The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1881-02-01 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

THE SUICIDE OF A DALTON MAN AT MORECAMBE.  The man named George Jackson, who some weeks ago made an effort to take away his life by cutting his throat with a pen knife at Dalton has since that time been partly under surpevision by his friends to prevent him repeating his attempt. Despite all precautions, however, on Monday, the 17th ult., he succeeded in putting an end to his life by drowning himself at Morecambe, where he had living for some few weeks, in a place called the Bare Aire. The body was found in about three feet of water. An inquest was held at Morecambe on Wednesday, when the following evidence was adduced :—Mrs. Sarah Jackson, said: The deceased was my son, and 33 years of age. My son ha November began to show signs of illness, from , which he never recovered. The illness affected his I brain. He was brought up to be a wholesale grocer, in Liverpool. He appeared to be at times low in spirits_ I don't know that deceased has previously attempted to take away his life. Although low in spirits he was at all times rational when he did speak, but at times he declined. He had been quite well during the last three weeks, and during that time I have had no suspicions. On Monday last, about half-past nine or a quarter to ten o'clock in the morning, he left home, saying he would take a little walk and if well enough he would go to Lancaster. He went alone and never returned. Between three and four in the afternoon his body was brought home. His watch and other property which he took out were all upon him when brought home. I had no fear of my son making any attempt upon his life. At Dalton-in-Furness, the first week in December, my son was taken ill, and the police officer and Dr. Mayne called and asked if he might be removed to Lancaster, and I said he should only be moved home. I don't know what their object was, and I don't know that while at Dalton he did anything irrational. Joseph Hoyle, stonemason, Moor-lane, Lancaster, and brother-in-law to the deceased, said he had known him eight years. During the whole of that time witness had never known him do anything unbecoming a sane man. Witness never suspected that he had any suicidal tendency, nor had he ever made any attempt upon his life. Thomas Mathison, stonemason, Pedder-street, Morecambe, said he saw deceased on the shore near a place called "The Fox Holes," on the road to Bare, on Monday morning. That was at a quarter-past eleven o'clock. Witness saw deceased again at halfpast twelve o'clock in the same place. He was walking to and fro and knocking snow about with his stick in the water. Witness asked him if it MLR cold, and deceased replied "It does not matter to me if it  Edward Allen, surgeon, practising at Morecambe, said: I first attended the deceased some time in December. He was suffering from melancholia— suicidal tendency. I gave directions to Mrs. Jackson to watch. him. I. did not attempt to disguise the fact from his mother that he was suffering from suicidal tendency. His mother was aware that he had made an attempt upon his life. There was a mark on his throat of an attempt. The mark was such a cut that he might have done it himself. It was a fresh wound—perhaps eight days old. I dressed it. I concluded that deceased had suicidal tendencies by my own examination, and by his acknowledging that he had an inclination to take away his life. Upon that I gave instructions to his mother to have him w%tched, and also advised his removal to an asylum. On the second occasion I mentioned the matter, Mrs. Jackson assented. I wrote to Mr. Baines, the relieving officer, who came over. The deceased improved in the meantime, and some time afterwards, Mrs. Jackson being anxious to keep him at home, I continued to treat him. I attended him every day until the new year came in, and he then seemed very well. He was cheerful and had a good appetite. He then went about his business all nght. I saw him yesterday week at his own house. He had every appearance of being quite well. Jonas Benton, dock labourer, said: I did not know the deceased and never remember seeing him alive. About two o'clock on Monday I saw his 'body on the shore near the Bare footpath—where the plot of land is fenced off. The tide had washed the body up about twenty-five yards. The body I have seen is the same. As I went along the road I saw a hat and stick, which had marks upon them as if they had been moved once or twice. ; thought something must be wrong, and, seeing nothing, I went over two fields, but saw no one. I returned to the shore and then saw the body of deceased face downwards, fully clothed except the hat. I sent for the police. About a dozen fishermen came up and removed the body home. There were no marks of violence upon it. Mrs. Jackson was recalled, and, in answer to the Coroner, said her son, on coming home from Dalton, had a small wound on his throat. This was in December. She asked him how it came there and he said he could not tell. She got Mr. Allen to attend deceased, and he dressed the wound. She had had an illness, and she could not remember if Mr. Allen told her that her son needed watching. In summing up, the Coroner thought the jury could only regret that the friends of the deemed had not given their evidence openly with regard to his condition—Mrs. Jackson and her son-in-law declining to acknowledge any suicidal tendency, and wishing them to believe that the cut on the throat was a mere pin scratch. The evidence of Mr. Allen, however, was clear that the deceased had made a previous attempt on his own life. Why the friends of Jackson had attempted to keep this fact from the jury he could not tell. There was nothing in the evidence to prevent the jury coming to the conclusion that the deceased committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind. After a brief deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of "Committed suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind."