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

SUICIDE OF A GENTLEMAN OF
BALLIOL COLLEGE.

A sad and melancholy event, costing a gloom over the
whole of Oxford society, occurred on Monday morning,
at kIaHMI College, through the suicide of Mr. Francis
John Cheshire Walker, commoner, who was found in his
rooms quite dead, having discharged a Millet through his
heart. An inquest was held in the afternoon before a jury
composed of matriculated citizens, and members of
College, when the following was the principal evidence ad-
duced

The bedmaker deposed that on entering deceased's
room to light his fire, shortly after em x o'clock, he found
him lying in an easy-chair in hie night shirt, apparently
dead, and a pistol on the hearth rug near him.
Mr. George Taunton, M. H.C.S., who was imme-
diately sent for, stated that he arrived about half-pt
six, and found the body as described, death having
occurred, he should say, about three and a half or four
hours previously. There was a gunshot wound in the
chest, a little above the region of the heart, and on
turning the body over he discovered a bullet close to
the back of the shoulder. He thought that deceased
met with his death by his own hand, and that it
occurred. almost instantaneously.

Mr. Webb, a gunsmith, deposed that deceased pur-
chased a five-chamber revolver of him OH Friday last,
saving he intended it as a present to his brother.
Mr. Weriderburn, a commoner of Balliol, and per-
sonal friend of deceased, stated that between six and
seven on the previous evening, at the request of the
lattsr, he went to his rooms, which were opposite lib
own, and smoked a cigar with him. Deceased secriesd
in good spirits and asked him to breakfast on Tuesday.
He had heard him complain lately of paine inhis head,
and knew he had had a sunetreke.

Lord Elgin, an undergraduate of Balliul, a particular
friend of deceased, gave evidence to the effect that de-
ceased was with him in his rooms from about half-past
nine to nearly twelve o'clock on the previous night.
He noticed a strange look in his face as he entered the
room, and the last words be said to him on leaving
were to the effect that he hoped he should not have
that pain again in his head, or he did not know what
he should do. lle knew that he suffered considerably
from his head, and that he was unable to read on
Friday last on that account. Deceased was exceed-
ingly steady in his habits, and his lordship did not
believe for a moment be had anything on his mind.
He knew that he had been warned by his medical man
not t mend t..l:ard.
- • •

Mr. John E.ei Walker deposed that deceased
was his e, -•••t, hi,, health had for some
years past I wen anxiety his f view !s.
He suffered very much from depression of spirits and
inten-e headaches, and he lead a sunstroke whilst
rowing during the summer term, kill. He was at
the time of his death being treated by a London
physician, and hail an appointment to see him again
im Saturday next. That morning he had received
by post a letter from his son, 118 had also deceased's
mother and sister. In the letter to his mother, he
complained very much of the pain in his head, and said
that he hoped it would not drive him mad, as there
was nothing he had so great a horror of. Another
letter, addressed to his father, was found in deceased's
room, stamped ready for post, and in that he spoke of
his head being worse.
•• • • •

The jury almost immediately returned a verdict that
the d0v..3,4ed connnitted suicide whilst in an unsound
state of mind.