Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1898-07-15 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

SHOCKING CASE OF SUICIDE IN HILDERTHORPE.  A painful sensation was caused in Ailderthorpe on Monday evening, by the news that Mr. John Atkinson Lamb, a tailor, residing at No. 14, St. Hilda-stavet, had committed suicide. The deceased had been drinking for two or three weeks, and it was rumoured that he was much ta•pdbled about a son going away from home. But the lad had come back, and on Monday morning the deceased was sober and had discussed the current news of the day with friends whom he met. It seems probable that his mental trouble arose from another cause. Three or four years ago he was attacked by influenza, and since then he had complained of pains in his head. His employer, who gave him an excellent character as a workman, said that after his illness he was never the same man • and in the suggestion of the coroner that the deceased had tried to pull himself together by means of stimulants, may possibly be found the true explanation of his rash deed. I The facts of the case appear in the evidence given before the coroner at the inquest held at the Station Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. J. J. Coleman, Hilderthorpe-road, said about 7-50 on Monday evening he was called in to see the body of the deceased. Death had occurred about four , hours previously. The deceased was lying alongside , the bed near the window. There was a pool of blood on the dressing table, with splashes of blood on the looking glass. There was also a pool of blood on the bedclothes where he had probably sat. There was a horizontal wound across his throat over two inches long, severing the windpipe and jugular vein. The wound was sufficient to cause death, and might have been caused by a knife which lay near his hip. Witness had not attended the deceased.  ------Hate Annie Lamb, who lives at 14, St. Hilda-street, said the body viewed by the jury was that of her father, who was alailor, 58 years of age. She last [taw him alive about a quarter past one on Monday, when he declined to have any dinner, saying he could not eat it, and went upstairs. He had n3t been in then more than half-an-hour. He did not appear peculiar. He was much better than he had been, but had been drinking for about three weeks. He was sober then. She did not see him again till ten minutes past seven. Witness went upstairs in consequence of her sister shouting to her. She had gone upstairs before her. Witness found her father lying on the floor by the bedside, quite dead. For the past three weeks he had not done any work.— By the Jury: He was not in the habit of going to lie down in the afternoon. Witness did not think he made a trouble of his son going away from home. They did not know that he had any trouble pressing upon his mind. He had influenza some time ago, • but he recovered.  Mrs. Nicholls, a widow, who lived next door to the deceased, said she last saw him alive on Sunday night. Witness was called in abcut ten minutes past seven, and on going upstairs she went to the deceased and lifted his hand. It was cold and she concluded he was dead. Witness sent her grandson for Dr. Coleman.  P. C. Spriggs said at eight o'clock on Monday night he was called to No. 14, St. Hilda-street. He went upstairs and found deceased lying on his back in a pool of blood. Drs. Coleman and Forrest were there. The dressing table was splashed with blood, and there was blood on the bed. Lying about two feet from the body was the knife produced (an ordinary pocket knife) stained with blood. There was a deep gash across the throat of the deceased. Mr. J. W. Postill, of King-street, said the deceased had worked for him for several years. He was at work till he broke off about thrte weeks ago. He was an upright, conscientious workman, but occasionally he had gone off drinking. Three or four years ago he had influenza badly, and it affected his head. He complained of it, and since then he bad never been able to do the same quantity of work; in fact he bad not been the same man since, _ _  The Coroner bnefly summed up, and said there could be no doubt deceased committed suicide, and after Mr. Postill's evidence it would seem that his mind was affected, and that he had perhaps tried to pull himself together by taking drink. The jury at once returned a verdict "that deceased committed suicide while of unsound mind."