Widnes Examiner. — 1905-06-24 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE ADJOURNED INQUIRY AND VERDICT.  THE CORONER AND "ASHAFILE VERDICTS." At the adjourned ininiry on Monday, deceased's widow stated that decessed had never shown any signs of insanity or of having a weak mind. About twelve months ago he was out of work, and witness was told that he then threatened to take his life. Deceased kissed witness and her mother before going out on Thursday night. She thought that was curious, as it was a very unusual thing for deceased to do. The Coroner : The ways of some married people are very strange. In answer to the foreman of the jury, witness said she had never known deceased to hat on horses. Deceased's mother said she last saw him alive on Wednesday when he was in good health and gay spirits. He bad always been a very jovial man, and there was no insanity in the family. Thomas Barnes. foreman of the netting department at Messrs. Rylands' works, said deceased had worked there for the last seven years, and was one of the merriest of men. When witness last saw him on Saturday morning he was in the best of moods. Deceased had lost a great deal of work through illness, and witness thought probably that had preyed on his mind. Still he did not believe deceased to be of unsound mind.  Robert Savory, brother of deceased, said deceased had always been of a cheerful temperament and witness never had any reason to suspect that he would take his life. Ho last saw him alive at 7.30 on Friday morning when he appeared to he in his usual health and spirits. Deceased had been rather low financially; it appeared as if everything went the wrong way with him. Annie Crump, 65, Birchall-street, said that at 7.45 on Friday morning she saw deceased playing at ball with some children and he appeared to be in his usual jolly mood.  Mary Mercer, 75,Sharp-street. said that at her invitation deceased had a cup of tea in her house on Friday morning and he was in good health and spirits—in fact he was so jovial that witness asked bim if he was "going cracked." About twelve months ago decer.sel was out of employment. Ile seemed very despondent and told witness that if he did not get work soon, he shonld drown himself.  William Cryan, 1, Annie-street. also stated that deceased appeared to be just as usual on Friday morning During this witness's evidence it transpired that before hanging himself, deceased had chalked on the wall " Ntanchester cup—Airship--nap." The Coroner: And Airship won. (Laughter.) That was hardly a sign of insanity. Sergeant Barlow stated that he had failed to elicit the slightest evidence that deceased had shown signs of insanity. The Coroner directed the jury at considerable length. He said he made no complaint about having to hold an adjourned inquiry, tor the reason that he thought it would clear the atmosphere in South West Lancashire in regard to these cases of suicide. The jury must not think for a moment that be was moved by any spirit of hostility towards them, and he was sure they did not entertain any such spirit towards him. Mr. Brighouse proceeded to define the legal position, as interpreted by Sir John Jervis in his book. The opinion general obtained that the man who committed suicide must be non COMpos mentis. This very argument used in extenuation, stated Sir John, was in fact an aggravation of the offence. If tenable it would excuse every criminal equally with a snicide,and would apply more forcibly in proportion to the enormity of the crime. Mr. Brighouse also read extracts from a treatise by Dr. Wynne Wescott, one of the London coroners, to the same effect. Suicides, continued Mr. Brighouse, were on the increase. That might be attributed to various causes,but it was a very grave question whether the misplaced kindness of jurymen in returning verdicts of suicide whilst of unsound mind " had not something I to do with the increase. When jurymen on very slight I evidence or on no evidence in some cases were prepared to say that 3 man kad taken away his life whilst I of unsound mind, the act itself did not seem i repugnant to those who were living and it was an incentive to others to do the same thing. Juries ought not to return these "amiable verdicts," but verdicts according to the evidence. To his mind the returning of an amiable verdict was something that tended to make other people take theiralives when they otherwise would not do so. If the jury liked to return the same verdict that they arrived at on Saturday he would register it and sign it. He had fulfilled his duty by telling them the law on the subject. In order to come to the conclusion that deceased was of unsound mind the jury should be satisfied that at the time he took away his life he was in such a state of mind that if instead of taking away his own life he had taken the life of another, the jury if they had been sitting at the Assizes would have said that he did not appreciate the difference between right and wrong, and ought not to be hanged for the offence. The jury having deliberated for a few minutes, the Foreman said that having heard the additional evid/nce they had changed their opinion. If the evidence had been forthcoming on Saturday, the decision would have been quite different. They were quite satisfied that it wailC case of " Felo-de-se." The Coroner : That is a very sensible verdict.