carriage, while travelling
on the Great Western Railway between Paddington
and Slough.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Ford, of 7, tipper Montagu-
street, Montagu-square, said that Mr. Coker took an
apartment at her house on Wednesday, the 6th of
August. He seemed strange and unsettled. On that
day he left home after going out several times; he
returned about eight o'clock, changed his things, and
shaved. She found a bullet in his portmanteau. He
had no watch, but had left a gold chain and other
ithings at her house.

Mr. Charles William Dare, barrister, residing at
Croydon, stated that in consequence of having seen an
account of the suicide in the newspapers, he went down
to the Union on Wednesday and recognised the body
as that of his cousin, John Rogers Coker, who was
between 31 and 32 years of age. He had no occupa-
tion, but had been in London conducting negotiations
with the North Barnes Company for service in Barnes.
These negotiations had fallen through, and he was
then negotiating for service in the Western States.
He saw Mr. Coker about ten days before his death.
That was at his chambers in Lincoln's-inn. Apparently
he was in his usual health, though he complained that
his liver was affected by the hot weather, which had
also affected his head. The. deceased, who had
been five or seven years in the service of Rajah
Brooke, of Sarawak, came home about ten
months ago. When he called upon witness he
stayed with him nearly an hour, and though
rather strange in his manner he talked sensibly. He
was a single man of temperate habits, and as far as
he knew lie was not in any pecuniary difficulties. Ho
could not account for his having taken a ticket to
Windsor. His portmanteau and clothing were at his
lodgings, but he had found no other property or
papers. Had not expected that Mr. Coker would
commit suicide, but was not surprised. His parents
sived at Weymouth, and were in well-to-do circum-
Winces.

Mr. James Carr Saunders, an underwriter, residing
at Reigate, and I' r. Charles Lyttleton Chubb°. a
barrister, of Lincoln's-inn, gave corroborative evi-
dence, the latter stating that Mr. Coker threw up a
good appointment in Stuckey's Bank to go to Barnes.
Edward Wills, a ticket examiner, said that Mr.
Coker came to him at the Paddington Station of the
Great Western Railway at twenty-five minutes to ten
on the evening in question, and asked for the next
train to Windsor. On being informed that it left at
half-past ten he walked about smoking a 'cigarette
till the departure of the train, when he entered a
first-etlha;:ts
he haa made a
carriagoainthe
mistake,Reading bat portion, and was
could change(
at Slough.

Mr. -Adam John Burr, an assistant clerk in the
general manager's office at Paddington, who was
travelling by the same train deposed that as it was
running near Acton his wife called his attention to
what she thought was a pistol shot, but which really
sounded more like a popgun.
The jury returned a verdict that death was caused
by a pistol shot, inflicted by his own hand while in a
state af temp:rary hisanit47