The Haslingden Gazette. — 1909-12-11 (Haslingden, Lancashire, England)

GAS TRAGEDY SAD DISCOVERY BY EX-ORGANIST'S WIFE.  HER STRANGE STORY AT THE INQUEST.  Mr. David Haslewood, the Deputy-Coroner, held an inquiry in the Accrington Police Parade Room on Thursday morning, touching the death of Jas. Walter Bellingham, aged 38, a painter, who was  found poisoned by gas funies at his house in Persiastreet, Accrington, on Tuesday. He left home on Monday night, and did not return. At one o'clock on Tuesday afternoon his wife left the house to go to the mill. When she returned at 5-50 p.m. she noticed a strong smell of gas, and on going upstairs she found her husband lying face downwards on the bed. She turned off the gas, opened the window, and sent for a doctor, who expressed his opinion that the man had been dead  about five minutes. A piece of gas tubing had been removed from the kitchen, fixed to the bed. room gas jet at one end, and the other end was lying by deceased on the bed. Deceased had been depressed for some time.  Margaret Bellingham, the 'widow, stated that deceased had been very depressed lately through bad health. They had a few words on the evening of the 6th inst., after which deceased left the house, and did not return that night. Witness did not see hum again alive. When she returned from work at 5-50 on the 7th she noticed a strong smell of gas, and on going upstairs she found deceased lying face downwards in bed, and apparently dead. She sent for a doctor, who pronounced life extinct. The doctor thought the man had been dead about five minutes. A piece of gas-tubing was fixed on the gas-pipe, and the other end had been on the bed, but had dropped off. Deceased had never threatened to commit suicide, but when he had had a drop of drink he did not know what he was doing. There was not much quarrelling: it was all over in about five minutes. Deceased had been under a doctor for his head several months ago. He had no money troubles. P.C. Dewhurst said that, owing to what was said to him by several youths, he went to the deceased's house on Monday night. He saw a crowd of people in the street, and a young fellow was standing at the house door. Witness asked what was the matter there, and the young man said, " Mrs. Bellingham is inside, and she wants me to stop here until she gets the child's clothing, as her husband has threatened her with a knife." Witness went into the house and shouted: " Mr. Bellingham,..what is the matter now?"  Bellingham went towards witness, and said, " You had best get out I haven't sent for you." Witness went outside, and soon afterwards Mrs. Bellingham left the house. She seemed very excited, and appeared afraid to give any account of what had happened. Mr. Bellingham went to the door, and witness told him to be very careful about his conduct to his wife, as there was an awful rumour as to what he had threatened to do. The man appeared to be suffering from the effects of drink. Nothing else occurred that night. Witness went to the house about 6-30 the following night. He then found Bellingham lying dead in bed. There was a very strong smell of gas in the room, and a length of indiarubber gas tubing lay near the bed.  Mrs. Bellingham was re-called by the DeputyCoroner, and, in reply to his questions, she said her husband got hold of a knife on the Monday night and ran her round.  The Coroner: Did he run you round for no mason whatever?—He did not threaten me. He would not have struck. He was only trying to frighten us.  What was it all about? You are keeping something back. Was it simply drink?—Yes, the drink had gone into his head and he couldn't stand it. Do you want the jury to take that as your explanation, and as being true?—Yes, it is true enough.  Do you do any drinking?—No. Had he no complaints in that respect?—No.  Have you no explanation why he ran you round with a knife?—None. There was no reason whatever.  The Coroner told the jury that deceased had evidently committed suicide by gas poisoning, but he was not thoroughly satisfied that they would be justified in saying that he was of unsound mind. There was no evidence of insanity about the man. Ile thought a might be a correct verdict if they found that deceased had committed suicide, but there was no evidence to show the state of his mind.  The -jury found a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind."  Noweestle-on-Tyne Workhouse is reported so crowded that some inmates have to sleep in the casual ward, and a number of food orders have been given out owing to lack of aceommodition.,