The Herald of Wales. — 1889-03-02 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

ASYLUM. A tragic incident, not uneonnemed, in a way, with the Swansea Corporation inquiries in the purchase of the Bwllfa Ddu Farm, has wormed in the Jidut Counties Lunette Asylum at Carmarthen. It appears that on Friday morning a patient named John William of Trimaran, the man, in fact, who nouns:L:llly sold the Bwllfs Dan Farm to the Swansea Cor• poration, put an end to his life in a water closet by cutting his throat. At the inquest, which was subsequently heLl before Di Hm:hee, Dr. G. J. Hetader medical superintendent of the asylum, said: John Williams was admitted to the asylum as a patient on the 18th of January last. He was a shopkeeper and farmer, and lived at Trimaran shop, Kidwelly. His age was fifty years. He complained when he came in that he had suicidal tendencies, and —"1saIl: feel that the devil (or his own mind, as he went on to explain it) frequently wants me to commit suicide by hangieg or other me ins." He was sent to the hospital ward, in order that he might be under continual superviebn. From the day he cause be wanted to go home, and said that sit his suicidal impulses had left him. Until this moreirg he made no attempt to commit suicide. After his death I: was shown a razor which was found beside him. ' I believe the razor belonged to !dewy Thomas, husband of Mrs Thome. head attendant in the hoapital ward. The rule is that all cutting ins Tau:mats ehould be kept oonstantly locked up when not in actual use by the attendante. Mr William Gibbon, L.R.C.P. (Ireland) assistant medical offic sr at the asylum' said: I have atteridedJohn Widiams since he came here. He was quiet, but depressed. John Jones, an attendant in the hospital ward,oalled me between 8 and 8.30 this morning. I went, and found John Williams lying on his back on the floor of the water oloset. He had a deep and long incised wound across the throat. The man was not quite deed, but was perfectly unconscious: He breathed about half a dozen times and then expired..  John Jones said: I have been an attendant in the hospital ward tor six years. 1 saw John Williams get up at 630 this morning. He dressed and washed, and then walked about the room as if for exercise. He had breakfast in the day-room between seven arid eight o'clock. &bout a quarter past eight Mrs Thomas cams in and mked me if I had seen Williams. I said "No," and she went as far as the water closet, She I came batik and said Williams was there bleeding. I ran in and saw Williams in a sitting pasture on the ground, his head leaning on the seat. He wan unconscious, and died almost immediately. • Mrs Harriet Thomas, wife of Henry Thomas, carpenter at the asylum, said: I am head attendant in the hospital ward. This morning I took John Williams to breakfast with the other patients. I afterwards went into the meerroom for a few minutes to wash a couple of breakfast cups. During this time I left Williams and • patient named Davies in the day ram dusting the flaor, as they usually do after breakfast. When Ireturned to the day room I saw Williams was not there, I ran aal opened the door of the water-closet, and I there saw Williams on knees, bleeding. The racer was not my husband's. He keeps his razor upstairs. Benjamin Thomas, an attendant, identified the Irt SOf ae one belonging to the institution. The jury, after a short consultation, found test Jobe Williams died of a wound in his throat inflicted by himself, and they added a recommendation that in futtim greater care should be taken at the institution to prevent similar oecurrences.  It is ssul that on coming out of the asylum Williams had intended commencing an action for the recovery of £2,016.  Here I. Pattre opioian of hetself given to an interviewer .—t. I know, although they call we Queen of Bong,' it le not because I am the great. ,t Finger, but because there are many gilts in the name pantos in Ire. I am not beautiful, tut I pass for pretty; that's one. I am tolerably arse .ful ; that's two. lam good dresser; that's thiee, I have a way with me that's piquant; that's four. I like my publio ; that's five—far my public like ma laccause I like them, and am never tired ef pleasing th.-m. I bore a good seise; that's six. I know how to , sing very well—my way; that', seven. I Malls know my music, that gives eimfort I. the audience, and (nay count as eight. I aet, fairly well in the rein I Ong ; that', nine. What nacre could,one want in a stager The intelligrtes‘ that a Frenet cruiser his bombarded Ceptatee.aVahinoll and his Casszo settlers out of Segall°, a port in which they had established themselves in the viatinity of °bock, will considerably abate the „sym_pathy which has been sedulously developed la