Cradley Heath & Stourbridge Observer. — 1864-04-23 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

INVEST AT CRADLEY.—On Thursday, April 21st, an inquest was held at the Jolly Collier, (Mr. Westwood's), before Edwin Hooper, Esq., the District Coroner, on the body of Henry Parrish, labourer, of Two Gates, who committed suicide by throwing himself into the liesorvoir at Cradlev, on Tuesday morning last. The Jury consisted of the following persons: Messrs. Gill, (Foreman), Smith. Warr, Bradbury, Barnsley, Raybould, Taylor, Price, Robinson, Morgan, Gampton, Homer, and Westwood. After being sworn they went to view the body which was lying in astable belonging to the house. On returning the Coroner said that the body ought to have been placed somewhere else, and not in the stable. If the house had been all old licensed one, he should have had the Landlord before the Magistrates, but as it was a beershop he should report it to the Magi trates Clerk, so that if the Landlord apinlied for an old license they might see if he had a proper place to put in dead bodies which might be brought to his house. The first witness called was a man named William Wellings, he said: I am a Puddler, I live at Overend ; I knew the deceased by sight; he lived at Two Gates; I was going to work last Tuesday morning when I saw the deceased standing by the gate leading up to Corngreaves Works; he was leaning against the post of the gate; it was between 10 and 15 minutes to 5; he wished me good morning, and I returned the compliment) he seemed as if he had been out all night; I do not know whether be was intoxicated or not; The pool was about 30 yards from the gate.—John Head sworn .—I am a puddler; I live at Oradley ; As I was conning from work last Tuesday morning about half-past five; I met a young man who said there was half a suit of clothes down there; I asked him where and he showed them to me, they were on the flood-gates; I went and looked at them, there was a jacket and cap; I thought perhaps some one might be in the pool, I looked all about but could not see anybody; as I WAS going away it struck me that I had not looked down by the floodgates, I turned back, and on looking was horrified to ' see a man standing up in the water; his head was covered by the water; I turned away and a mail named Sideway came up; lie went for the Police; when lie had called them up to the window they said he was to gain the Five Ways and fetch a policeman, salt NTSS out of their district ; I saw the deceased taken out ; he had on his waistcoat, trousers, shirt, shoes, and stockings, he was quite dead, laid him on a door and took him to Westwouds ; by a juror : he watt a ft° under water; Sarah Parrish : I am the wife of the deceased; he was 35 years old, and was a labourer; it is his body that is lying here; I saw him last on Monday evening at 7 o'clock ; he went out, he did not tell me where he was going; I did not go to bed till 4 o'clock, RS I was waiting for him; I was called up by a woman named Burgess, she asked me if my husband was at home, I replied that he was not, she then told me lie was drowned, I went as quick as I could to the place where lie was; he had a fall some time at Wolverhampton out of a cart, he cut his head, we attended to him ourselves, since then he has not been himself properly; it he had drink he was worse; he was not in good spirits on Monday; he has been ou good terms with me and his neighbours ; he had no money matters and ouch like to trouble him; he left no letter at home since he has been drowned, people have told me that he threatened to drown himself, but he never told me so; I do not know how he got into the water.—After the Coroner had made some remarks on the evidence, the jury returned the following verdict :—That the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.