The Sun. — 1846-10-03 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.  On Thursday morning Mr. George Child, the superintendent of the Gravesend and Rochester Railway, put a period to his existence by hanging himself, at his residence, near the Rochester terminus. The melancholy end of this universally-respected individual has spread a deep gloom not only among a large circle of friends, but among the public also to whom he was generally known. Deceased has left a wife and seven children. An inquest was held the same afternoon, at the Watermill Tavern, Stroud, by Mr. James Lewis, Coroner for Rochester, when the following evidence was adduced : Mr. Henry Child, son of the deceased, was first examined. Ho said his father was 48 years of age. He was superintendent of the Gravesend and Rochester Railway. Witness is ticket-clerk in the establishment. His father went to bed as usual last night with his mother; she got up between three and four o'clock, and called witness to remain with his father, as lie was so much excited. His father then walked up and down the room in his night clothes, as he was accustomed to do when his mind was much engaged. He said he was anxious about business, and wished he was not so excitable; this was about four o'clock. He said he did not know what he should do; there was this and that to do, and he did not know how he should do it. He had been to London yesterday, to the office of the SouthEastern Company, and returned excited. His father told him the appointment was all right; but the interview had been productive of great nervous excitement. After having paced the room for about ten minutes he returned to his bed, and fell asleep. Witness left his father's room about a quarter to seven, and he then appeared to be asleep. Half an hour afterwards his little sister called upon him at the office, and told him that her father had hung himself. On going to the house he found his father suspended by a silk handkerchief from the curtain-rod of the bed; he was then taken down, and a surgeon sent for. After witness had left his father, he understood that he came into witness's bed-room, and inquired for him of his brother John, who was hardly awake at the time, and he immediately left the room. Had witness remained at home he had no doubt ho might have been tho cause of preventing his destroying himself. He was constitutionally excitable, and a little sleep was always productive of a favourable change. He returned from London last night at half-past nine, and wrote a letter, which was posted as usual, and he then observed nothing particularly the matter with him, except that ho fancied the next duties of his office would be heavier than heretofore. He has made a great anxiety of business for some time past, but more so within the last three days, so much so as to interfere with his proper rest. The wetness then handed the following letter to the coroner, written to deceased by Mr. F. Collier, the secretary to the company, which was read to the jury.— " Broad-street, London, Sept, 1846. "My dear Sir,—l am quite sorry to see you in such poor spirits. lam sure the new arrangements will neither interfere with your interests or your comfort, and anything I can do to promote these ends will give me pleasure."  John Laing, a retired military officer, residing at the Terrace, Gravesend, had known Mr. Child for two years, and had, during that time, been on intimate terms with him. He was a man naturally of a very nervous temperament. Witness had observed for some time past that business seemed very much to trouble him. Witness considered his nervous system entirely shattered. Had seen him on Tuesday; he was then unusually excited. Mr. Broadbent, station-master on the line, was then examined. His testimony completely bore out the preceding evidence. Witness had endeavoured to cheer him up ; he was very much excited on Saturday, but much worse yesterday on his way to London. Deceased shook hands with him as he left that morning, a thing he had never done before. Witness detained him for about a minute, and advised him not to be so deponding, as things would be all right ; and deceased replied he would try and shake it off, observing that he knew it was very foolish in him to be so. Witness's opinion was that he destroyed himself through such excitement as to derange his mental faculties. Verdict—" That deceased destroyed himself in a fit of temporary insanity."