Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1889-11-23 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

GAMBLER'S REIN.  Mr. Carnet, coroner, has held an inquest at the Dover Cadle, Greenwich, on the body of a man, supposed to be Francis Sumner Rose, aged from 45 to 50, who committed euicule at his lodgings. Hrs. Woodings, the landlady, said that the roan had been with her for three week.. When he came he gave the name of William Somme, s, but afterwards cm. rented it to Franca Sumner Rose. Go IVeduesday afternoon of last week he went upstairs, saying be had to do an hour or two's writing. Next day be old Dot comedown, and in the alterunon she stint into the room and found his.. dead on the floor. The bed had not been slept In, and ihe candle, had burnt nut In the socket. He had told her he bad friends in Stabelie. Two packet. (produced), two letters, and two postcards had been received by him while at her house. Police.emstable Hayward, coroner's atter, producedtwo boxes which had been tied up by Rose, and addressed tothe coroner and jury. The words," Ike person in authority is to open this box—signed, Francis Sumner Rorie," were written on a scrap of paper on the box. In one of the boxes was found the following, written on foolscap paper "Oust Greenwich, November 8,1889 (the figure 8 had evidently been written subsequent to the other portion of the letter). Thu is to certify that I. Francis Sumner Rose, have committed suicide by swallowing an over. dose of strong Turkey opium, and that no person in this house, or any other, have had either hand or Oct or part, directly or indirectly, in my destruction. The whole business is my own. Sly reason for committing suicide is because I have ruined myself with the cursed horse-racing. I had made a fair little fortune at the game for years and yearn, but nisi!), got, easily spent, until at hut I have lost all. I Cannot brace up my mind to go back to Australia to my friend, and a comfortable home, although 1 haws got the offer several times from • few friends irs London to procure a peerage and outfit for me on loan of Bic months' sight. But when I come to think the matter over and over, no; I w...uld sooner face death, yrs, even twice over again. I have tried to accept the offer, but my mind would not listento it on any acorn int. Fo now I must tbro wr p the sponge. Considering the most decent at) le of destroying my life, I applied stroog opium as the beet means, as I always detest those beastly methods of suicide, such as shooting, throat-cutting, drown. Mg, and all the rest; but of course I am well aware that all forms of suicide are bad enough. But I no* think that this style of destroying life is the best, as It is the most decent, cleanest, and quietest style that I know. Now, having • fair knowkige of this mighty drug, and its effects, I have swallowed itie 'entente of this box, containing 37001 those opium pellets, minus 35, which I am well aware Is more than 10 times the amount required to kill an adult person. But to be doubly sure of my end, I have taken this extraordinary amount of opium. My motive for taking tins amount is to lull all pain; so, as you can understand, I will die, actually die in apoplexy, leaving the world in a sleep of peace, without pain, ache, or sigh. Now, to assist the coroner and his jury to give their verdict, I have taken these means, namely have put a sample of the opium that I have already taken, I have put that into two tin boxes, enclosed in two wooden bones. I have posted them at two dillierent offices Cu London for my lodgings at 49, Devonshimroad, East Greenwith. have taken this precaution in order that the jury may see that no other party had any handling of Chi, dnlg but myself. Now the coroner's jury will have very liitle doubt In this matter, that is, I think so, that Francis Sumner Nose did kill himself by swain,o ing an overdose of strong Turkey opium with his own hand and free will, knowing the same to be far more than doubly sufficient to cause death. Signed this 'ti, day of November, 1889,