The Express. — 1867-05-10 (London, England)

THIS DAY.)  f.,renor.n, at 11 o'clock, Mr. Win. Payne, the City coroner, held an inquiry at Guy's Hospital, touching the death of Mr. Joseph Statham, aged 36 years, who was found dying in a room in the International Terminus Hotel, under circumstances of a very singular character. Mr. E. Statham. New Buford-street, Nottingham, said that the deceased was his brother. He was a licensed victualler, and he lived at New Buford. Witness hist saw him alive on Sunday last. He had not been laid up with any affection lately. Witness had noticed for the last few weeks that the deceased had been in • very low desponding state. Witness asked him if he was in difficulties; but he had not satisfied wit. ness that be was. He was in the habit of speaking very little. lie was a temperate man, and he was married. 1t itness. did not know whether be had committed suicide. Mr. A. Gearing, manager and secretary of the International Hotel, London-bridge, said that on last Tuesday evening the deceased called at the hotel and applied for a beilrouru. and before going to rest he asked to be called at 9 o'clock ou the following morning. The next morning at a quarter to 9 o'clock witness heard " hard breathing," and be told the porter to place a ladder against the window of the deceased's room and ascertain whether he was alive or dead. The porter ascended the ladder. and observed through the window three bottles labelled poison. Witness then sent for Dr. Jervois, and in that gentleman's presence the room door was broken open. The deceased was then dead, and he was carried to the hospital. On the table there was an envelope, with " Jones Statham, New Buford," written upon it. The brother stated that it was in the deceased's handwriting. In his pocket was 8/. Is. 2d. in money. James Albert Chester, head porter at the hotel, said that the deceased applied to him for the bedroom. Before he went to bed he asked for a glass of brandy and water. Witness found the deceased lying on his bed the next morning. Three bottles, labelled " Laudanum—Poison," were on the table. The deceased was dead. One of the bottles was marked "94. St. John-street-road." There was nothing unusual in the deceased's manner on the Tuesday night. Mr. Henry Greenlee'', house-surgeon at the hospital, said that he had made a postmortem examination of the deceased's body. Decomposition had so rapidly eat in. that the post-mortem examination showed no material signs. There was no smell of poison. Mr. Gearing irecalled) said that the deceased had vomited.  Hr. Greenway said that vomiting would cause signs of poison to be removed. There was no sign in the brain to account for death. The taking of laudanum would act upon the brain. All signs of congestion arising from laudanum poisoning would be removed by decomposition. Taking into consideration all the circumstances attending the deceased's death they were all consistent with laudanum poisoning. Kr. Statham said that he was not aware that the deemed was in the habit of taking laudanum. There was DO disagreement at home with his family. The deceased had no business in London, and his sudden departure cur. prised his family. The l,ottles labelled "Poison" were put in in evidence. It appeared that each of the three bottles had been bought at a different shop. A juror said that deceased had evidently mixed the eoutente of laudanum bottles together before he drank the poison. The jury, after a long consultation, returned a verdict, "That the deceased destroyed his own life whilst in a state of temporary insanity."