The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-06-29 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CRADLEY REATH.  Suicink.—On Tuesday morning the dead body of a man named Joseph Priest was found lying in his own house at the bottom of the stairs. The deceased person was single, and resided near the Vine Hotel. His mind, it is said, was attested by some domestic affairs, and to get out of them he, on Monday night, hung himself. Tying two garters and a piece of string together, he fastened them to a nail at the top of the stairs, and then placing the noose round his neck he mast have stepped oft the lauding. His weight broke the string. and he was found lying at the bottom of the stairs. Dr. Hodgson was in immediate attendance, sod affirmed that the man had been dead some hours. The string had rut is depth of two inches into his neck ; in fact his head was nearly severed, so that death must have been instantaneous.— Au inquest was held on the body at the Vine and Railway Hotel, on Wednesday, before Mr. E. Hooper, Coroner. The first witness called was Thomas Priest, who said: I am a eintininaker by trade, but am no relation to the deceased. I knew him to be a chainmaker at Lowey Town. He is shout 50 years of age. end it is his corpse the juri have just viewed. I have known him ever since I can recollect. I last saw him on Monday night about twenty minutes to twelve. I came to his house door with him. He was very quiet. He was quite sober. He seemed very low on Sunday. He said be had, troubled mind. He was very close-minded. He was a bachelor, and his niece lived with him during the day time. He went to help to unload some iron on Monday. The neat morning I was fetched by one of his workmen, who told me he was found dead. They thought he had fallen down stairs. The niece found him. I saw him go into the house, but did not hear him lock the door, as I went straight away. Henrietta Shaw said: lam niece of the deceased. He was 48 years of age. I hove been in the habit of looking after his house for him. I came in the afternoon, and left in the evening. I last saw him late on Monday night about half-pest eleven, at our house. He came to our house about half-past nine o'clock. He seemed to have great trouble on his mind. He had been in s nervous state for a long time. He has been rather low for the last fortnight, and very strange for the last few days. He was not able to go to work on Monday. My father has always looked after him sad his affairs. We have heard him complain of his heart and brain. I went to his house on Tuesday morning just as the clock struck eight. The back door was not locked. I pat the milk on the table, and as I saw no tire in the grate I went towards the stairs to call my uncle, when I found him lying at the bottbm of the stops. He was dead, and was quite cold I did not see any cord at the time. Everything in the room was in its proper place. There was nothing to lead me to suppose that any one had been in the house with him. I believe he committed the act himself. Thomas Priest (re-called) said when he got to the house on Tuesday morning he saw deceased lying on the ground with a piece of string round his neck, and he saws piece of string hanging by snail at the head of the stairs. The string was broken. The jury returned a vedict that deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity.