The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1895-09-18 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

WEST TOWN  SUICIDE.—On Wednesday evening an inquest was held at the Stag and Pheasant before Major Taylor, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr. Joel Casson was foreman, on the body of John William Birks, grocer, of 23, Huddersfield Road, who cut his throat on Tuesday evening —Sarah Jane Birks, the widow of deceased, said that the deceased's general health had been very good and he was very cheerful. Just prior to Easter he was laid up for four weeks with bronchitis, and subsequent to that he had fits of depression, but she knew of nothing that should trouble him. During the past few days he had been very well. On Tuesday morning he got up, had his breakfast and seemed to enjoy it. There appeared to he nothing unusual in his appearance. He also partook of his dinner heartily, and about two o'clock he had a cup of tea upstairs. He then asked her if all was going on right About six o'clock she found him lying on a bed in an unoccupied room. She said "come on," but he seemed peculiar, and did not make any movement. She sent for Dr. Love, who certified that he was dead. Saw no instrument or anything else ahmt. Deceased had had a razor, but he had never threatened to take his life. A letter addressed to Mr Benjamin Teale, Woodview Terrace, Batley, who used to be a neighbour, was found by one of the servant girls lying on the table. The letter, which was in her husband's handwriting, ran :—" Please come and look at the place to-morrow afternoon. J. W. Birks." Her husband intended giving up business, as he thought it would be better tc be out of it, and not because of any doubt as to its being successful. In fact, it was his intention to lived in retirement on what he had got.—Ruth Ann Milnes, who was in the deceased's employ, said that the deceased had never threatened to make away with himself. He was more cheerful than he had usually been oil the previous day. About four o'clock she saw him pacing the room, but she did not think anything unusual in that. Ile had been low spirited at times.—lnspector Campbell said that he had been acquainted with the deceased for a few years. He was a man that kept well to his business. About half-past six on the previous night he was called to the deceased's house. Going upstairs he found the deceased in one of the rooms He was fully dressed, and laid across the bed. There was a wound on his neck, extending about four-and-ahalf inches from the centre to the left. All the arteries appeared to have been severed. He found an open razor covered with fresh blood tightly grasped in deceased's right .hand. Dr. Henderson. who was in the room at the time. certified that the deceased would have been dead from one and-a-half to two hours. He carefully examined the room and all the surrouudings, but found no document whatever. Everything was in perfect order. The letter produced was handed to him by Mrs. Birks, who stated that it was in her husband's handwriting.—The Foreman z eruarked that the Inspector had given his evidence in a very straight-forward manner.— Mary Ann Cooper, Ranter Hill, gave evidence as to the laying out of the body. A verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind" was returned