The Poole Telegram. — 1883-04-20 (Poole, Dorset, England)

ILMINSTBIC. SHOCKING CASE OF SUICIDE.  An inquest was held on Friday last before Mr. W. NV. Munckton, coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. J. Taylor was chosen foreman, touching the death of Lieutenant James Street, who was found dead with his throat cut in his dressing-room on Wednesday evening last. Kate Rowse'', a domestic servant, who had been seven years lit the employ of the deceased, deposed that she last saw him alive at ten minutes past five o'clock on Wednesday evening, when he weat in the kitchen to her and asked to have a nice fire as he wanted some fish dressed for tea. He appeared very,poorly, as usual, and said "My strength is gone, and I would like to live until lam ninety years old." Then he tried to hurry witness out of the kitchen, telling her to dress for tea. He then went in the breakfast•room by himself, and witness saw him walk around the table and go to the knife-basket, which was on the side table. As he saw witness was looking at him be looked out of the window and then he sent her away to dress. She left him in the breakfast-room alone. As she was at the top of the stabs she saw him c )me in the front door a few minutes after she had left him. He then went into the dining-room and sat down on the sofa. Witn, as then went to her room and dressed. Deceased about a quarter of hour afterwards went to the bottom of the stairs, called her down, and said, "Make haste down Kate, I want my tea." When witness came down he had returned to the dining-room, and was sitting on the s ifs. Mrs. Street and witness went downstairs, and in the course of a quarter of an hour witness went upstairs with a te,-tray, and he was then gone. She went to the drawing-room and around the garden to look for him, and not seeing him, she shouted to Mrs. Street, who was in the kitchen. She felt frightened, thinking deceased might have had one of. his fits. Mrs. Street came directly and she went around the garden to look for him, and then went into the passage and called to him twice. Witness came into the kitchen again, and beard Mrs. Street say from the top of the stairs, "Oh, Kate, my poor husband." Witness then ran up and saw deceased lying in the bathroom on the floor, with blood flowing from him. She ran away for Dr. Bine. When she returned two doctors were with him. The knife here produced was in the basket when deceased was in the breakfaat-room. Witness had cleaned it for dinner and placed it there. When she came in Dr. Bert showed it to her cover. d with blood. Mr. Street seemed very excited when he came into the kitchen. He had been ill for some time, and under Dr. Hine's care. He frequently had fits. She had never heard an unkind word from deceased. He had had no fit that day, but had said in the morning his head nearly made him mad. There was no one in the house at the time besides witness and Mrs. Street. Dr. Hine then said he was a surgeon residing at llminster, and had been Mr. Street's medical attendant ever since he had lived in this neighbourhood, and he frequently saw him. Deceased had been a lieutenant in the 75th Regiment of Fo A, and had seen a great deal of service. He had entered the army as a private, and rose to the position of lieutenant. He was 65 years of age. About six years ago deceased lived at Marriott. His health has not been strong of late years, partly in consequence of sunstroke which he suffered from in India and partly from a severe wound he received at the siege of Delhi, which compelled him to retire from active service. A month ago he was seized, while et breakfast, with partial uncmsciousneins. inability to speak, and loss of power on the left side of the body, also left arm and leg. Ou four occasions since he had bad slight seizures of the same character, which had passed off in a few minutes, but ever since the first attack he had a nervous dread of entirely losing the use of his limbs. He had always mentioned this dread to witness on his visits. Witness visited him last on the Tuesday previous to his death, and on Wednesday was sent for about six o'clock in the evening. Witness went upstairs, and found him lying in the bath-room, on his face, in a pool cf blood. His legs were out of the room, over the top of the stairs, and the blood was trickling from him. Di. Bert and Dr. Stephens were with him. Witness lifted deceased up and saw a deep gash, extending on both sides of the throat, and the large blood-vessels were evidently cut across on both sides of the neck. He was evidently quite dead. There were no other marks of violence shout him. Deceased had his coat and wsistcoat and necktie off, and his shirt unbuttened. Dr. Bert handed witness the knife (here Produce i), which hod been picked up by the side of deceased, and which was covered with fresh blood. Witness considered the wound to be selfinflicted, and that the deceased &ad from the wound in the throat, a hich would be caused by the knife produced. In his opinion he committed the rash act in a mommt of mental derangement caused by his diseased state.  • The jury returned a verdict that deceased cut bis throat with the knife produced, while in a fit of temporary insanity, and requested Dr. Hine to convey the deep s3mpathy of the coroner and jury to the widow of the deceased and also to Mr. Street, the nephew of the deceased.