Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1864-02-24 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

TILE INQUEST.  On Saturday afternoon the inquest was held on both bodies at the Cardiff Arms Hotel, and the following witnesses were examined : Elizabeth Williams, the little girl, said she was seven years of age, and deceased were her parents. She went to bed with her brother on Friday night, and was not awakened by any noise whatever until she heard him on Saturday calling her mother to rise from bed. She then got up end went to her herself, but finding she did not stir, thought she was dead, and ran down stairs, where she saw her father suspended from a hook in the ceiling of the kitchen. Jane Evans, single woman, said: The deceased Evan Williams was married to my sister Mary, and lived opposite to our house. About halt-past eight this morning deceased's daughter canto to our house and said her father and mother were dead. I went over to the house immediately, and when I got in I found the deceased Evan Williams, hanging by the neck to a ring in the kitchen ceiling. I went upstairs and found nay sister lying dead in bed. Several persons followed me into the house. Evan Williams was an engineer, 39 years of age, he had worked an engine on the Common for nearly 12 sears hut for. five or six months prior to his suicide lie hail been working as a blacksmith; he had two children, and was comfortably off in every respect, and apparently he and his wife lived as affectionately as possible. He was a eery sober, steady, religious man. John Evans, shopkeeper, said he followed the last witness to the house of deceased, and saw the man suspended from the ceiling by a cord so long that his feet trailed on the ground and his knees nearly touched it; the body was quite dead and cold; he cut is down with ' the assistance of some other people, and laid it on a sofa which nil, in the room. Witness had known the deceased many years, and had seen him almost every day. Of late he had become very silent and withdrawing in his manner, and suffered much from depression of spirits. Sarah Evans was one of the people who ran to the house on the first alarm. She found the woman in bed quite dead, with a cravat around her throat, hut it Was loose, and appeared to have been tied on carefully, and was soft, being made of wool There was a mark around her neck as if she had been strangled. She was in her night dress. The husband was dressed in his shirt, vest, trousers, and stockings. The witness also spoke of the deceased engineer, as to the strangeness that had of late come over him, and adar of his teligious character The deceased wife was lying smoothly ill bed, covered over tidily, and seemed as though she were asleep when they went up to her. Annie Evans, sister of the female deceased, said she saw her sister and her husband last night (Friday) about 10 o'clock, and he then appeared to be very happy, for he was singing songs. Last summer he became ill, and was under mialic..l treatment, and from that itueohe because low spirited and dejected.  Mr. W. Davies, surgeon, said he examined the bodies of both the dec•ased, and it was his opinion that theY both died from the effects of strangulation. He had prev:ously given it as his belief that the deceased husband was a likely person to commit suicide. The jury, after deliberating, returned the following verdict : That Mary Williams had been strangulated by her husband, Evan Williams, and that the said deceased Ivan Williams afterwards committed suicide by hanging himself during a Et of temporary insanity.