Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1891-04-11 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

SUICIDE'S LAST LETTER.  Dr. G. Danford Thomas has held an inquest at the Paddington Coroner's Court, touching the death of Mrs. Raisin, aged 46, the wife of a butler. The deceased and her husband, it seemed, were separated, Mrs. Raisin residing with two unmarried daughters, mantlemakere, at 67, St. Ervan's-road, North Kensington. She occasionally drank to excess. When her daughters, who went out to work, returned home on Easter Monday, they found her the worse for liquor, and "they had a few words about it." The next night, when they arrived home, the deceased was discovered, lying dressed on her bed, in an unconscious state, and, upon a table close by stood a small bottle which had contained laudanum, and also a note, in her handwriting, addressed to her eldest , daughter. The deceased wrote: "God bless you all. lam best from you. Tell your father I love him, as I always have done. He is the cause of this, but don't let him worry. Go to Harry (a son of the deceased's) and your friends, and Eliza (another daughter). She has been good to me. Don't fret. God bless you all. Both keep in the right path. Fear God, and He will care for you." The deceased was atones removed to the Paddington workhouse infirmary, where she died an hour and a half afterwards from the effects of , laudanum poisoning. The infirmary doctor said she must have taken the poison solos time before she was discovered by her daughters. The latter oilseed that their father was travelling, and they were ignorant of his present whereabouts. The pry returned a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."  DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN, There has just died at Bramshaw, a village in the New Forest, one who gained his livelihood by gardening, by name James Wells, who was within a few months of completing his 104th year. The deceased—whose great age is well authenticated—was born at Britford, a suburb of Salisbury, Wilt., on August 3, 1787, being the son of a carpenter. He was baptised at Upavon September 11, 1789. His early life was spent at Salisbury, where, at the age of 23, he participated in the festivities of George IlL's jubilee, and at the age of 100 he shared in the rejoicings at the jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign. He was gardener at Salisbury Palace during the episcopate of Bishop Fisher (1807-25), and was afterwards similarly engaged at Whitehayer, Christchurch, whilst that mansion was the residence of Mr. Shut. (father of General Shute, CB.), Mr. Rowlett, and General Lord Keane. Upon the death of the last-named—well-remembered as an Afghan hero— Mr. Wells in 1844 went to reside at Bramshaw as gardener again to Mr. Shute, arid he spent the remainder of his long life in that village—honoured and respected by all the families around. The old  gentleman, who had been a widower for a long time, lived many of his later years on a life annuity, being a pensioner of the Gardeners' Benevolent Institution, of which society he was the "father." Of his nine children, three survive him ; while of their children's children he has known a few score. He enjoyed good health, and died after a comparatively short illness, having keenly retained all his faculties until his last days, with the exception of his eyesight, which had become dimmed. He was of most abstemious habits, and although a smoker, abandoned that habit during his last few years. On his hundredth birthday his rustic cottage was the scene of much animation, as congratulatory messages from numerous acquaintances came in throughout the day. Twenty-five grand-children and great grand-children were present to wish him "happy returns," and their venerable relativo himself took active part in the rejoicings.  ---- ~N, , .4* 1 ,$) :z / ; 001,111110htiol /II II 1 1 / 1 .'