Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1881-12-10 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE OF A STOCKTON TRADESMAN. THE INQUEST.  On Saturday eveuing a Coroner's enquiry wpm held at the Stockton Police Count with reference to the cirournatatmes auder wind' Mr Thawed Wharton ilinderweli, au ulil Stocktcai tradesman, came to hie death cu the previous day. .he first wituefia called waa  Mrs Sarah Hinderwell, the wilow, who identified the body, and etated that the deceased had been in low spirits during the early part of the week on litoOUlit of monetary difficulties. Lee had frrquently threatened to destroy himself when he had " beeu drinking," but witness did not enterWu any fear that he would actually commit suicide. On Wednesday la.,t the bailiffs entered their house—No. 13, Hardwick. terrace—under a distrant for arrears of rent, and the oc.eirreoce seemed to upset him very much. Witness left the thoeuatal in the house about seven o'clock on Thuisday night, and about ten o'clock her grandson came to her mud said that the deceased was in a fit. Witness at once returned home, and sent for Dr. Oliver, but before that gentleman arrived her husband had expired. fibe afterwards learned that the deceased told bia grandson that he had poisoned himself. Deceased was a watch and clock maker by trade, and bad carried on business in the town for many years.  ._. Mr John Rymer Cant, an assistant to Messrs Brayshay and Sm 4 chemists, Highstreet, Stockton, was the next witness. He said he knew the deceased by sight. On Friklay morning, about hall-past nine, he came to Messrs Brayshay's shop and asked for a threepenny packet of Battles Vermin lidler. Witness served him with it, at the same time asking what he was going to do wida it. Deceased replied. .•11. want it to kill rats and mice." He signed the poison register in a clear, firm hand, nor did there appear anything at all unusual in his manner, which was quite calm and rational. The Vermin Killer contained a considerable quantity of strychnine, and one-third of a threepenny packet would be a dangerous dose, and a little more than a third would certainly .destroy life.  Mr Robert ltdbinson Bainbridge, chemist, High-street, gave evidence to the effect, that on Friday morning the deceased came tohis shop and bought a threepenny packet of Battle's Vermin Killer. Deceased said he wanted it to kill rats and mice. Witness knew the deceased from having frequently seen him odme to the shop for various articles, and on this occasion did not notice anything strange in his manner. He Bi6ned the gister. Mr Robert Collins, chemist, Central Buildings, was next called. He said that about half .past two on Friday afternoon the deceased came to his shop and bought a threepenny packet of Battle's Vermin Killer, stating,in reply to a question, the he wanted it to kill hlaok-clocks. Witness and the deceased eutered into a general conversation for a few moments. There did not seem to he anything unusual in his appearance or manner. Replying to a juryman. witness said it was usual to supply Vcrinin Killer to any adult person who gave satisfactory explanation of the purposes for which they wanted it. Being well acquainted with the deceasedl witness served him without hesitation.  William Vernon, residing at South Stook. ton, was the neat witness. Ile gave evident* of entering into possession of the deceaecd's hones on Wednesday as bailiff to far Charles Metcalf, under a warrant of distress for rent. The affair appeared to upset the deceased very much. He seemed greatly dejected. About half-past nine on Friday night witness was sitting in the kitchen with „the deceased and his grandson (Charles Hinderwell), a lad about two years of age, when the cieoeased took a tumbler of water and retired t 3 his bedroom. Some forty minutes afterwards he came down stairs again, asked it there was anyone about, and on being told that there was no one but witness and the lad he went back again to his bedroom. About a quarter of an hour later witness hoard some one groaning upstate. He at once asked the lad if it was usual for the deceased to groan in that way when he had been drinking. The lad said it was not usual, and, at the request of witness, the lad ran up stairs to the deceased's bedroom. As the door was found to be looked, the lad called out, "What's the matter r several times, but getting no answer,die called out, "Grandfather mast be dying." Witness ran upstaita Immediately. The lad, in the meantime, bad broken open the bedroom door. They found the deceased lying at full length on the bed with all his clothes on. Deceased cried out several times, "Charlie! Charlie! I have taken poison !" This waa about ten minutes to ten. Witness aid, "I'll run fore dootor ;" but the lad replied, "No. don't; it is only a touch of the blue devils." Witness then came down stake, and was almost immediately followed down by thi lad, who came to get some cold water to dash in his grandfather's face. In a moment or two witness again went up stairs. The lad then said" Oh, here's the doctor I" He said this merely to see what effect it would have upon the deceased. When the deceased heard it he said, "Oh, lam all right now." Witness again returned to the kitelren, but almost immediately he heard the lad call out, "0, he is dead." On going up stairs, the deceased was lying in an apparently rigid, state as though in a fit. Dr. Oliver was then sent for, and on arrival ho pronounced life to be eatinob.  In reply to a question by a member of the jury, witness said the deceased was the worse for liquor" at half-past nine o'clock, when he first.went up stairs to his bedroom.  Sbrgeaut Murphy deposed to being made acquainted with the death of the deoessleti on Friday night. On going into the bedroom he found a tumbler under the bed having traoee of a mixture whioh had left a sediment in the bottom of the glass. In one of the pockets of the deceased's coat witness found several pieces of the paper wrappers of Battle's Vermin Killer, bearing the names of Messrs Brayshay and Son and Mr Coiling, chemists. In the same pocket with the wrappers witness found a sheet of note-paper containing the following, written in pencil in deceased's own handwriting :  have poisoned myself with Vermin Killer. - Leon my ruin, and Mrs -- completed it. " Dec. 2nd, lent. " nOltall