The Telegram. — 1899-01-03 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.  A MAN WHO SAW GHOSTS HANGS  HIMSELF.  Sturminster Marshall seems of late to have been getting its full share of tragedy. Not long ago a commercial traveller took a quantity of rat poison, iroiii the clients uf which he died. Now the village has been again startled and this time by the suicide of a man named James Crocker, aged ti employed a Messrs. Tory's factory, who ended his lii by hanging himself sonic time Monday night, mid was found dead Tuesday morning. He hal at times been very queer, as his remarks about seeing ghosts and going to bed with a knife under hi, pillow amply showed. The man lost his wife about two years ago, and since then has had an housekeeper, whilst latterly a daughter has been in the house. The affair was made the subject of an inquiry, conducted by Mr. Coroner Chislett, at the Churchill Arms on Wednesday morning. Mr. H. R. Myles was foreman of the jury. _ . .  Florence Crocker, an unmarried daughter. said that the decease I lived wan her. ' fie was at work on the previous Monday liii :knout one o'clock, and then came home, where lie iediained till 6.30. She next raw him, at eight o'clock, at the New Inii, and then he was quite happy and perfectly sober. Her father lett at nine o'clock, aud sue stayed for another halt-anhour. on going towards home her married sister, Mrs. Kent, told her that the deceased had "put iliMstit Out" very much. Wit• miss enquired ut Inin what the matter was, and It • replied "It's ail right; I don't know." She and her rister then left tile 'louse, because they were at: aid tir remain, it hot being safe to he with him. They weal', out to stay at different houses in the village, and remained away the whole night. They hair very frequently &sic this, because ut their fa,ther gett.ng into such tits of teinaer. This sort or thing had linen going on ever since she could remetnber, and sometimes the deceased would stay away for rlO3 or else would sulk and be disagreeablre it the slightest thing had gotie wrong at his wen k. lie was ot seiner habits, and she did not attribute these outbursts of temper to stink. On this particular occasion she knew tout he San IPA the worse for liquor, and, in fact, he told a  neighbour that he had uut :Teta a happier tAiriatrual for a lung time.  Edwin Kent, • railway porter, and related by marnage. stated that no Monday night, at 10.15, he was called up by his sister-hi-law (Mrs. Kent) who aske.l him to go back to the /muse, as she had rushed out w Ghoul, being able to put all her clothing on. He went hack and she got her clothes. Witness stayed for some Little in the house, and while there the other claogliter came in. Crocker found fault with her and said he would kill her that night. Witness tried to pacify the Mau and managed to get the two uaughterssately out of the house, and he stayed in the place a few moments longer. Crocker ordered him to go away, and then put on a bout he hail taken off, saying "1 must go Mto the warden a minute or two and then I shall go to bed. The girls will he back all right in the morning." Ott leasing lie (Kent) saw the daughters and got them i lodged for the night.—The coroner expressed the thanks of the jury to the witness for what he had done in this direction.—The wanes:ridded that about a year ago the deceased asked him to sleep at the house with bun. He said that he had not bees able to rest for many a long night becaus4, lie said, there was some. one haunting him. On that occasion Crocker insisted , upon their having knives under their pillows, remark- ! ing that these would be wattled. As a young man, the deceased was subject to tits/dairy Sims. stureman, also employed at the factory, said that on hues lay morninp, uut finding Crocker at his work, he went to search tor him. He searched all over the house, but could not rind him. On going to the fuel house he saw deceased hanging from a heath by a rope round his neck. Witness called Mr. Meech, and they cut down the body, which was slightly warm. They tried ti restore consciousness, but it ass at no avail. They sent for P.C. Miller, and in the meantime removed the roily to the cottage. Replying to further questions the witness said that they found decearred to be very queer at time+. He used to say that things were behind t ,or that lie saw ghosts, but they didn't say much to him about it, an he used to get into violent tempers. He had never heard the deceased threaten to take his life. Nathaniel Meech. the station-master at Bailey Gate, said that he heard Crocker was nuseinz from his work and made a search Mr hits. A woman, on going upstairs, found that the bed had not been elect in. On being sunnuonel by Sims he saw the deceased usinghis feet being only a few inches from the ground. Witness cut the rope and took it oil the neck. He used artificial respiration for 20 minutes but without effect. Witness knew Crocker to lie strange in his manner and he was rad surprised to hear of what had happened. The coroner sutnniell up ldietly, and the jury very quickly ieturneil a verdict to the erica that urocker committed suicide by hanging, during a lit of insanity.  A RACZ vol. LITE is taking place in our midst evely day, and too often, also, the result ends in death. People, ail a rule, are apt to lock upon sense slight ailment whieli may overtake them with coatempt, ant. they thus ignore the simple reniedirs %hitt would speedily restore them to health. When too late they see their error, and bitterly bewail the folly which brings them to a premature grave. Holloway's Pills, if taken in regular doses accord. Itag to directions, enrich and purify the b clod. Disease is thus prevented from weakening the *stem, and the ldessitig ut a 'outi COMSI tCO) ed. AtthiSiteasott,wken. fevers, dyseirliry, stomach -.nd maorders are common, Una wonderful niedicias is specially uaetuL  The Bishop of Bath and Wells has returned to the EiMeopal Palace at Wells from visiting. Mr. Luttrell at Donster Ca.tla, where he had beenstaving for several days. Toe bishop, with Mr.. Kennion, will go to town about Jau. 314 foi toe bishai.a* n e-ting at Lambeth. and, be:ng junior prelate, he will liave to rsad prayers daily iii the Hoose of Lords during the early part of the 61.841011.