Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1879-06-07 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE INQUEST. On Tuesday afternoon, Mr F. Price, Coroner, held au inquest at tli• Frieutish' p Itin, Old. ntreet, on the holy of James Harper, who committed suicide under the following circuit' stalieee. James Alleby said: lam an engine driver, and live ar, Boilln,ztuu Deceived was my brother-1n law; he mat r el ntv sister, and niece her death he has lived &loan at 86, Portland-.tie t. Ile was about 76 years of age. I la-it saw him alive last Dotober, when he came over to fdaccledi Id to pay ine club money. tie had no ciiiid. en I don't know anyttong or ma being nuroty for anyone He was iii good hesitli and spume at the tone I saw biol. 1 have been over Ms litinr-e since I Caine to Ashton, ad tumid collies of two writs which have been issued against him, but no inoney. nor hank book, nor anythink so sUOW what mid become of his mosey. Whoa he was in Hacolesfield he had ap moonily t limey of money, and said he "was not short of a fifty." By the Jary lie had • horse and cart which the sheriff's officer aeized lam night. Roilanuan Lewis, 96. Portland-street, wife of Peter Lewis, trom whom she live, apart, deposed: I have known the deceased between twelve and thirteen years I washed and cleaned for his wife, end istnce she died eight or ten years ago I have been in the habit, of going to his house to clean sad cook for him He was bound surety with my son for a loan which tie bad from a loan office. The amount was £...10 Us has talked about it a great deal since my son Bewley Went away The loan society has been endeavouring to make him pay, and has sued him for it, but he has not paid lie had the wits on Sattuday week tie came In to my boom on baturday night between eleven and twelve o'cioce, and saw that we were all in trouble shout tale money—my son Robert was also bound. Ws had been trying during the week to raise the money and could not get any. He said he could not stand thin trouble any longer and I must take what there erai of his property to make things right and keep the horse and oast for my lad to work with. He seemed depressed and low spirited He left after bta)ing a few minutes. Next morning I sent my little girl to knock him up, and she said she could not muk• him hear, and I afterwards sent in again Sometime afterwards I went to the doctor, And while I was away heard that he had been found hanging. By the Jury The two loans are from one society—the Star Investment Company: lteceaseo ban had no money for a long time. lie has been playing for a long time, and done no work for eighteen mouths. I base had no money out of his house since!. did, and if there is any money be. longing to nim it. is "out' He has had so Mouey to live with except that I have borrowed, and what he sold on F.iday and Saturday he had on trust.. I borrowed all 18s for him last Moway, and he paid ose Al be of it last Satu:May. I have noehing in my house oelonaing to hits, but there are small thisigs in his house belonging to ma He has told me niftily a time that he should do this act; he hei• been very low and dispirited for a long time. • The Coroner : He told his relatives last OULODar that he was not POrt of £5O What has he done wits it Witness: I don't know.—Had he any banking afacOUnt,l Not that I know of. What money there was between him and my son I cannot say. Br the foreman (Mr • ndrew) : Have you ever taken any ropes out of his way to prevent him honing himself? Witness: I have tried to prevent him all I could. I said he should not do anything at iny house if I could belts it. He has often said he would "hang like an honest man." Robert Stafford said: I lived next door to where the deceased lived, and am., shopkeeper. on Suns day afternoon, about half past four o'clock, two men. who said tney came from Newton, asked for him, and said they wanted to sea about his borne and cwt. We tried the front door ane found it looked, and then went round to the back. The back door Leal not been seamed. and we went in through the shop and kitchen, and, n-A 11 ding him there, went upstairs and found him hanging to the bedpost, wan one foot almost touching the Boor and the other on the bed. The body was sold and suit, ano 1 fetcned a constable, who out bun down. 1 lost saw Oim alive On batarday afternoon, when he was walking about the street and appeared very uneasy, lie has talked to me about bia money troubles many times, but never said anything which would le d we to conclude that tie intended to destroy himself. He was anort of money, and hat borrowed from ins to enable him to go to Manchentor to purohase produce to mill again I think his troubles &beat money have caused him ti commit suicide. CoLetaolo Arthur said he was fetched by the lant witness about half-last four Wclock on ,inday ai ,ernuou. and found deceased banging as had been desotitied, by a piece of grace rope used in his business, t i the bedpost it his bedroom. He was deal and cold, and inu-t have been dead some hours Mrs Lewis was in the house while he was there. Sue went to a moan box on the (Opel the drawers and wanted to take a piece of paper away, hut he would net let her. Ha found &money bag on the mantlepiece, but th re was nothing in it. Sae leas downstairs alone while he was cutimg the body  down. The Coroner said tbia was the whole of the evi• deuce. Tiler° wee no doubt the ma hanged himself, and the qtestiou etas as to the state of his tnin i at the trifle. A juror : I wink he won drank myself; it was fealty the effete of driok. Another juryman : Was he in the habit of taking drink? Toe juror : Yes. He awl Howley Lewis need to drink anti play cards together often. The Coroner skid the quettion was whether what the wittnreteo bad told them about t.e deceased being troubled about motley was sufficient to lead them to tilt, coucliviou that he was temporarily  insane. The jot, tbought so, and the verdict was that he oommitted euicide whilst of unsoAtel mind.  HS.