The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1894-11-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DISAPPEARANCE OF A MINISTER. FOUND DROWNED IN WINDERMERE. The mystery attaching to the disappearance of the Rev. T. P. Trethewey, minister of the London- ' road Congregational Church, Leicester, was solved on Monday in a painful manner by the discovery of his body in Lake Windermere. At Lowood, near the end of the lake, a silk hat and umbrella were found floating in the water, which led to further ' search. The unfortunate gentleman's clothing revealed his cohnection with Leicester, and, after communications with that town, officials of the London-road Church went over at once, and arriving at Windermere identified the body as that of their missing, minister. It has been disovered that he was in Wastdale on Wednesday and Thursday, and in Eel:dale on Friday. An inquest is to be held at Ambleside, but letters found on the body leave little doubt that he has committed suicide. He appeared last week to be labouring under considerable excitement, attributed to financial troubles, though these were of insignificant amount. The news of his decease has created much sensation in Leicester, where the reverend gentleman during Ins two years' ministry has gained many friends, and was looked up to as a rising and successful preacher. Mr Trethewey was the son of a Wesleyan mini-ter—the Rev. IThus. Trethewey, now a supernumerary minister at Okehampton, and was a nephew of the Rev. Mark Guy Pearse, whose name he bore. tre was educated at Wesley College, Sheffield, and was subsequently an assistant master in that institution, his abilities having attracted the favourable unties of the Rev. Dr. Dellinger, who was 'at that time governor of the College. In 1883, however, he relinquished the teaching profession, and entered the Congregational ministry. His first paetcrate was at Market Weighton, where lie remained about two years. He then accepted the pastorate of a newly-established Congregational Church in Abbeydale Sheffield, and after live yearn' successful work, to the regret of his congregation, decided to remove to Leicester. He married a Sheffield lady, for whom much sympathy is felt in that city. While he was at Sheffield, Sir Trethewey left his home in a similarly mysterious way, apparently in a lit of mental depression fee which there seemed no sufficient ground. On that occasion he was followed by friends to Calais. and brought back. After it brief rest he was able to resume hie work, and the ' memory of the incident, which at the time attiacted considerable remark, had died away. He was only 3ti years of age.—At an inquest held on Tuesday evidence was given that deceased had been tinting Wastdale and Eskdale, and was seen walking on Sunday night near the lake at Lowood, where he was found drowned on Monday morning. In his pockets were found letters addressed to his wife, and photographs of his wire and of the chapel where he officiated. The letters were couched in endearing terma. In one of them he said he had come to the solitnde of that lovely district not to admire the scenery, but to die in the cold and dark of the night. He stood, said the letter, on the spot where, on that sunny morning in 1890, his wife, her mother, and he had stood together. He hoped his wife would forgive him.—Mr John Henry Trethewey, the deceased's brother, a theological student, who identified the body, said the deceased had suffered from depression of spirits for some years. It was true that he was expenencing some financial embarrassments. Another letter, which was here read, stated that the deceased owed 1:270 135 ,Id. Witness said deceased bad a salary of £3OO a year, and had been at 'Leicester two and a half years.— Other evidence having been given, tl le jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane." The body of the deceased will be conveyed to Sheffield for interment.