Widnes Examiner. — 1882-02-11 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

STRANGE SUICIDE AT ACTON GRANGE.  At the White Hart Hotel, Sankey-street, on Thursday, the county coroner (Mr. C. E. Driffield) held an inquest on the body of an old man named John Savage, 78 years of age, who died in the Infirmary on Monday.—Sarah, wife Of Charles Massey, platelayer, Acton Grange, said the deceased was her father, and had lived with her for 14 months. He had done no work for about 12 years, as he had injured his hip, and was very subject to rheumatism, He could not walk without the aid of two sticks. On Friday morning be got up at about 8-30, and with the exception of complaining that be bad had a very bad night, he appeared in his usual state. In the course of the morning he made a great " slop " in the yard whilst washing some " peelings," and she sent her daughter to tell him not to make such a mess.l He then went to her in 'a bit of a temper, and said, "Sarah, I think I've been here long enough." Witness replied that he bad not, but should not make such messes. Without any further remark her father walked from the house. He was a man of a very hasty temper, and got himself in a passion for a very little thihg. At half-past 12 he had not returned, and she went to the door to look for him. She saw him coming up the lane, apparently to his dinner, which she placed on the table. Some minutes passed, but he did not make his appearance, and she again went to the door, when she saw him scramble on the railway embankment, and place his head on the line. She knew a train was due, and she shouted to some platelayers to take him away, hut before they could get to him the train passed. Her father was picked up, and taken in the van to the 'Warrington Infirmary.—The Coroner said her father ought to have been privileged to make a slop at his great age, and see ought not to have sent the girl to scold him—Witness: I didn't scold him.—:The Coroner: He would consider it as such. You cannot undo it now, but it has evidently caused the old man's death, and you will have it to think over all the days of your life.—John Mottershead, of Chester, said he was the driver of the 12-0 noon passenger train from Chester to Manchester. When near the Walton junction distant signal, two platelayers signalled to him to stop; and be whistled and applied the breaks. He saw a man throw himself on the line and place his head on the rail, but be was unable to stop the train, and the life guard of the engine struck the man's bead.—Evidence was also given by John Millington, platelayer, Moore, who stated Mrs. Massey told him there was a can on the line. He looked round and saw the deceased crawling on his hands and knees on the railway embankment. When he reached the metal he laid himself down, and put. his head on the line. The train was approachiree from Chester, and he signalled the driver to stop, but the head of the deceased was struck by the engine , guard before the train was pulled up. There was a wound on the back of the deceased's head which penetrated to the bone, aud rendered him insensible. Witness placed deceased in the van, and accompanied him to the Infirmary.—The Coroner : Have you heard that deceased was not treated well by his daughter ?—Witness said he had heard people say that deceased did not appear comfortable, but he had no reason to think that he was as comfortable as he would be with anyone else. He had never heard that deceased was neglected.—The coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary and mental insanity, more or less the reeult of old age.