The Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester Telegram. — 1878-12-06 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

DISTRESSING SUICIDE AT LEE.  On Saturday morning last, a man named Richard Pinnnock Sutcliffe, employed as packer at Mr. Reed's drapery establishment, Eastbourne-terrace, Lee Green, committedsuicide by hanging himself. It appeared that deceased was seen alive at a quarter to eight in the morning, by Robert Hunt, an apprentice to Mr. Reed, and was not seen again until he was found by Hunt, about 10 o'clock, hanging with a rope round his neck, in a workshop at Mr. Reed's. Hunt cut him down, and Dr. Chittenden, jun., of Lee-road, was sent for, and pronounced life extinct. Mr. Carttar held the inquest on Tuesday afternoon, at the Tiger's Head, Lee-green. On the body being searched a packet of documents was found, and these were produced at the inquest. The Coroner said he held in his hand a statement by the deceased which seriously criminated a witness present, and which he was reluctant to make public. The witness in question, a Mr. Meek, said he would prefer it being read, that he might answer it, and the Coroner then read the letter, which was as follows : "18. Ocfoe-road, Stoke Newington, "March, 1877. "To all whom it may concern: —I, Richard Sutcliffe, late chief warder of the Convict Prison, Gibraltar, do in the presence of God, and the photographs of my dear departed wife and children, whom 1 hope and trust in God's forgiveness I may meet in heaven, declare my death, in whatever way I may die, is occasioned by the cruel and unnatural manner in which I have been treated by Mr. W. J. Meek, valentine maker, of 7. Cazenove-road, Stoke Newington, and late of 258, and 260, Old-street, City-road, whose premises 'was ' burnt down, and also of his son. Walter J. Meek, who, when I was robbed by his father of all my worldly property, was most unnaturally used by him. I wish this to be publicly known that all the world may know what cruel people I have had the misfortune to fall in with after my terrible bereavement. I served my country honourably and truly for 23 years in the one establishment .at Gibraltar, and at the abolition of that establishment in 1875, I embarked my dear wife and seven dear children with all our hard earnings the whole of that period, in the steamship Cadiz for England, and on the Bth May, 1875, it pleased God in his infinite grace and mercy to call them to Him by the foundering of the vessel at Cape lishant, near Brest. I was, as may be reasonably expected, for I dearly loved my dear wife and darling children, as God only knows, inconsolable, and applied to my brother-inlaw, Mr. Meek, for consolation. He was all that could be desired to me for a time, but I soon found out his motives. He well knew that I was careless of my life or what became of me, and he also knew that I was entitled to the superannuation of £6O per annum which I could commute. Ho was in difficulties, and took every opportunity of tho state of my mind to prevail upon me to commute my pension, which I unfortunately did for £647 13s. 61_ and gave the cheque into his hand to do as he wished wqh it for his benefit and until I might require the money. A short time after he prevailed upon me to travel for his business, under the plea that I required excitement and change of scene. I went according to his wish, but from what was written to me by a friend I returned to London, and then found out Mr. Meek in his true _ • character. . I have since been living _ . .. ._  _ With his eldest daughter, and had a great deal of trouble to get him to settle with me which he did after swindling me out of £9, by giving me two bills, one for £lOO, payable at three months, which lie never met, and the other for £4OO, payable at eight months. I have been living upon 303. per week, which he allowed on account of the bill for £lOO. and can get no further arrangement. I have also every reason to believe that he has succeeded in traducing my character to my relatives in Gibraltar. In committing this to paper, 1 do so as I think it nothing but proper the world should know of the doings of such a bad man, one who goes annually and distributes bibles to the Sunday school. His son, Walter, lam sorry to say, has treated me very unnaturally and disrespectfully since I left his father's house, making use of all kinds of disrespectful language to me, calling me an old humbug, and other such disrespectful language. Of Mr. Black I cannot speak too highly, as he has treated me very considerately. I wish it to be known that after all my funeral expenses are paid that all that is remaining may be given to my nieces, Ellen and Sarah Summer, of Hill-street, Kingstonon-Thames, and that as it has not been God's will that I should again go to Gibraltar to be buried with the ashes of my dear children who lie there. I would wish, if the law allows it, to be buried with my sister at Kingston.  With this are attached all documents and letters as to the correctness of my statement." "The last dying request of It. P. Strraarm" Following on this was "If it will be any consolation to those who have so Cruelly treated me and had so little regard for my dear lost ones, I leave them my true forgiveness, and pray God to pardon me and them, and may God deal with them more mercifully than they have with me. I have to add that all that has occurred through them is attributable to Mr. Meek, as had he acted towards me in an honest manner I should now be in Gibraltar leading a godly life.  R. P. Surcurvz. 26, 2, '78." The Coroner also read a letter of later date, which was as follows : "Since writing my last Mr. Meek has declared himself bankrupt, and after entreating me not to appear against him as an opposing creditor, till they have passed his affairs to his satisfaction, he turns round and snaps his fingers in my face and tells me to do my best to receive my dividend and go about my business. Thus all my long life earnings are lost by this man. I have had to accept several situations to obtain a livelihood, and now I cannot live in this world to me of trouble. All ray troubles and the cause of death is entirely owing to Meek's dishonesty towards me, as, had he acted honourably towards me. I should now have been among friends in Gibraltar, living a godly and righteous life instead of dying such a wretched death as I see before me. —R.