The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-10-28 00:00:00

Distressing Suicide by Mr. S. A.
Clifford at Dorchester.

I :rest excitement wee manifested in Dorchester on
Friday morning by the rumour that Mr.S. A. Clifford,
id Middle Farm, n the Briolport-mad, had committed
suicide, which. unfortunately, proved to be too true. MI
he was found in his bean sim that morning about ten
o'clock, by his foreman, Mr. Kingston, with a terrible
gaah in Ids throat, the windpipe being completely
severed, and a razor lying near his right hand. souse
ths since Mr. Clifford lost hie wife, whose death
he appeared to feel very acutely, and it is thought
that, with the had harvest, preyed upon his mind, and
led I to commit the an act. When the jury
viewed the body, it presented a gh.a.itly spectacle, the
deceased lying I m hi+ back, with his shirt and
clothes saturated with blood a washhand
over which the unfortunate man appeared to have
Mood as long as his atrength lasted, and alai other
vowels in the roan, contained blissl, the flow around
being also saturated. The deceased leave, nix children,
the oldest about 17. Deceased era* well known in
Dorchester, and the news of his asd death cast &gloom
over the whole town.

THC 1N.41.11.1T
Wu held at the Farmhouse, at three o'clock in the
afternoon, before G. Symonds, Esq., coroner, and the
following jury :—Mr. J. Miles (foreman), Messrs. H.
Hopkins, J. Inodscheit, barge, .1. Scott, W.
Rogers, A. Daniels, .1. Butt, H. Marsh, C. Greening,
J. Shepherd, and G. New.
The first witness was Bessie Eva Scriven, who said
she had been living with Mr. Clifford ever since he had
had the farm, nearly four years. He had been • little
earlier in getting up the last two mornings ; usually
got up ale,ut eight, but this morning he got up at 7.30.
Did not know any reason why he got up earlier. He
breakfasted with the I Ackeeper and his little boy,
a+ toual, went out round his farm, and about 10
minute. *lke Came and asked for his water for shaving.
She carried hot water to his room every morning. He
said nothing to her, and Phe went away and left him,
when he locked the door, as be was in the habit of
doing : he had done so ever since she had been with
him. This was between nine and ten o'clock. She
went out and shortly afterwards came to the house-
keeper to receive her daily orders. As she was talking
to the housekeeper she heard a woan, and a noise as
though her master had slipped from his chair. She
went to his MOM door and asked him if he wm coining
down, anti he replied "In ten minutes." Hearing
another moan she asked him to ,pen the door, when
he replied "You will see the end of me, Mary." She
again said—" linen the door," anti he replied' I don't
wish for you to see it, Mary." She then came down
and told the housekeeper what had pared, sent the
groom for the doctor, and fetched the foreman, who,
with the assistance of others, forced the door open.
By Mr. Symonds Did not know if deceased spoke
with the foreman. Told the groom to go for the
doctor at once as she thought by her master's wonis
something had happened. When the foreman came
down she asked him if it was very bad, and he replied
yes, and had tits. Deceased had been very low
at times since his wife's death. Heard biro say "he
wished the Almighty would be merciful enough to
take him with his wife.- Never heard him complain
Snore than that. She did not speak to him at
breakfast-time, nor did she hear anyone else do en.
He was in the habit of reading in his room, and his
staying there so long was not noticed. If she had not
heard the moan there was nothing unusual she would
have noticed. _ . .

By • Juryman : Did not see anything unusual with
him in the morning more than at other titres.
By the Coroner: &f ore Mrs. Clifford's death he
was always cheerful, but he had not been so since.
Had seen him sit for ten minutes and not do anything,
or sputa to anyone.
By a Juryman: He had been under Dr. Ennion's
care for • little while since her death, but some time
ago. Had known him sit in his room for a hour toge-
ther, with the Bible before him.
By the Coroner: He kept books in his bedroom. and
had read a good deal lately from one entitled "My
King."
The housekeeper, Mrs. Bryan, said she had been
with Mr. Cliffotd since March last. Breakfasted with
hits and his little boy that morning. Never saw any.
thing different with him from she had ever since she
had been with him; be was very depressed at times,
Had never complained to her of his low state, but
talked a great deal of his wife, and seemed to take her
death very much to heart. Thought somethiug cry
heavy had pressed upon him just now, be having
,ken to her of his circumstances. He alluded to it
that morning.
By she coroner : Had never said anything to lead
her tn fear him. Did not know anything of his di•
position or temperament Woes she came to lire with
_ . .

By • Jurymen: When he spoke to her about his
circumstances alio remarked he must try to bear up, he
would gm through IL
HenryKingdon, Mr. Clifford's foresaw:l, said be saw
that morning about eight o'clock as he was
going to breakfast. Saw him again about quarter to
nine, as he was putting • load of hay into the shed,
whim be said "That's right, Yingdon. get It in out of
the wet as soon ail you can." About an hour after the
girl came out and called him, saying she wanted him
to break open matter's door, asahi wee afraid it was
bed job. He took the spade and tried to break the
door open, but was nimble to do so; afterwards got •
crowbar, and, with the help of T. Painter. forced the
door. Pound the deceased on the floor with Ms face to
the ground, partly dressed, and an open razor lying
near his right bend. The other man put hie bands
under and turned him over, when he saw the w sand
In his throat and some blood on the ; there was
Also blood in some vessels. There was no sign of life.
By Mr. Symonds : After he wee called he should
set think five minute. passed before he got into the
room. Had been with deceased eines last January.
He had sail thythiag to him *belt his all or,
except the bad harvest, In • general way. The whsat,
crop was bad; ths barley middling. Was here a few
weelu before Mrs. Clifford's death.
By a Juryman : Did not observe anything strange
when be spoke to him about the hay. lie was about
the mole as usual. Did not speak to deceased before
he tried to break the door open. The key wee
Dr. W. B. Good was standing in the street, opposite
their house, about quarter past ten, when the groom
rode tip and said Mr. Clifford had locked himself
In We from, and asked him to come up.
Immediately he came up and went to the
room, the door having been forced open, and saw the
deceased lying on hie lace, his head towards the
window. 'termed the body over, and found he was
dead. A haud-basin half full of blood was near.
He examined the waned in the throat, which was
Jost in the middle, a d from four to five Inches deep.
By the 00f011if : There moat have beat more than
one cut, could not say how many. They were cute as
would be mad* by • razor. It would not have been
possible for a man to hove spoken after the last of the
cots bad been made. The man must have spoken to
tba girl before the act, or when It wee only partially
done.
The whams Kingdoo was recalled at this point
and said when forced the door the had-basin was
In the chair, the other visseels on the ffoor, ems being

Or. Good continued he found the vessels es
&scribe& rhought it was ill blood in the basin.
Could not acoount f r it. unless he held his bud
over the vessel when he first cut his throat. It was a
large quantity of blood. The wounds were oblique
ewe from left to right. The wounds would not have
curial instantaneous death; not till he had lout
sufficient blood.
By • Juryman: He wee laid fiat nn the ground when
he saw him, ..id did not spotar cohere lain in 'Ted.
Mr. G. Crocker, iromnotsgts' , then rend • letter be
had received from decewed :kit morning, hr 'tight by
Mr. Clifford'a groom, as follows —" Middle Farm,
October 21rd, 1879. Dear Sir, —Will you kindly cons,
u. and see me this wining? I want to hewn a chat.
Yours truly, B. A. cmf..d. M. (I. Crochet."
By the Coroner : Hal frequently bad chats with
the deceased about his affair. but had on idea what
he wanted of him that morning. The lose of his wife
laid vet.; heavily upon him, and he had been much
depressed with the bad harvest and the unfavourable
season. He 'steer seemed able to get over the loge of
his wife, or to pick him, If together.
By • Juryman : Had had notes from him before, and
frequently saw him. Was to the ha!, t of vidtinn bete,
awl deceueil bad %kited at his bowie. i.-st Thurs-
day week he saw him last, and when he Hist met him
he wis much depreeied ; he stayed with him about
two honr•, and wilke I round the firm with him.
?Leer thought of hie c immit log de.
By a Jul man: Hid seen in terribly low and
der sued, bat never thought him insane.
lite Conner remarked there could be no doubt
that the act wee done by &teased, and the question
for the kir • would be the site of the man's mind at
tims bes..mrult.t.,d the act.
. . . .

—TiWilr7l.,2734—tii,i-te..-d—ece .I,d committed suicide
whOst inc stat ..4 t•a2.l.lrary
The funeral of Mr. Cliff. Ili is t.. take Once at the
cemetery about three o'clock to-morrow (Tuesday)
afternoon.