The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-01-18 00:00:00

WYKII REGIS.
LAMENTABLE VlC!ryz.

The inhabitants af Wylie Regis awl Weymouth were
much shocked to heir on Friday night or Saturday morn-
ing, that Mr. William Sutton, long the confidential
servant or agent of Lieut. Col. Swathel.l had boon found
han4e.l in a loft, at Wyke. It seemed that, after inissing
him about dinner-titue his son made inquiries. and when
he did not appear at the time he would have returned
even if be had been to Weymouth. Mr. Sutton, ion., made
careful search, and amine other places went to a hay loft
over the st tide, which loft was divided by a partitlon,and
in the small room thus mail, WM kept Immo yacht's gear.
Here the son found the body ot his father, suspended hy •
small cord. between the size of a penholder and the little
finger. The head was scarce a foot from the low beam of
the loft where the cord was tied, and the 11.-sly barely
hanging, for the knees almost touched the ground, the legs
bent back behind. Alarm was given, the non cut his
father down, RC. Riper was fetched and brought hot
water awl brandy, the holy was rabbits' to restore beats
Col. awl Mrs. Swanton giving every assistance, Mrs.
Swahili.' trying herself to bring the deems.' round, but
to no avaiL Dr. Lush, who happened to be in the village
was fetched, and pronounced the deceased had been dead
some hours. . . .

The inquest was held at the Fisherman's Arms, Wyke,
Satiirdav at 4.30, before Mr. G Symon-le, coroner. and
the following jurymen :—Mr. Modes James Klwanti,
foreman, Messrs. Cherlee Want, Jonn Talbot, Abel
whittle. Charles Henry Stone, James William Shirras,
James Itoliert Roberts, John C,hurelihotem, William
Fenlow, TILOMISS Winzor, Udall Groves, William George
Churchill.
The jury viewed the hotly, and the ex preuion of the face
Wag unaltered from the usual appearance ; but the little
cord had cut very deeply into the neck.
The following evidence was taken:—
Mr. John Sutton, son of the deceased, said: My father
was agent for Colonel SwatEeld, and resided at Wyk.
Mew. I Lost saw him alive at five minutes to eleven
Yesterday at Wyke House. He was in his room, but not
employed on anything. I didl nit see him go out., and do
not know when he left the house. About one &clock at
dinnertime lie Via; absent, although he generally dined
at the 1101140 ; and enquiries were made about him. My
eider asked me if I hot seen rue father, and I nail " No"
This was about half-past one He was not in the habit of
heille absent at dinnertime ; but he used to go to Wey-
mouth on hesiness, and watt smnetimes absent at dinner.
About half-post four I can: back again, and asked
whether they had seen him, and they said " No." When
he went to Weymotith he mostly returned about six. I
enquired of any sister, hut with no particulor reason for
doing sq. He woehl usually be home about six under any
circumstances. I reside at Markhom Cottage, but am at
the house most of the Ilaw. let iyed till about six, when
I went home, changed my clothes, came back again, and
asked whether he Mai come. Not hearing anything of
him I Mea a lantern and lots-1 .1..1, the
see if perhaps he was gone to sleep. He had sometimes
in the summer gone to sleep on the hay in the hay-loft.
I went up into the hat-loft over the stable, belonging to
C donel Swatli Ad, and law the dais shut. The loft is
divided by a partition, in which there is a door, and that
deer was locket. I tried it and looked for the key, but
emitt not lintt it, and I went and asked the coachman.
Isaac Ron 1011, whether he hod I 'ice I the door. He said
lie had net, a el I went hack, the euchman fallowing
behind. I went and burst the door open, awl when I
went buide I Kew My father hanging trete • beam in the
stable roof. His feet were bent off the ground and his
knees very nearly touching the II sir. I could have
reached the beam myself from where I stool. When I
saw him I screamed anti ran hack to the house: I did not
Ii anything at that time. Rood-ill came up after me.
toll them in the hoese, and then I went back and cut him
down by myself. He fell down ; lie wes dead and cold,
ant I caught him tip anti carnal him into the hay-left
The hely WM left there where I dropped it, and I went
f. or Roper, the policeman, who came with hot water and
brandy, which was attempted to be given him, but none
was swallewed. The body %VOA then removed to where
the jury have seen him. This morning I sew the key was
on the inside of the door, which was locked when I forced
it. I have seen may father twice or thews tunes a day.
Lately he has not been so well as usual; he hae not been
as Inch in spirits, and this h-is been the subject of remark
by ditferent people. Usually he had good spirits but
lately he did not take notice of people as he used to.
Sometimes I have noticed that he did not take notice of
me.
A Juror asked if Mr. Sutton had any medical &Mend-
anee I—The witness call no.
. _ . _

By the Jury: There Mai only a little lowneas, nothing
to wake me expert what ha. happened.
By the Coroner: ilk 3.!.
. _

The rope, a etru..ll cord, of tarred Manilla, said to be
used for the yacht, %%as prodtaroll, and identified by
witness. It had a long loose slap-knot.
Hy the Coroner: Father sometimes tased to go to the
stabl.o to
.work at a cartmkters' bench there._

C,,lonel : tA poor man bad been in toy
' service for 10 or II years, and in my father-in-law's for 30
years. Ho was a kind of bailiff, a confidential servant,
who did anything that was required. It must have been
about half-past II o'clock when I last saw him. Ile WM
coming down stairs, and I WAS coming from my room.
I said "Oh. William f will you got a scuttle of coke for
my stove!" He sail "Very well, Sir," and turned back.
There was something peculiar in him manner he was
coming doanstair., very quietly, it struck me. Sometimes,
when the child was asleep the house was kept very quiet;
but I thought his manner was very odd. Very few days
DMA without my seeing him several times, and he has
been in the haliit htcly of waiting at dinner. I have
remarked that he has been considerably depressed, and
especially of late. His lowness of spints has been the
subject of remark. He was a man of a very anxious
temprament very anxious to do everything for the best
There has leen a long 1,11,101C411 of doing up tho warming
pipes at Wyk. House, and lie got it into his head that
they would not answer; I believe without foundation, as
the men front Weymouth said they answered perfectly.
I told him the night before that we must grin and bear it
if they did not; but that the men assured mime they
answered ikerfactly. I think this was the immediate
cause; I think he worried himself also about affairs on the
estate, of which he had charge. I base not the smallest
hesitation in saying that he was of unsound mind when
he committed the act. He was a man of very high
character, a very abstemious man, and never a halfpenny
out in his accounts. When I heard of where he was, I
sent for the doctor and policetuan • but he was quite dead.
Mrs. Swaillehl wished to give her evidence.
The Jury said they were quite satisfied without; but
Mrs. Swaffield wished to relate what she knew.
She said: I saw him in the pantry the day before, I
think about twelve o'chock. I asked bun how the pipes
succeeded. Ile said "They are a total failure." I said
The men about them tell me they are • success." He
said his own sense told hint that it was a failure. "It is
the first failure I have ever male,' he said. Ile had
suggested these water pipes; they were put on a different
way from what they were before. I reminded him that
we ought to be thankful that we were not in such trouble
gs ue wete the year before, to which, in a whisper, he
said to me 'lt couldn't be worse." This alarmed ins very
much, because I know that a lawsuit which is pending
against Col Swallield weighed on his mind very much.
Ile took a groat deal of interest in all our affairs, just as
numb OS his own. I think the expenses on the estate,
which is very much out of order, weighed on his mind,
and the pipes were a secondary consideration; only the
last straw.
. . _

By the Coroner: The fact of his whispering showed
me he was out or hi. mind. so much so that when his
daughter tol.l me he missing. I knew at once that
something lia.l occurred. He complained of pains across
hi, head, awl his spirit. were very much lower than usual.
The Coroner said the que.tlon WaS whether the man
was out of hi mind or not; there could be no question
that he Tinnkitted the act.

liately said his brother
jurymen ureed that Sutton we not in a sound state of
mind when he committed the act.
The Coroner quite 'unreel with the verdict.
. .

Deceased leaves a wife and five sons and daughters,
four of whom are in Colonel Swatfield's service, the
youngest one being 12 or 14 years of age. His anxious
temperament, rather prone to brood over anxieties, had
been noticed by •Ahern ; but his full and genial•looking
faces gave one little idea hut that he took the world
comfortably. At the late wedding at Colonel SwaMeldi
none seemed more quietly happy slum he, in his master.,
and the family's joy.