Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-04-14 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SIIICIDIE OF AN EX-LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE STATIONS-MARTEL—Last Saturday afternoon an inquest was held at the Trafalgar Hotel, Newstreet, Barnsley, on the body of James Redfearn, 52 years of age, who was for fifteen years stationmaster at the Exchange Station. Bradford, and who was found with his throat out the same morning at Barnsley, where for the last six months he has been stationed as inspector of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Station.—The first witness called was Ann Redfearn, of 162, Tennyson Place, Otley-road, Bradford, who said deceased was her husband. He was lodging with Mr. Fen wick, at No. 9, Marketstreet, Barnsley, and was railway inspector of the Passenger Department at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Station, Barnsley. He had held the situation six months. He had been depressed about the change in removing him from Bradford to Barnsley, Witness had a letter from him on Thursday, in which he stated he had expected being removed to Brighouse, but that had fallen through. She expected him home on Saturday night, but heard of his death that morning. Matthew Fenwiok, plasterer, of No. 9, Market-srreet, Barnsley, said he had known deceased three or four months. He was always very reserved, and witness had noticed no change in his manner of late. On Friday afternoon he got his tea as usual, and had his supper. Deceased about the middle of the week said he thought of having to go to another station, but the arangement had been upset. Witness read a newspaper to him, and he went to bed shortly after ten o'clock. Deceased was troubled with a cough when he got cold. About five o'clock that moraing he heard deceased cough. About five minutes to six o'clock witness heard a noise upstairs, but took no notice of it. Very shortly after he heard another noise on the floor, and ran upstairs and asked his son if they had been making a noise. Witness went into deceased's room and found him in a sitting. posture by the side of the bed. He was in his ntghtehirt. He had a small pocket knife in his hand. He held the knife in his right hand, and had it up to his neck as if he was cutting it. Witness exclaimed, "Oh dear Mr. Redfearn, what have you done this ' for?I, There was a good (lima of blood on the bed, the carpet, and his shirt. Witness took the knife from him, and again asked him what he had done It for. He was bleeding heavily, and could not speak. Dr. Rowley came awl sewed the wound up, When Dr. Blackburn came the wound again broke out. The gash was on the right side of the head, extending from the ear to the windpipe. After they got him laid on the bed he died.— Alf red Robinson, of No. 15, Pontefract-road, said he was stationmaster for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company at Barnsley. Witness had known deceased several years, but had been more intimately connected with him during the six months he had been at Barnsley. He was stationmaster for 16 years at Bradford, and came from that town to Barnsley. He was on good terms with every one about the station. There might have been a slight change with respect to his removal, but he gave no outward indications of it. He always expressed expressed himself satisfied with his situation, and on Friday he did the whole of his work as if he Intended returning the next morning. There was, nothing wrong respecting his work. —The °proner briefly summed up the evidence, and the jury at once returned a verdict" that deceased oommitted suicide while of unsound mind."  I