Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1878-12-06 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DISTRESSING SUICIDE AT LEE. On Saturday morning last, a man named Richard Pinnnock Sotolitre, employed as packer at Mr. Reed's drapery establishment, Eastbourne-terrace, Lee Green, committed suicide by hanging himself. It appeared that deceased was seen alive at a quarter to eight in the morning, by Robert Hunt, an apprentice to Mr. Reed, and was not seen again until he was found by Hunt, about 10 o'clock, hanging with a rope round his neck, in a workshop at Mr. Reed's. Hunt cut him down, and Dr. Chittenden, jun., of Lee-road, was sent for, and pronounced life extinct. Mr. Carttar held the inquest on Tuesday afternoon, at the Tiger's Head, Lee-green. On the body being searched a packet of documents was found, and these were produced at the inquest. The Coroner said he held in his hand a statement by the deceased which seriously criminated a witness present, and which he was reluctant to make public. The witness in question, a Mr. Meek, said he would prefer it being react, that he might answer it, and the Coroner then read the letter, which was as follows : " 18, Ocfoe-road, Stoke Newington, 'March, 1877 •  'To all whom it may concern-1, Richard S'utcliffe, late chief warder of the Convict Prison, Gibraltar, do in the presence of God, and the photographs of my dear departed wife and children, whom 1 hope and trust in God's forgiveness I may meet in heaven, declare my death. in whatever way I may die, is occasioned by the cruel and unnatural manner in which I have been treated by Mr. W. J. Meek, valentine maker, of 7, Cazenove-road, Stoke Newington, and late of 258, and 260, Old-street, City-road, whose premises ' was ' burnt down, and also of his son. Walter J. Meek, who, when I was robbed by his father of all my worldly property, was moat unnaturally used by him. I wish this to be publicly known that all the world may know what cruel people I have had the misfortune to fall in with after my terrible bereavement. I served my country honourably and truly for 23 years in the one I establishment at Gibraltar, and at the abolition of that establishment in 1875, I embarked my dear wife and seven dear children with all our hard earnings the whole of that period, in the steamship Cadiz for England, and on the Bth May, 1875, it pleased God in his infinite grace and mercy to call them to Him by the foundering of the vessel at Casa Ushant, near Brest. I was, as may bereasonably expected, for I dearly loved my dear wife and darling children, as God only knows, inconsolable, and applied to my brother-inlaw, Mr. Meek, for consolation. He was all that could be desired to me for a time, but I soon found out his motives. He well knew that I was careless of my life or what became of rue, and he also knew that I was entitled to the superannuation of £6O per annum which I could commute. He was in difficulties, and took every opportunity of the state of my mind to prevail upon me to commute my pension, which I unfortunately did for £647 13s. 61.. and gave the cheque into his hand to do as he wished wlth it for his benefit and until I might require the money. A short time after he prevailed upon me to travel for his business, under the plea that I required excitement and change of scene. I went according to his wish, but from what was written to me by a friend I returned to London, and then found out Mr. Meek in his true character. . . . . I have since been living I with his eldest daughter, and had a great deal of trouble to get him to settle with me which he did after swindling me Gut of £9, by giving me two bills, one for £lOO, payable at three months, which he never met, and the other for £4OO, payable at eight mouths. I have been living upon 30s. Per week, which he allowed on account of the bill for £lOO. and can get no further arrangement. I have also every reason to believe that he has succeeded in traducing my character to my relatives in Gibraltar. In committing this to paper. 1 do so as I think it nothing but proper the world should know of the doings of such a bad man, one who goes annually and distributes bibles to the Sunday school. His son Walter,l am sorry to say. has treated me very unnaturally and disrespectfully since I left his father's house, making use of all kinds of disrespectful ' language to me, calling me an old humbug, and other • such disrespectful language. Of Mr. Black I cannot speak too highly, as ha has treated me very considerately. I • wish it to be known that after all my funeral expenses are paid that all that is remaining may be given to my nieces. Ellen and Sarah Summer, of Hill-street, Kingstonon-Thames. and that as it has not been God's will that I should again go to Gibraltar to be buried with the ashes ' cf my dear children who lie there. I would wish, if the 1 law allows it, to be buried with any sister at Kingston.  With this are attached all documents and letters as to the correctness of my statement." "The last dying request of It. P.