Glasgow Courier. — 1859-10-13 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

DELIBERATE SUICIDE.  On Sunday evening a stranger terminated his existence by firing a pistol-shot through his head in his bedroom, in one of the inns in Greenock. The unfortunate deceased, who was a thick-set, stout, black-haired man, of about 28 years of age, was a second-class passenger on Saturday by the train from Glasgow, which arrived in Greenock about 10 P.M. On the way down he had a banjo in the carriage with him, on which he occasionally performed, inviting two young men who were fellowpassengers to sing, which they declined. He did not seem the worse of liquor, but there was a singularity about his conduct. On arriving at Greenock he invited the two young men with him to have a glass, and they all three proceeded to an inn in the neighbourhood, a porter carrying deceased's luggage, which consisted of a large fawn-coloured leathern trunk, with black-iron bands. He seemed a man who had seen better days, but had been reduced by excesses. He treated the lads to two glasses of toddy each, and told them a bit of his history. He said that his name was Hume; that he had been in America, and returned from New York in March last; that he was between two fires, one in New York and the other in Edinburgh; and that, should the worst come, he was possessed of a revolver—not a Colt's, but a Beal's patent—which would do the business. The impression left was that he had got into difficulties on both sides of the Atlantic. When the two lads left, about 11 o'clock, he was shown up to his bedroom. On Sunday morning, about nine o'clock, he came down to the bar, and asked for a pint of beer. The waiter inquired if he did not want breakfast, and he answered no, that he could not taste breakfast, and he was furnished with the beer. He went out, and did not return till three o'clock afternoon, when he asked for another pint of beer, which was furnished him in a small side. room. He was left there sitting alone, but soon after disappeared, and between five and six o'clock the waiter had the curiosity to go up to the stranger's bedroom to see if he had gone to bed. On entering the room in the dusk he observed the man lying on his back on the floor, and blood flowing from his head. Mr Blair, the Procurator-Fiscal, and Dr Lochhead, were almost immediately got, and on examining the body found that deceased had discharged one of the chambers of a small six-barrelled Beal's revolver pistol into his head through the right temple; and Mr Blair took the weapon from deceased's right hand. He wag lying in a deep pool of blood, and life was quite extinct. A shell was procured, and the body soon afterwards conveyed to the Infirmary to undergo the usual examination. The trunk contained a banjo, and a quantity of dirty linen. An old game license certificate also found authorises Wm. S. Hnine to shoot over land in Berwickshire. Appearances favour the conclusion that deceased had once moved inn superior rank in life; but had recently been following the occupation of a travelling professional musician. There were three one-pound notes, and some silverand copper money found in his possession. Mr Twigg, giminnith, who examined the pistol, thinks it must have been loaded for several months, as the powder was corroded.