The Sun. — 1862-09-16 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SUICIDE.  SPECIAL VERDICT.  Yesterday afternoon Mr. John Humphreys, the Middlesex coroner, opened a protracted inquiry at the White Hart public-house, Kingsland-road, Shoreditch, touching the death of Mr. Joseph Hallows Robinson, aged 53 years, an engineer, lately carrying on business at No. 3, Cook's-place, Kingsland-road, who committed suicide through grief at the removal and decease of his wife, whom he believed had been taken away improperly into a Roman Catholic priory at Ascot. Mr. Vann, the solicitor, attended to watch the case for the friends of the deceased's family. The court was crowded during the inquiry.  The first witness called was the son of the deceased, a boy about 12 years of age, who said he had been living and sleeping with him since his mother had been removed to the Roman Catholic Hospital at Ascot. His father had been in a very low and desponding state through his mother's removal, which had been done by the advice of her friends. On Thursday evening last, about eleven o'clock, he retired to rest with his son, and on the following morning, at an early hour, when the elder son called to see him, he found his father suspended by a rope to the rail of the bedstead. Dr. Burchell, of the Kingsland-road, was called, but life was extinct.  By the Coroner—The deceased became unhappy when his wife was removed, and she was taken from home because she was ill and could not bear the smell of the drains and the sewer at the back of the place. My mother was removed from the house to my aunt's. She celled Dr. Burchell and obtained the means for her removal to the Roman Catholic Priory. Tho landlord had been informed of the nuisance at the house, but not the inspector of nuisances.  Thos. Powell Robinson was then called, and said that he found the deceased dead as described. He knew how his father had been through his mother's removal, and his mind was evidently affected. He only went home on Sundays, as he was employed at Mr. Allorell's, the butcher, of Hackney-road. His mother had been ill for the past six months. The deceased had been removed to the Priory at Ascot through the kind interference of the curate of the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch. By the Coroner—His father had been drinking rather more lately than usual, and witness had several times remonstrated with him, telling him that he must not fret, but put his trust in God. He had frequently heard the deceased exclaim, "I wish your mother was at home." Dr. Burchell proved that the deceased died from strangulation by hanging.  Esther Pemberton, of 23, Sarah•street, Kingsland-road, said that she was the sister of the deceased woman, who had a complication of disorders. On Thursday fortnight she called upon witness, and said that she was on her way to Dr. Burchell, the parochial medical officer. Witness kept the deceased female at her house because she told her that she could not breathe at home. After she was removed she told witness that she could breath much better. Witness went to the curate of Shoreditch church, and he got her an admission into the Roman Catholic Priory at Ascot, to which place she was removed, Witness went on the following Friday to Priory and saw her. She said that she was kindly treated. By the Coroner—It was a very large place, and witness saw abort 12 patients, some of whom were children. They all wore similar dresses, consisting of slate-coloured gowns with hoods and caps, She said there was a minister in attendance upon her. She several times told me that she was very happy, and there were two letters on the bed, one from her son and the other from witness. Tho letters had been detained, as the head matron was out of town at Plymouth, and they had been kept back to be opened by her first. I intended to have taken the deceased back if she had not been Well treated, and took money down to pay the expenses of her removal home. I left the deceased there, and subsequently heard that she was worse, and that I was to meet her at the Waterloo-road station toremove her. I went to the terminus, but the deceased was not there. I received a letter written from the Priory, of which the following is a copy:— " r. I'tobinson,—l regret to give you the painful tidings that your wife (Elizabeth Robinson) will, probably, Lefore you receive this letter, have departed this life in peace, , The disease of which she suffered had increased rapidly, as  you will have learned, although she is happy an& cheerful. The lady superior desires me to write to you concerning her funeral, and to ask you what you would wish done with regard to the expenses, for which the hospital have not funds.—l am, Sir, yours, &c., "C.