Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1860-11-28 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

CARNIARTHEN.  DREADFUL SUICIDE.—On Monday evening last, about 8 o'clock, the inhabitants of Jackson's-lane and neighbourhood were startled by a report that Daniel Williams, cunier, residing in that lane, had been found dead in his house with his throat cut from ear to ear. The circumstances of the case are explained in the following evidence detailed at the inquest, held on Tuesday evening at the Council Chamber, before Mr. John Hughes, coroner:— Margaret Williams, deceased's wife, said: I live in Jackson-lane, in this town, and have done so for 20 years or more with my late husband. My husband was in the employ of Mr. John Williams, currier, near St. Peter's Church. He got out of bed yesterday morning about 7 o'clock, and went to his work as usual. He came back to his breakfast at the usual time, and also to his dinner, and he took both much as he was accustomed to do. About 6 o'clock he came to his tea, and at half-past 6 he took a lighted candle and went upstairs; he told me he was going to draw a list of debtors for the Merlin Lodge of Oddfellows, he being seeretary for that lodge. In about a quarter of an hour he called me to fetch two pennyworth of beer. I went out and brought one pennyworth of beer and took it up to him. He was sitting by a table with a book before him, and he was writing on a piece of paper. There was no fire in the room. I went down then, and he told me that I might go out until a quarter to 8 o'clock, when he would be ready. I understood him to mean ready to go to the lodge. He told me to lock the door and to take the key, that he might not be disturbed in his work. I went out about 7 o'clock and locked the door. At a quarter to 8 I returned and unlocked the door. There was a lighted candle upstairs with my husband when I left the house, and when I returned I noticed there was no light upstairs. When I reached the house I called to him "Daniel." There was no answer returned. I smelt something burning, and I lit a candle and went upstairs. The first thing I saw was my husband lying on the floor on his back, and there was a pool of wet on the hearthstone. I fancied it was blood, and got frightened, and went down stairs again. I ran to my son, who lives near there, and sent him up to my house to see what was the matter with his father. My husband was 61 years of age. He had not been drinking much yesterday, but had taken some drink. I did not notice anything different about him yesterday to other days. He never threatened to destroy himself, and was never melancholy except after drinking. He never seemed to be unhappy about the club accounts, but after the last lodge night he told me he supposed they wanted to take the lodge books from him. He did not seem to dread going to the lodge. He had changed his working dress before he took his tea.—Mr. Rowlands, Surgeon, said that he went yesterday evening at 9 o'clock to the i house of deceased n Jackson's-lane. He examined his body, and found a wound on his neck extending from the right ear right across the throat; the wound was 5 inches long and about 3 inches in depth, and went right through the large blood vessel on the left side of the neck. Such a wound would be followed by instant death, and could have been done by deceased with any sharp instrument, such as a razor.—P.C. James said he went to the deceas^ l's house, and found him lying on the floor with a pcul of blood near hint and a razor under him. There was a lot of burnt papers on the floor and in the fire place. —This was all the material evidence adduced, and the jury returned a verdict of "Suicide from temporary ineanity."