Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-07-30 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.  David Henry Hirst, aged 32 years, grocer, of East-street, Lindley, Eluddersfield, has committed suicide under somewhat extraordinary circumstances. About three months ago Samuel Waterhouse, farmer, of Lindley, died, and left Mr. Hirst his property, valued at about £4,000, subject to life interests to his sisters, and Hirst was the sole executor. Mr. Waterhouse had a nephew, a dentist, named Aquila Waterhouse, who carries on business in Sauchiehall-street, Glasgow, and he appears to have felt aggrieved that some of the property had not been left to him. He came over to Huddersfield on Saturday, and suggested to Hirst that the property should be divided, and that he should have a share of it, He would call, he said, on Hirst on Monday morning, and receive his reply. Hirst feared that Waterhouse intended to do him some bodily injury, and informed William Ellam, wheelwright, a friend of his, of what had occurred, and asked him to be about in case of emergency. However, Aquils Waterhouse did not trouble Hirst; but on Monday night Hirst went to visit Miss Waterhouse at the residence of her deceased brother, and there ho found Waterhouse. After a while, 'Bret said, "I suppose you want an answer to your proposal ?" Waterhouse said "Yes," and Hirst then said, "Well, I have had the property left to me honourably, and I am not going to throw it away." Waterhouse said, "I will give you five minutes to consider it," and went out of the house; hut he warn not long away. When he came back some conversation ensued between him and Hirst, aud then, saying he did not want to create a scene in the house, he fired a revolver at Hirst. The shot, however, did not take effect, and the bullet was subsequently found on the floor. The two men closed, and struggled, but got to the door, and there Hirst freed himself and ran down the yard. The revolver had passed into the hands of Hannah Copley, a former servant, who handed it to Hirst as he went down thp yard,and he threw it into a field, where it exploded. Hirst gave information of the affair to his friend Ellam,end he to Police-constable Cocker, who set off in pursuit, and traced the fugitive to Dewsbury, but there lost all trace. Hirst was somewhat uesettled; but on Wednesday night he was rather more composed, and expressed deep sorrow for Aquila Watecitouse's relatives, as he feared he would'be arrested. The following morning Hirst was found dead on the kitchen floor of the house (where he had lived with his mother). His throat was cut, and near him was a blood-stained razor. The servant, Bertha Thackeray, who found him, raised an alarm, and Dr. Orr was formally called in, but it was useless, as life was extinct.— Aquila Waterhouse, dentist, Sauchiehall-street, Glasgow, was apprehended by the Glasgow police for shooting at Hirst.  For the past eight years Charles Hartley, an old shopkeeper, of Morning-lane, Hackney, has never had his shutters down, and has never admitted any person to his house. Current rumour was that the old man was a miser; but, at any rate, he earned the peculiar notoriety of the famous "Dirty Dick" of Bishopsgate. The old man had his milk regularly brought to his house, and it was in this way hie dead body was discovered. A lad named Anderson. who failed to get response to his knocks, got over the back wall and into the house, when he found the old man, fully dressed, dead on the kitchen floor. The police nail medical aid were summoned; and, as the house appeared undisturbed, and the deceased promoted no signs of Elul play, it is supposed his death' was wetting.  "HE