The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-13 00:00:00

SINGULAR CASE OF SUICIDE.

On Tuesday Mr. Oarttar,' coroner for West Kent,
held an inquest at 472, ugh-street, Lewisham, on
the body of Ernest Louie Armstrong, clerk, aged 21,
residing lately with his brother, a chemist, at that
address. Some few months ago deceased met with
an accident whilst playing football, and, in the
opinion of his medical adviser, his brain has since
been affected. He bad no pecuniary difficulties that
the witnesses knew of. On Thursday night in last
week he went to the " Freemason's Railway "
Tavern, Ladywell, and there got into conversation
with a man named Andrews, and a railway porter
named Norton, to whom he stated that he had had
an argument as to which was the most vnlnerable
part in which a man could shoot himself. One said
in the forehead, the other through the heart, but de-
ceased said, " I think it is here," pointing to his
throat. He also said he had had some words at home,
and Andrews told him to get in at the window by a
ladder. After paying for some drink he bade them
good night, and went across some fields leading to the
grounds of his brother's house, and was never after
seen alive. When he was missed Andrews had a
dream that deceased was in the summerhouse in the
grounds and wrote a note to that effect to his em-
ployer (Mr. Hopwood, of Lewisham), and on Monday,
when he saw him, repeated his impression that de-
ceased was there. Mr. Hopwood did not believe
it, but said they would soon ascertain. They then
went towards the summerhouse, and on reaching
it Mr. Hopwood came back and said "He is
there." Information was then given to the pollee
at Lewisham Station. Deceased was found lying
on his back in a pool of blood, a six•chambered
Colt revolver lying by his side as if it had fallen from
his left hand, and there was a pistol bullet wound
under the chin. One of the chambers had been dis-
charged, and the other five were loaded. Decom-
position had set in, as if the body had lain there
several days. The bolt of the ,door was shot, but not
into the bar of the lock. On the body were found a
box of cartridges, a price list of pistols, two photos,
30, some tobacco and papers.—Dr. Steele, the police
divisional surgeon, was called, and in his evidence
said when he saw the body there was apparently
a firearm wound through the mouth from left to
right, but there was so _pinch blood about the
head that he could not traps the exit of the bullet.
Death must have taken place immediately after the
wound was inflicted, and there was no signs of a
struggle. Deceased must have been in a lying or sit-
ting position at the time, not etanding.—Mr. Jackson,
Armstrong's medical attendant, said he had often com-
plained of his head to witness and his own sister, and
he was excited at times.—Mr. Armstrong, the brother,
said he did not know the revolver produced, but was
under the Impression it was recently purchased, as last
week one was discovered in deceased's desk and was
taken away by his sister, and he did not think he would
have two pistols 'at one time.—The coroner, having
commented upon the evidence, the jury returned ft
verdict that deceased committed 'suicide, it the time
labouring under temporary derangement.