The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1878-03-05 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE.  An inquest was held on Friday afternoon at the Kingsland Tavern, South Front, Southampton, by the borough coroner, Mr. K Coxwell, on the body of Thomas Harding, aged 31, of 80, Bevois-street, when Honour Hurding. wife ,d deceased (who was very much affected), said her husband was an engine-driver on the Soutb-Weetern Railway. A fortnisht ago he came out of • siding at Dorchester where they were making up • train for goods and passengers, and met with an accident, by mashing some trucks, for which be had now been suspended for a week. He had been under the impressi m that he would be prosecuted, and had kept he door fastened the last two days. He would not let witness go to the door without seeing there was not • policeman. He was very low and dispirited, and as had tried the day before to cheer him up a bit. He went to the engine shed to try if he could hear anything, and asked Mr. ilunter about it. The previous day deceased had a razot, and said rather than be imprisoned and laughed at he would do what he had now done. It was an hour and twenty minutes before she could get him to sive up the razor. He said be would not do anything with it, but he gave it up at last. It was about 20 minutes to six the previous night when she got it away. After six o'clock he went to the abed to get his money. He would not go at the proper time as he was afraid there would be a policeman there to take him. He came back shortly afterwards, and sat down and would not speak. She 'eked him why he was so dull, and be then went out and was absent about an hour. When he came back he eat down with witness. She wanted him to poet • letter, but be would not get up to go. Rerenialnedwithberalithe evening, not saying anything, and seeming low in spirits. They went upstate' to go to bed just before 11 o'clock. Then he took the light and went down stairs, leaving bar in the dark. She heard a noise, and thinking he was sick she called out "Tom," but he did not answer. She then went downstairs, and found him leaning over the sink bleeding from the throat. She did not see the knife at drat, but pulled him back and laid him down, and then called the neighbours. She held him till almost his last breath. He died about ten minutes or • quarter of an hour afterwards,—By the jury: They sent for several doctors, but only Dr. Benslt came, and death had taken place. Decoked had not been threatened with prosecution, but had the idea that he would be prosecuted, though she begged him not to think of it and tried to dissuade him from the thought. Eliza Cl., wife of William Henry Cole, of 81, Bevok-street, said that about 11 o'clock on Thursday night, as she and her daughter were sitting indoors. they beard • noise, and witness went out to the door, and heard Mrs. Harding say "Oh dear, Tom, bow came you to do this! I never thought it would come to his." Witness went in to deceased's honse, and found Mrs. Hurding holding him, lie was bleeding very much from the throat, and witness handed a towel to Mrs. Harding. Deceased died in a few minutes, and before a doctor came. Witness saw a knife cl..wn by the sink. (The knife was produced. It was an ordinary small table knife, with a black handle). The brother of deceased, who was present, asked if he might be allowed to ask some queetiona of this witness, and the Coroner having answered in the affirmative, he interrogated Ma. Cole, who said, in reply to his enquiries, that she did not remember deoeseed going by her house on Wednesday. She was • next door neighbour. When she saw him in the week be seemed low spirited, and to take no notice at all. She had seen deceased in the heck yard. and he always rppeared to be cheerful till last week. She had not seen him over the wall to speak to him daring the last week.  liain—Early, sip:airman in the employ of the Railway Company, said he knew deceased. He last saw him alive on Wednesday. He MU then very low. They talked together, and he seamed lost on account of his having been suspended. He told witness that he thought the Company would prosecute hint. Witness asked demised if he had heard from London about, going to work again, but he said he had not. He had always 'been • cheerful and quiet man. Witness had only heard of what he had done.—By the jury: He had not heard on the previous evening whether deceased had been finally discharged from the Company'. employ. P.C. Willism Smith (80) said shouts quarter-put eleven o'clock the previous night he was on duty in Bevois-street, and was called to No. 80. He there saw %le& Hording holding the head of decease' in her lap. He moaned twice. Witness felt his pulse, but there was DO action. He then went for Dr. Bencraft. He examined the throat, and found it WM very badly cut. He enquired of Sirs. Hurding what deceased had dons it with, and she said "With that old knife." Ha tome' it us the mantelpiece, covered with blot:4— °IU Ooroner addressed the jury, pointing out that -et first say from the evidence they had heard, they M - glided by his OWD hand only, aad whether deco. - sound state of turnl :it the then whether he wee • a, g. vas timn—The inn% of wilt,- • doused coutmi foreman, returned • verdict tha. suicide while in an unsound state of lune a wife and three young children.