The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1884-08-16 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SUPPOSED SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.  Mr. G. A. Charsley, coroner, held an inquest on Tuesday afternoon at the Eton Union on the body of a gentleman unknown, who is supposed to have shot himself on Monday night while travelling on the Great Western Railway between Paddington and Windsor. Inspector Townshend said that on the arrival of the 10.30 train from Paddington at Slough on Monday night the guard called to him and said, "There is a man who has shot himself in a first class carriage." On going into the carriage, witness found the deceased sitting with his head dropped on his bosom, and blood was flowing from a wound in his right temple. Witness at once sent for a doctor. The deceased was then breathing heavily. Inspector Turner showed him a revolver, of which he took possession. Five chambers were loaded and one empty. Dr. Bull came, and advised that deceased should be removed to the Union Infirmary. There were no signs of any scuffle having taken place in the carriage, nor was the dress of the deceased disarranged. No one heard the shot. Inspector Turner said that on the arrival of the train at Slough the guard called his attention to the deceased. He saw the deceased in the corner, with his head leaning on his hand and blood streaming from his forehead. The revolver and a hat were lying beside him. He removed the revolver and hat. Sergeant Hebbes, of the Bucks Constabulary, stated that at half-past eleven he was called to the railway station, and found the deceased lying on a trolly. Dr. Bull was summoned, and the witness examined the gentleman. There was a bullet wound on his forehead, from which blood had flowed. He found on deceased a white handkerchief with the name cut out, a gold ring, a bunch of keys, a latch key, a firstclass railway ticket from Paddington to Windsor, a silver matchbox, a theatre ticket, and 6s. sd. in money. The body was dressed in a black cloth dress tail coat, black cloth top coat and vest, white linen shirt, with buttons, white tie, a mixed-coloured Jersey, black trousers, a pair of patent dress shoes, and dark coloured socks. A black silk hat was found in the train, and a six-chambered revolver, five of the chambers being loaded and one having been discharged. Dr. Bull deposed that he found deceased bleeding from a wound in the head, and as he could do little for him at the station he had him taken to the workhouse, where he discovered a wound which had penetrated through the skin to the skull, which was fractured; there was also a swelling on the forehead over the left eye. While he was examining that, deceased was seized with difficulty of breathing and convulsions, and died five or six minutes afterwards. Mr. Dodd, the surgeon who made a post-mortem examination of the body, said it was that of a tall, well-made man, about 6ft. high and medium build. There was a star tattooed very distinctly on the inside of the right forearm. The hair was short and dark brown, the eyes hazel, and the age 40 or 50. The front teeth were right, but some of the others were missing. Sergeant Hebbes, recalled, said the deceased's name had also been cut out of the shirt. This was all the evidence. The coroner adjourned the inquiryfor a week, and ordered the body to be kept at the Union as long as possible for purposes of identification.