The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1880-06-19 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

SAD CASE OF SUICIDE AT BARROW.  A. shocking CWIO of suicide came to light at Barrow, oil Tuesday morning. A men named Anthony Stainton, 72 years of age, living at 113, Cavendish-street, with his family, a .shipwright by trade, has been in a low - way for some thee, and he has been heard to make es pression3 as if he Would at some time put an end to himself. On Tuesday morning 0110 of his sons found him dead on the seat of the water closet in the yard, with his throat cat across, a large ir ol of blood lying . at his feet, and a razor and two knives on the item.. An inquest was held on Thursday evening in the Magistrates' Court, before Mr. J. Poole. corouer, Mr. W. Dent being foreman of - the jury. The following ed.:ince. was given :—Thompson ''tsintott; barman, 113, I 'avendish-street, said the deceased was his father and lived with him. He -was a widower, his wife having died about two years ago. The deceased did . not follow any. employment for some time past. He w. 13 not very well, bui always knockeA:abont and was -never laid up. He (witness) and his brothers kept deceased f3r several years; he had no private means -)f support, The hon..e-was in-(leeeaso(l's name but he .:witness) paid the rent, mind they lived together With 11.) one else in the house. Lately deceased had been very eccentric in his ways; he complained about everything and he cpuld do nothhig to suit- him fir several years past He was always fiudiug fault. Doting the ~ i.t six weeks he had become worse, and wandeml  about both in the mornings and at night. Since his ~.iiness's) mother died deerased cempl dued of being lonely. He threatened three weeks :igo between live :eat sus: o'clock one morning that if he (witn6ss) would it get up he would- pot an end to himself. Deceased 1I up nbont four Welock in the' morning and sometimes at three o'clock. Deceased ha,l 'been in the  . . aTt oitiaking him (witness) about eight o'cloek, but during the past six weeks he ba.l wakened him between f.eie :mil five o'eleek. He used to get three peens._ _ _ . _  worth of whisky every night, but la-st MOndai.night he got sixponnyworth. He (witness) went to bed before twelve o'clock on Monday night. nnd deceased eo.nolanied of being short of coal. He bid good night to his father who returued the compliment, and at a qaurter past nine on Tuesday morning his apprentice w..ke him (witness), and he immediately shouted of his father, but as he could not find him in the bedroom nor down stairs he went into the yard and found his father sitting on the hart of the water cloic,t with his throat Cut. He sent for his sister-in-law and for the _police. and Policemstable Hutchinson came and footed his father dead. The razor and two knives • produced, which were smeared with blood, were his (witness's) property. One of the knives was a bread knife. About a week ago— list Friday morning—he (witness). had come words with his father who called him up at twenty minutes past five instead of twenty minutes past seven, the tine he had agreetl to get up at. They had a few words about this. Deceased always Went to bed tirst, as ho (Witness) would not :go till he had gene to bed, as he was so disagreeable with him. All the brothers, three in number, contributed towards his maintenance. Police,eimstable Htitshinson said he was- called to 111. Carendisli-street on Tuesahy morning about ha i.pa.st nine o'cloek, and on going into the yard he found deceased sitting on the privy, dead, and with lie throat cut The tiody W:l4 cold.. He found the two knives produced by the side of his feet. and: the rotor was on the seat to his right hand :side.- The windpipe was thoroughly cut through. There was no evidence of a struggle. The Woad had run on to his f-,et, mid his fort did not appear to have-been. moved. Ho kiddie:lrd from enaniries th it deceased and his son had had bits of qua rols at times.—Williani Staint4n„ ship carpenter, I'o. 1, Back Duke-street South, said deeansed was his father. He saw him on Saturday . . .  last. Lately he had been fr,iiig down the hill very fast. and he was always on the fret a!al turn. Last Thursday he came down to his ..(Witness's) house :it ten o'elock at night. Ho e•kel him what he lent come down at that thue bC, .sad he said ha did not know, but he began ,to talk about his wife, witness's mother. He asked 7his f:Lthee to keep his spirits no. but he coMplained that he was sinking physically, awl about bong life went away without shaking •hands, as W'l4 usual with him ; but on leaving the house he said `• Well, you'll not see me after tonight." He (witness) Was frightened and asked his wife to see his father home, which She did., but on the Way he called at a pub ic-house.—By the Foreman: tieveral times he complained of being uncomfortable, and was always speaking about the old woman, whom he wanted to be with.—The Coroner. in summing up, said in this case thbre seemed uot to have been that consideration towards the father which Ilia father in earlier Ii to most have shown to his children, and after the death of . his wife he must doubtless have felt lonely :het neglected. ThAt. he did the act himself while i. iii unsound state of mind there "Mello doubt. • rhe jury returned a verdict .hat deceased cOmmitted suicide while in all Ull,OlllO feat: of mind.  BARROW AI AG,I ••T It