Penistone, Stocksbridge, Hoyland & Chapeltown Express, etc. — 1902-01-31 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

THE INQUEST.  The same afternoon Mr. Wightnian tit quest at the Police Station. tasseling the deuth of Thomas Birdsall, who was found hanging in Spring Wued, on Fraley iallet. Mr. W. E. Taylor was foreman of the jury. The first wattles. called was Thomas Birdsall. who said he was a coke. burner, living at Iloyland. and father of the de' ceased. who was 42 years of age. Deceased was a miner up to 30 years of age, but for 14 or 15 years had been troubled with rheumatic. and had been on win:lee/ix hands all that time, during which he had entered a great deal of pa;ti. Deceased had Ott in his hearing threatened to commit eilicide. nor had he heard Lim express. a wish that he nes dead. Witness had not luteu him aLiare, although he lived with him, since last Whitsuntide, but he had come in and gone out, and had always had a good home.--Questioned by the Coroner as to how that was, witness said deceased slept downstairs, and when he heard witness moving about upstairs he ueed to go out. and had he taken witness's advice he would not have come to the end that be had. He could not account for deceased being in Spring Wood; neither could he say why he had does this yeah act. Deceased was not insured. By a juryman: He got him meals at hurtle, but never came in at dinner-time.—The Coroner said he thought it very strange that witneu had never seen him ISDC4I Whitsuntide.-- Wm. Scholey, a puny driver, in the employ of 3feasni. Newton. Members and Co.. said be knew the deceased by sight. but not by name. He had seen him very often since left summer. The last time he saw him alive weal on Thursday morning against Stead Farm. when witneu wax walking on the road, and &bid "Good-morning" to deceased. who retuned the compliment, and then witness law him take the footpath into Spring Wood. That would be about 11 o'clock. and deceased was alms.. On the following day (Friday) witness had been for a walk, and coining through the wood about 11 am be SSW deceased reared up against a tree, about 35 yards from the footpath. His legs were on the ground, and he was dead, held by a rope tied to • branch if the tete. He was mum he was dead (The rope was produced by a police officer, and was found to conatiet a partly of an old brace, and partly of plaited nub, venally fastened round orange bonne, and measured between three and four feet). Witness went away. amid fetched some men.— Mr. Rhodes. of Stead Farm, said he cut the deemed down, dead, and quite stiff. Deceased had been in the habit of going that road many timet, and appeared to witness to be suffering from rheumatism, or something Ilarbieher said in searching the body they found upon him a pawn-ticket for 3s. fur a vest, which had beett pawned on .January 136.—The Coroner said there was no doubt the man had hung himself, and there IMP only his state of mind to consider at the time. It appeared to him that be had suffered so mach. and had got into such a nate that he found life was net worth living. and he (the Coroner) thought they would be justified in saying that be had committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind, brought about by the etrunsatances in • which hr was placed.- -One of the jurymen said I he had heard deceased say many times that he was I tired of living. as his sufferings were so terrible. but. he had a good father.- -The Coroner : Certainly. but it la strange that a main should have • lodger, and not bare seen him since last. Whiteuntade.—A verdict of "Suicide during tempwary insanity' was then returned.