The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1867-08-06 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

STOURPMNE.  THE term SrWren. lbe inquest on the body of the Rev. C. J. Tuffnell was held on Monday morning, at the decametre residence, before W. le Atkinson. BM.. coroner, and the following jury : Robert Lewis (foreman), William It. Warren, Henry Barret, Samuel Kerly. William M. Jackson. John Cole, Edwin Thomson, Samuel Seeger. James Foot, George Barrett, Robert Spinney, Daniel Wallis, Thome. BA. and Oeorge Coles.—Several of the jury, intimate friends of the dammed, evidently suffered from deep *ant emotions, feeling acutely the lose both themselves awl the pariah had sustained by the death of one, whs., whole time and study warn given up to the good of his parishioners. After performing the most painful duty of viewing the body, the following evidence was given : —Elimbeth Blake deposed' I am a single woman, and have lived with the deceased ever since he c•me to the village. lqyears. I last saw him alive on Saturoley night, at family prayers. He prayed awl also read the !Mk. I next save him on Sunday morning, about two minutes after eight. He was then in his dressing room on the door, mid lying against the door, so that I could not open it. I thought be had broken a blood-vesaeL I went for assistance, end Elise Jane Harvey came. For some time pant I hays ohs. reed a great change in Mr. Tufnella demeanour. I thought something was the matter with him.. he did not come into the kitchen on talk to me and give orders, as he formerly did. He seemed very much depressed in his spirits.--In answer ' to a juryman, witness said she thouglit she must have (offended him in something as he did not speak to her in the Motning.—laiza Jane Harvey deposed : I am a single wonious, and have been in the servile of the late Mr. Tufnell siesta 15 months. I heard Mrs. Tided' screaming, and when called by the last witness I ran upstairs, and pushed the dressing room door aa far open eel could, and stepped into the room, over the Daly ; Mrs. Tufnell was s here, and trying to raise her husbands' body. I tried to assist her, and put my hand over, and touched a wound in the neck- I let go directly, as I was frightened, and Br. Tufnell and I and myself came away, and sent for Mr. Daniell. I did not see the deceased move or bre oth ; he a peered quite dead. I heard him go upstairs &bust an hour ' before. He bad nothing on but his night dress, and a 1, coat:otoicedver it, both particularly on Thursday last, at church, and when he ofirowinhitimbr.weTuire saneturaw. ted mannwietr to read prayers on Raterdsy night. I also noticed he walked about the garden very fast on Saturday night, and 1 alio agree with the last witness' that be was very mush depressed in his spirits. By a jury:nen The coat he had on was an old cost. He usually weir • dressing gown 4 the morningd was in the b.hd ei shaving every vaunting and a bath. Yeasesday he heal done neither. I maw the razor lying in the mien but did not touch it.--Goorge Williamson Daniell deposed: I am a surgeon, residing and practising at Illandford. I knew the deceased Charles Tufnell, very well, and have attended his family professionally for several year.. He has not been • patient himself, as he has heen • man of good health, until Saturday, the 20th instant I last saw him alive ess Thursday, the 2.•Stli, at his own residence. I then observed that he was in a very low nervous condition, and was out of order, both bodily and mentally, He was suffering from want of sleep, disordered digestion, and want of appetite. I prescribed for him, and he expressed himself as being better and refieved by the remedies I had given. The first time I saw him, as well as subsequently, imagining there was something on his mind, I taxed him with having some cause for mental anxiety, anol he acknowledged that the bad moral state of his parish had been greatly troubling him of late, and adoleol olespondingly that he was afraid it was because he hut not done his duty. I strongly recommended change of air and scene, as being the only thing likely to restore him to health. I expected some of his friends would come and take trim away as soon as possible. Yesterday morning, in company with • friend of his, Mr. Henry Penfold, of Brighton. a medical man ("rho slept in Blandford the night before, being unwilling to disturb Mr. Tulinell so late), I drove over to see the deeeased, and arrived at his house about ten minutes to nine and on entering the house I heard and found he had just destroyed himself. I went upstairs, and found him lying as described by the previous witness. I turned him over and found a very extensive wound in the left side of the seek, which had divided all the large vessels on that side, penetrating the spine, and sufficient to cause immediate death. I spins, on the fluor the razor produced. (The coroner here showed the razor to the jury, it was open and covered with blood, and the beadle firmly fastened with string to prevent its slipping). I have no doubt the wound was inflicted with the rigor, and beyond all doubt by the deceased's own hand. Froze my observations of Mr. Tufnell's manner and symptoms. I have not the least doubt teat he was not in his right mind when becommitted the fatal act. The coroner basin briefly summoned op, the jury without any hesitation returned as their verdict 'that the deceased committed suicide by cutting his throat with • razor, whilst labounoig unoler temporary insanity." It would appear from the conversation which passed the deceased and his medical adviser, that the cause which preyel upon the unhappy gentleman's mind was the fear thet he had not olone his duty as a clergyman, and this acting on • peculiarly sensitive mind was no doubt the chief cause of his mental depression. It is only right, however, to add that no clergyman worked harder, or took greater interest in the welfare of his parishioner's than the lamented deceased. He devoted no small portion of his time to the instruction of the young, iond his peculiarly hind and unobtrusive manner gained him the love and Worm of all, both' rich and Poor.