Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-04-19 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SUICIDE BY A YOUNG MAN AT RASTRICK.  On Tuesday afternoon the body of a young man named George Henry Jessop (22), mule spinner, Church-street, Rastrick, was dragged out of the River Calder, beyond Tag Lock, where he had been seen to proceed on the previous afternoon. An inqueit was held on Thursday forenoon at the Thornhill Arms, touching the circumstances, before Mr. W. Barstow, coroner, and the following jury : Jubal Wilkinson (foreman), Benj. Walker, Joah Brooke. Wm. Firth, Reuben Thornton, Richard Stott, Simeon Blackburn, Jack Marshall, Thomas Marsden, Thomas B. Dyson, Oliver Shaw, and James Gledhill.  After the jury had been duly sworn and had viewed the body, the following evidence was adduced :  Hannah Jessop, wife of Allan Jessop. mule spinner, said deceaaed was her son. and would have been 22 years old next month. Witness last saw him alive on Monday evening, at five minutes past six; he had been at home about a quarter of an hour, and had had his tea. He was very drunk then, and witness advised him to go to bed, which he refused to do. He went away from the house, and did not returu. Drink seemed to affect his brain, and often made him act very strangely. He had taken too much drink on the two previous days, and on Monday morning he had been among a wedding party. He did not ask her for any money at tea time, and all she gave him in the morning was sixpence. During the time he was eating his tea he eat it very greedily, entirely different from his usual manner, and kept continually pulling his hair. He had often previously threatened to drown himself, but on Monday he had not said'anything of the kind.  Richard Biekerdike, of Raw Hill, Rastrick, said he was acquainted with deceased, and met him in a field adjoining Roothroyd Park. Deceased was alone, and walking quickly; he had no cap or hat on his head. He held his head down and did not speak. The place was about equi-distant half-anlile from his 'home and Tag Lock.  William Henry Gledkvii, of Railway Cottage, near Tag Look, signalman at Waterhouse Siding signal-box, said that about ten minutes past six on Monday evening witness was in his cabin and saw deceased walking about the clay mines in Mr. Waterhouse's field. Shortly afterwards deceased walked across the main line at the level crossing, and then ran along the road leading to Tag Look Mill. Witness then had to book some trains, and that took about two minutes. He looked to see what had become of deceased, and observed him in the river near Tag Look. There was no chance of saving his life. Joseph Brook, of Ivy Place, Itaatriok, tailor, said he dragged the water for deceased on Tueday afternoon, and after a search of about two hours he found the body. Deceased's father was present at the time.  John Smith, Rastrick Common, stonemason, said he saw deceased at the George Inn about four o'clock on Monday afternoon, and they left together about an hour afterwards, he saying he was going home. Witness should not have called deceased drunk, but " fresh ; " he had often seen him worse for beer. When he had had too much beer he ,had often carried on queerly. Deceased was generally awkward when drunk, and was very head-strong. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide by drowning himself while in a state of temporary insanity, caused by drink."