The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-03-09 00:00:00

'HI INQUILBT ON ZDHARD amnia

Was held on Monday morning, at the White Hart,
before IL N. Howard, Esq., coroner for Portland, ea
behalf of the coroner, G. Symonds, Eeq., and a respect-
able Jury, of whom Mr. 'H. Stlckland was foreman.
John Hurley, of Duragatestreet, said: I live next
door to deceased, have lived there 18 months, and was
acquainted with him. Yesterday morning, about a
quarter to eight, I was in the horses, having been called
by the deceseed's sister, and went in and cut down the
deceased. Elizabeth Gilbert called out and said—My
brother is dead; he has hanged himself. I went in
and saw him, and saw him hanging by • rope round
his neck, frPar the baluster of the stare, with his feet
about two inches from the ground. He was pits
dead and cold, and must hays been hanging for some
time. I went and called any brother Walter, who
came, and I cut the rope, while he steadied the body.
The rope was fastened with a slip knot. I law the
body on the floor, andbr that time the eargeant of the
polies came. Was not very acquainted with doomed. If
there had been any souffle in the house, I shall have
heard it ; but I did not notice any strange noise.
Elizabeth Gilbert, I am a single woman, and manage
my brother's house. He is a single man, and no one
stayed with him except myself during the day. He
had lately given way to drink. The previous night I
slept next door, and yesterday morning I got up and
dressed myself about seven. First I looked into the
window, as I did not see his hat and thought he was
gone out. Tlas front door was locked, although
generally it wee left unlocked, and I went to the back
and looked in, and found the back door unlocked.
There is no fastening to it, for I had taken out the
bolt when I went out to sleep. Then I saw him in
the passage hanging by • rope round his neck. I was
alone, and called out—" 06, Edward," but he did not
move, and I called Mr. Hurley. He would be 27 next
month. I did not like to sleep in the house of late, 111
my brother has given way to drink, and would then
be so excited that be would knock me about, so that
my father and others did not think it safe fir me to
be there. On the evening before (Saturday) about 11,
I was into Mrs. Strong'd, and we heard a struggle. I
called Mrs. Strong and we went in, and then the
deceased hai a strap round his neck and his leg, and
was on the landing in a bendlngl porters, and could
not speak. Three men went in, took off the strap, and
we went for Mr. Day, and he came almost directly,
and deceased was on the sofa, in Mrs. Streng's house.
The doctor asked him if he was well, and he replied
" quite well." After the doctor went Mnr. Strong said
be was to go into his own house, and gis to bed and be
quiet, as he piuld not remain there any longer, to
wrsich he made no reply. He went into his own house.
She and Mr. Scott went in there shortly after and her
brother was writing on a piece of paper (produ'oed), but
did not know what he was writing. They told him to
go to bed; but he never answered. After • few
minutes she went back again' and saw he was laid on
the bed, and appeared to be asleep. I said "Edward,
are you asleep?" he did not answer. I remained two
or three minuted, saw he was quiet, and then left, and
I did not again see him alive,
By • Juryman: she saw him on Saturday night
just before eleven, and he was not the worse for
liquor, although he had had some ; but she thought
be was worse afterwards. He left Mrs. Strong'i house
without assistance. Had never heard him threaten
to commit suicide.

--li-tran-s-plird—tit some years ago, when quite a lad,
deceased worked for Mr. Hurdle.
Dr. Day said on Saturday evening about 11 o'clock
he MA sent for and went immediately to see the
deceased, and found him on the sofa at lira. Strones
house; he was in a drinky stat e and very abusive.
The deceased asked what business I had there. I told
him I understood he was 111, and he replied--" I am
very well ; only feel my pulse," and held out his hand.
I declined to do so, as I saw he was drunk; but said I
was not wanted, sod left, and did not see him till
yesterday morning, when he was lying on the floor in
his own house dead, with the rope round his nick, as
If he had been cut down. He must then have been
dead some hours, and the cause of death most have
been asphyxia. I have seen him before, but have not
attended him medically.
William Harris, of Fordington Crow, wheelwright,
said about a quarter to eleven Saturday night, two
women came to him and seed him to come up, as
Gilbert had hung hienselL He ran immediately,
accompanied by two other man, went into the hones,
and was directed upstairs. There was no light; but
he ran against Gilbsrt, who was lying on his side,
lifted him with the aid of Joseph Pauley, and felt a
strap round Gilbert's neck, unbuckled the strap at
once, and sent for the doctor. Deceased at first did
not speak; but gave a gasp, and witness thought he
was dead; but a light was brought, and deceased
appeared somewhat recovered. Witness aald—"Go for
a doctor," but deceased said be did not want a doctor.
Witness said—" Go for a drop of brandy," this was
brought; he took it, and got on his legs. HA was
helped downstairs by witness and Panley, and he stood
talking to Harris, who hoped he would go to bed
quiet, when deceased answered he should hang himself
before the morning. He was strange and suffering
from drink. Witness told him not to talk like that,
John Lyde tried to light his pipe, and they went out.
P.C. Pryer came by, and said-- "Where in the man
that tried to hang himself ?" The door was shown to
the policeman, but it IVY locked, and Lyde told the
policeman he ought to beat open the door. The constable
said he shouldn't do so, and witness replied—" He said
he should hang himself before the morning; I shall
leave it to you." Gilbert came and spoke to the
policeman, saying he did not want him knocking there
at that hour of the night. Witness did not think
deceased would hang himself, and went on.
P.C. Pryer said the deceased opened the door to
them, ',kW them all good night, and locked the
door.
The Coroner said so far as he was concerned that
would close the evidence. He then went on to point
out the law of the matter, stating that if • man killed
himself it was just as much murder as U he took away
the life of another. It they oonsidered he killed him-
self thee they had to judge whether he did so deliber-
ately, or whether he, in • moment of temporary
insanity, was foolish and weak enough to do ea Had
deceased, when he said he was going to take away his
life, said no in such a way as to make Harris believe he
was going to do so, no man worthy the name of an
Englishman would have gone away and left him. Then
the policeman came, and heard what decamped and the
rest said; no doubt the policeman had to do with
drunken people, and knew that drink produced excite-
ment, the man said he didn't want anyone knocking at
his door at that hour of the night, the man wished
, them good night, and the policeman left him. No
doubt the policeman did his duty very properly. Then
they had to bewilder whether this was • case of
temporary insanity or whether it was done deliberately.
He (the coroner) believed that a man would not take
away his life without his mind being overbalanced;
bid they must not be guided by that, because the laws
of the country recognised that in some cases it would
be otherwise. Although they had nothing to do
with the result of their verdict, he most tell
them that if they found he did it wilfully they
must return a verdict of /do tic se, and the man would
be interred at a certain time, without the rites of burish
That, however, must not influence them, but they
, must return • verdict according to the evidence. The
Coroner than went on to point out that the apparent
, 'deliberation of damaged might be the result of the
, cunning of a madman; he showed no gratitude to
those who had come to him the first time, and what
he had written was not connected at all.
, The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary insanity,
while labouring under the influence of drink."
The sister of deceased remained in the room, sobbing,
nearly the whole time. The coroner at the close
Impressed upon her that it was just as serious to take
I away one's own life, and one went as math with the
guilt of murder on the soul, as if one had taken away
, the life of another, He then allowed her to go.
The deceased and Elisabeth Gilbert were twine.
The Coroner said that on Saturday night he held an
inquest on Mr. Henry Hurdle, who committed suicide
in exactly the same way, with a rope fastened to the
baluster'. He then thanked the jury for the attention
they had given to the case.