The Manchester Examiner. — 1848-10-24 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

SUICIDE FROM DRINK.—On Friday afternoon, Mr. Chap man, borough coroner, held an inquest on the body of George Dougherty, a journeyman shoemaker, who had died by his own hand on Wednesday evening. The deceased worked with a shoemaker named Viser, in Edge-street, for about three months. He was an habitual drunkard, and to obtain the means of purchasing drink, he had, on Tuesday, pledged some work for which Viser was responsible. Viser went to seek him on Wednesday morning, and found him in a public. house, in Oak-street, tipsy. Upbraiding him for what lie had done, Viser ultimately got the deceased home to his house, where he continued dozing about during the afternoon. About six o'clock, he went into the front shop, and approaching the stool on which he usually worked, and on which his wife was sitting at the time, he asked her what she was doing there. She was closing a boot, and made a short reply. Dougherty was noticed to stoop and take up the knife which she bad been using. He turned his back, and She, fearing something wrong, screamed, and along with Viser ran after him to take the weapon from him; but he was too quick for them; for, having directed the point of the knife towards his breast, he rushed against the wall, and thus drove the weapon into his body. He pulled the knife out himself, and it fell on the floor. The loss of blood was great, and after heaving two or three sighs, he fell down quite dead. Deceased's wife stated that he was often delirious with drink, and threatened harm to himself anti others. There was no quarrel between Viser and him, although the former was very much displeased with him for pawning his work. A verdict of "Suicide under insanity" was returned.  IMPUDENT Housit THErrs.— An elderly, florid-faced Irishman, named Greenwood, who said he was an agriculturist and cattle dealer, was yesterday placed at the bar of the Borough Court, on two charges of stealing umbrellas from houses, which he entered under pretence of learning the amount of the rent, and of the accommodation. The first charge, as to date, was as far back as the 19th of September. On the forenoon of that day the prisoner called at Mr. Wilkinson's house, in Lower Chatham-street. The house was ticketed, "To be let," and he professed to be anxious to know the rent, size, &c. The hour was not convenient for such a call, but he was shown into the front parlour, in a corner of which an umbrella, the property of Mr. Wakefield, a lodger, was laid. The prisoner had not been gone many minutes when this umbrella was missed. Information was given to the police, but the prisoner was not to be found anywhere. On Saturday morning he again plied his vocation at the house of Mr. Stone, in Welbeck-street, out of Rosamond-street. Seeing the door open, and that the house was to be let, he asked the rent, and other particulars. Mrs. Stone and her daughter permitted him to see the rooms. An umbrella was lying in a corner at the door of the back parlour, and on going out the prisoner adroitly picked it up, and, carrying it before him unseen, made his way out. A girl who was standing at the next door noticed him pass with the umbrella, and recollecting that he had none in his hand when he entered, mentioned the thing to Miss Stone, who, finding that her father's umbrella had gone, ran after the prisoner. He was stopped at the end of The street and given into custody. His lodgings were searched, and several pawn. tickets found, one of which referred to Mr. Wakefield's umbrella, upon which he had raised 2s. 6d. The prisoner coolly said he could prove that the umbrellas were his own property, but that he would reserve his evidence until the trial. Mr. Maude, being quite satisfied with this arrangement, committed the prisoner to the sessions.