Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1881-01-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE AT MIDDLESBROUGH.  -On Satur3ay afternoon Mr J. T. Belk, Coroner for Middlesbrough, held an inquest at the Corporatiou Hotel upon the body of James Matthew Telfer, twenty-three years of sge, single, who committed suicide on the previous night by shooting himself with a rifle. After the jury had been sworn in the usual way, they proceeded to 79, Albert-road, where the deceased was lying, to view the body. The work af self-destruction had been so complete that the poor fellow's bead was almost blown off, and was so horribly shattered that it was unlit to look at, and was wrapped in a cloth. The ceiling and sides of the room were bespattered with blood. The first witness • called waa Andrew Telfer, of the British and Foreign Schools Society College, Boroueh.road, Loudon, SE, who said the decew 03 was his brother, and would have Neu tweety.fonr years of one iu March. Deceased liv. lin 07, Church-street, with the rest of the feini!y. Deoeased was accountant a ith • Meyers Leonard, of Middlesbrough. Wituesa was with him on Friday night. Witurse came to Middlesbrough about ten days ago, and since that time deceased bed looked bet ter than he had known him for some time. "Deceased was very depressed, and bad not been at work for about eiebt weeks in consequence of his health. Witne,s had becn mit for a walk with his brother on Friday night. and between seven and eight o'clock returned to Mr Jamiesou's house in Alberbroad. Mr Jemietem was aue ni.)er of the Middleshretigh companies of time Ist Durhaua Rifle Veltinteers. There was a rifle in the house. lii the inorniug deceased took up the rifle, and remarked that it was dirty, and when they !warm a to the house at eight be took it up and commenced to clean it. Deceased had been in the Voluuteere for some time, but resigned a year ago. Af:er he had been cleaning the rifle for some Um e he opened the breech- and tweet down the barrel, and then returned it to Mr Jamiesou. Deceased had the rifle in his hands for ationt half au hour before the event ocoarred. Deceased was holding it with his left hand, and bad the ramred in hie right hand,when it (imploded. Witness never saw anything put into it, and thought that the ramrod muat have touched the trigger. Deceased was not married, and bad no personal trouble. Witness was not aware that he hail c irtridges.— In answer to the foreman of the jury, witness said he had in his possession two or three blank cartridges, which he had kept ever since an inspection at Preston Jaection.— John Jamieson, brother-in-law of the deceased, gave evidence cone,borative of the first witness.—Andrew Sample, Inspector of. the Middlesbrough Rolioe, said he had searched the room where the occurrence took place, and had not found any trace of a bullet, or any pieces of lead whatever.— Dr. Ketcheu said he had attended the deceased for some time. He was suffsring from ruelandohs, and had various fancies about different matters. He had, previously warned the deceased's friends that he might take his life. He had been very carefully watched, his pockets had been searched, and he had not been allowed any money. He said the day before that he felt as if the earth was sinking under him and was gone into nothingness. It was possible that the hall from the cartridge might have been 60 deflected that it still remained in the deceased's head. —The jury returned a verdict that the deceased died from exploding a rifle whilst in an unsound state of mind.