The Sun. — 1860-08-07 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE BY A  CORONER.  An inquest was held yesterday at the Ship Inn, Redcliff-hill, Bristol, before Mr. J. B. Grindon, city coroner, on the body of Mr. George Hayes Hinchcliffe, one of the coroners for the county of Stafford. The circumstances attending the case ware of a melancholy and almost romantic character. The deceased gentleman was married only as lately as Wednesday last at West Bromwich to a lady of equal position in society, to whom he had been for some time previously engaged, and in the course of that day the newly-wedded pair arrived at the Queen's Hotel, Clifton, on their trip for the honeymoon. Nothing strange was observed in the manner of the bridegroom until he went to his wife's chamber some time after she had retired for the night, and shortly afterwards reappeared and requested to be provided with another bedroom. The house being full, Mr. Hinchcliffe was told that he could not be accommodated, and he then left the Queen's and proceeded to the Sedan-chair Tavern, on the Broad-quay, where he slept for the night. His wife, alarmed at his strange behaviour, telegraphed for her brother, Mr. Fereday, in West Bromwich, who arrived in the course of the following day, and Mr.Hinchcliffe was sought out and prevailed on to return to his wife. He dined with her and her brother the same evening, but again left the Queen's, and there is reason to believe that he wandered about all night. On Saturday he took lodgings for the night at the house of Mr. Price, grocer, of Thomas-street, and there committed suicide under the strange circumstances disclosed in the subjoined evidence : Police-sergeant Foot—About 20 minutes to two on Sunday morning I saw a man at the top of Kr. Price's house, who said he had been robbed, and on my ringing the bell he told me it was all right, as he had found what he had lost. Another officer came up, and we asked him (deceased) his name and residence, but he refused to give them, and said he did not believe we were policemen at all. Several persons gathered round, and I said I would call up Mr. Price and see who his lodger was. We had had information of a man having escaped from Dr. Fox's Asylum. I went away and returned in a few minutes, when I saw the man holding on by the window-sash. I cautioned him of his danger, and in a minute or so his hold gave way, and he fell into the street. I immediately picked him up, and found him apparently dead. In two or three minutes after rousing Mr. Price, and getting a shutter to put the body on, we took deceased to the General Hospital. Police-constable 185 confirmed the evidence of the last witness.  The Rev. George Frederick Wade, incumbent of Eastoft,Yorkehire, brother-in-law of the deceased—  I never knew deceased anything but perfectly sane. I married him a few days ago at West Bromwich. He left for Clifton. lam certain he is the person now lying dead at the General Hospital. I have known the deceased for nearly 20 years. He was considered by all who knew him as the ideal of all that was honourable, truthful, and gentlemanlike. He succeeded his father as one of the coroners for Staffordshire, having been elected by an overwhelming majority. He was exceedingly nervous. I have known him faint at matters which another man would only laugh at. I saw his brother-in• law, Mr. Fereday, on Saturday, who told rue of all the strange things that had happened up to that time. I was astonished, as when I saw him and his wife leave I thought what a happy couple they were. Deceased was very excitable, particularly sensitive of anythirg like blame. The rupture which has been spoken of took place while he was hunting. There was nothing to have prevented him and his wife from living happily together. His wife was an exceedingly nervous lady, and no doubt that has made matters worse. Ido not believe the deceased would have destroyed himself had he been in possession of his faculties. He was quite alive to the sin of self-destruction. I respected him as I respect few persons in this world, and loved him dearly. He was 33 years of age. The Coronor having summed up, the jury without hesitation found that the deceased destroyed himself while labouring under temporary insanity.