The Warrington Examiner. — 1869-05-22 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

SUICIDE AT BANK QUAY, . WARIZINGTON.  On Wednesday afternoon last, an inquest was held at the Ship Inn, Bank-quay, before C. E. Driffield Esq.. on the -body of Thomas Bazley, Stockton Heath, 26 years of age. It appears that deceased had been in a depressed state of mind for some time owing to his being out of work. He came with his brother-in-law to Warrington on Monday morning to look for work, and in the afternoon shortly after three o'clock he was seen walking down the river at Bank-quay. He walked about a distance of 160 yards and was observed by three youths who called out to him. He sank twice, apparently voluntarily, when he told them he had not the power to come out, and then he again sank, and he was seen no more alive. His body was recovered in about an hour afterwards when it was found that his throat. was cut across but the wind pipe was not severed. The wound, which was only a slight one, was four inches in length. His body was subsequently removed to the Ship Inn. James Berry said he lived at Stockton Heath, and had married deceased's sister. Deceased was 26 years of age last April, and had been a boatman in the employ of the Duke's Canal Company. He was hurt two or three months ago by two bales of cotton falling on his head and he had been out of work ever since. Deceased came with him to Warrington on Monday morning, and the last time he saw him alive was about nine o'clock, when he was standing in Bridge-street. He had come to Warrington to look for work and seemed to be fretting very much. He had been under Dr. Smith after the bales of cotton fell on his head, and he heard that the doctor said he was suffering from a softening of the brain. His wife had left him some time ago, but he could not tell whether that troubled him or not. He did not know whether deceased had a razor with him on the morning in question. He had never threatened himself and they had never had to watch him. He was very weak sometimes, and could hardly walk. He was very down-hearted about not being in work, and he (the witness) thought nobody would employ him because he was so strange in his ways at times. John Hoyle, a youth 17 years of age, said that on Monday afternoon he was walking along the river side to Runcorn with two other lads when he saw the deceased in the water about seven yards from the Lancashire side. He was walking down the river at the time, and the water reached his chest. He called out to him to come to the side but deceased took no notice of what he said. They continued shouting at him but he never spoke till he had been twice overhead in the water; on coming up the second time they told him to come out and he said he had not power to do so. He then walked into deeper water, seemed to crouch underneath the water purposely, and they never saw him alive afterwards. They then marked the ground opposite where he sank, and afterwards went to Mr. Crosfield's soapery, where they saw a man who told them to go for a policeman. They came forward and met a policeman in Buttermarket-street. He took them down to the police-station, and the policeman told them it was not in their power to go to the place, that they had only to do with the Lancashire side, and they had better go to Sankey for a policeman. They. then went back again and saw a boat coming up the river with two men in it. They hailed the boat, told the men what had happened, and then a man named James Gorst came with grapples, and at th second throw caught hold of the deceased and broug his body to the side. His body was then placed in L. boat and. conveyed to Bank Quay. He never saw an thing like a knife or razor in deceased's hands, and 1 not know that his throat was cut until he had b placed in the 1 oat. He had all his clothes on with U. exception of his cap. William Mather, a furnace man, said he was corn 14 back fm dinner on Monday, when he met the decea C at the river gates, and he asked him which was the road to the river side. He told him to go straight across the yard, and said that if 'he kept straight on the road would lead him to. Warrington Bridge. He made no.reply • he seemed quite sober, although. he looked down-hearted. He saw nothing more of him alive. _ _ _  James Gorst, the man who recovered the bxly of deceased, was next examined, after which The Coroner summed up. He said he was sure the jury would feel with him in this case, that the deceased had come to his death by his own hand. He had also evidently attempted to cut his throat in a clumsy sort of manner, but whether before or after entering the water they could hardly tell. Perhaps it was most probable that he had inflicted the wound after he entered the water. After referring to several points in the evidence, the coroner recommended a verdict of "Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity," which was agreed to by the jury.