The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1865-06-03 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT OLDSWINFORD.  The painful intelligence of Mr. William Rigby, Statio master in the Goods' Department, having committed selfdestruction by cutting his throat on the prmionis ereniug as it paned frtilli MO to another on Monday morning, excited fat-hugs of general sorrow and wide spread regret. Of course many rtnnours were soon afloat as to the cause of his taking :ouch a desperate ski). It was stated by some with 4.ohsiderable assurance that in consequence of Knowing the uemetary matters of the Railway Company te get into arrears, he received notice to quit their service, lint we are informed or the moat creditable autluiucity that such was not the ruse; he merely was in an eore so far as the work was concerned, from what cause we are unable to say, but certainly the most charitable interpretation, and one which would seem to be warranted by after revelations, would be to attribute it to ill-health. Ile did not receive notice from the Railway Company t on finding thoot they did not copilde in him as heretofore evidencing by their sending another gentleman dome, Mr. Rigloy's keen sense of honour was touched, and he on the same day sent in his resigeathin. The probable causes of his committing the suicidal act was annoyance in finding that he could not he trusted by the railway company, and the feverish excitement which he had experienced in his body Koine tinie before the sad deed was perpetrated. All with whom we hare conversed bear testimony to the obliging, upright, and generous manner which chnracterineol the unfortunate gentleman. The inquest on the body was opened at four o'clock, on Tuesday afternoon, loy It. Docker, the District Coroner, at the Labour-in-Vain, by Mr. J. Chance, Oldeivinford. The Jury having been duly sworn, the follow' tag evidence was given : Mr. Allen John Evers Swindell; I live at Oldsurinford Castle. I knew the deceased by sight. I knew he was Station-master in the Goods' Department, Stourbridge. On Sunday evening between eight and nine o'clock, and about a quarter to nine according to my present recollection, as I was walking along time railway, from the direction of Bagley to Stourbridge, in eompany with Mr. Grimm brook°, jun., I saw something white in the ditch by the side of the railway, in the White Hall cutting, about twenty yards beyond White Hall. At tirst might I thought it was the shirt of a man who was drunk, and who had his waistcoat opened. On a more ',ireful observation I discovered that he was besmeared with blood, and at once the thought struck me that it was the form of a man who had committed suiciole. At the time I did not recognise that it was Mr. Rigby, but I have since recognised that it was he. lat once hastened to infoorm my father who wan at home, of what I bad seen. My father told me to go for Police-constatole Ray, and with the latter I returned to the spot. The body of deceased was got out in my presence, which wan pito dead. 1 obscried no weapon whatever.  Police-constable Roy: My name is John Roy. I wet with this former witness to the spot where deceased wee fi.und. I helped to get him out of the ditch. I produce a razor whieh I received on the spot from Mr. James Evers Swindell. (It WAN afterwards te4itied that this razor belonged to the deceased, and was one of a couple which had been presented to him by Mr. Phillips, the present Station muster in the Passenger Department.