The Potteries Examiner : — 1875-07-03 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

SUICIDE AT BLYTHE MARSH. An inquest was held before Mr. A. Flint. at the Wellington Inn Blythe Marsh, on Tuesday afternoon, on the body of Thomas Broster, aged 26, miller, who committed suicide by banging early on Monday morning. The following evidence was taken i—George Lees, butcher, residing at Blythe Marsh, said he knew deceased well% The last time he was in his company was on Wednesday last at the Smithfield Hotel, keps by Mr. Malpass. Was with him more or less all day, from about 10 in the morning until night. They were bowliug at skittles for 2,1. checks. There were some bets made whilst witness was there. Ho did not think deceased lost much money, and the bets made did not include any largo amounts.—Cross.examined In his opinion deceased never lost £O. He left deceased r.t the Hotel, but at what time he could not say, being much the worse for drink. He could not tail to three or four hours what time he left, and did not know how he got home.—Richard Ash Brostor, miller, residing at Blythe Marsh, said the deceased was his son. On Monday morning, witness saw deceased about six o' i clock n the mill. He was lying on • bag, and witness, thinking his son was asleep, left him there. Some time after, he went up again, and found deceased lying in the same position. • Witness then shook him by the knee, and asked him to get up, but receiving no reply witness made an examination, and upon lifting him up observedthat he had a halter round his neck. The rope, in his opinion, had been fastened , !round a revolving shaft. After a time, the rope—being ' jagged in two by the revolutions of the shuft—must have broken, and let deceased down. On Tuesday, the deceased had been out collecting money, and on the evening of the same day witness sent for him from the Smithfield Hotel. On the following day, deceased was away, and in the evening witness again sent for the deceased to the Smithfield Hotel. Deceased was tipsy when he returned. He went to work on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday seemed rather low-spirited, saying that he would never get drunk again. Witness called deceased up about four o'clock on Monday morning. He could not say how much money deceased lost, but he knew he had IoA a considerable sum. He told me he lost all he had. I know he received .e 5 of one customer. Deceased was a good lad, and was a regular attendant at a place of worship. —John Malpass, of the Smithfield Hotel, said he saw the deceased at the Hotel on Tuesday evening. He did not look as though he had had much drink. On the Wednesday morning about 9 or 930 Whilock came into the house with the deceased. They asked for a gallon of ale which was supplied. Deceased said the gallon of ale cost him 7s. ad. I said, "How is that, Tom 1" He said, " While& has won is. of me." He (witness) refused to let them bowl unless they paid 2d. each and promised not to bet. Subsequently some more checks were purchased, Some time after witness went on to the ground, and hearing betting going on took the bowls away. He, however, let them have the bowls again ma the understanding that no more bets should be made. Cross-examined, I took the bowls away two or three times because of the betting. Deceased was not drunk, but under the influenee of drink. —John Bostock, in the employ of Mr. Broder, said that on Monday morning, about half-oast five he saw the deceit:ma in the mill at work. Witness fetched the deceased on the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from the Smithfield Hotel. On both occasions when he went the deceased was drunk, and was bowling. Bets were made, and the deceased seemed to lose a good deal of money.—The Foreman expressed a wish that he should like Jim. Whilock examined if he could be found as he understood that Whilock had won several pounds of deceased, but he could not be found.—After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased committed suicide while in a state of unsound mind.