The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1882-09-16 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

TERRIBLE SUICIDE AT DEWSBURY.  On Monday morning an inquest was held at the Bose and Crown Inn, Halifax-road, by Mr. Hill (deputy coroner), over the body of Benjamin Crawchew. Peel-street, Orackenedge' who committed suicide by first cutting his throat and then throwing himself out of the bedroom window on Tuesday morning, the sth inst. Mr. Benson was appointed foreman. The following evidence was given : Mr. Arthur 0. Evans, house surgeon at the Infirmary, said that on Tuesday morning, the sth of September, he was called to Peel-street at about 10-45 a.m. He found a man lying on a table suffering from a out throat, from left to right, four inches in length. None of the larger vessels were cat, nor was the wind pipe severed. He was also sufferirg from a large wound in the front part of the bend of the left elbow, and also from a small embrasure of the scalp just over the left forehead. He was at once removed to the Infirmary. Deceased was quite conscious when he first saw him, but in the first stage of delirium tremens. The delirium inoreased, and on Friday, the Bth inst, he developed pneumonia, and died that night about midnight. The primary cause of death was delirium trensens, hastened by pneumonia and the injuries he had received. The injuries of themselves were nct sufficient to account for death._  Eliza Crawshaw, 27, Peel-street, Crackenedge, said that deceased was her husband. He was 38 years of age last birthday. He was a cloth finisher by trade, but had not worked for the last three months, not being able to obtain employment. His life was insured in the "Prudential," and she was entitled to receive from that company £l5. He was also a member of the "Odd Fellows," and entitled to receive from that institution £lO. They had five children, the eldest being 16, and the youngest three. Deceased had been in depressed spirits for some weeks past. He had not complained of anything being the matter with him. She saw him alive on Tuesday morning the sth inst., about 530 a.m. He was in bed, and she left him there when she got up to go to her work. She was a barter at Messrs. Wm. Blakeley and Co., and was there until 10 o'clock, when someone went to her and told her that she had better go home. On her arrival she found her husband on the kitchen table. Dr. Evens was there. He was removed to the Infirmary, and she last saw him alive on Tharsday night. He had complained to her for some days past that he could not eat. He went home rather worse for liquor on Monday night, the 4th inst., between six and seven o'clock. He did not say anything to her when he entered the house, but went and laid down on the children's bed. She awoke him up about nine o'clock, and he went into his own bed. Clara Crawshaw, 10, said that deceased was her father. On the sth inst. her mother had gone to work. She attended the Eastborough Board School, but was staying at home that week to mind the children. On Tuesday morning she went up to her father's bedroom about 9-50 to ask him if he would have some boiled milk. The bed clothes were all over his head, but she heard him say " No " from under the clothes. She did not notice anything in the room at the time, except the clothes being over her father's head. She afterwards went out into the street to look for the children, and saw deceased put down the sash of the top part of the window. She saw him drop from the window on to the causeway, and she ran to tell her grandmother. She did not see him afterwards. Joseph Humphreys, coachman, 4, Peel-street, Orackenedge, said he was standing near his own window on the sth inst., about 10 o'clock. His house was nearly opposite that of deceased's. He heard a window open in the street, and he looked out, and he saw someone whom he did not recognise come head first out of the window. In the fall deceased's head struck against the lower window-sill, and then he cried "Oh, dear," and fell back on the causeway. He ran to him, and saw that he had a gash across his throat. Deceased's left forearm was bleeding. There was also a mark on his head. He appeared quite naked, and the window. blind which came down with him was thrown over his body. A police-constable at once came and deceased was carried into the hone. John Nally, borough police constable, Crackenedgelane, said that on Tuesday, the sth inst., he was asleep in bed, but was awoke by the previous witness, Clara Crawshaw, sczeaming. He at once got up and wont into Peel-street, whore he found deceased laid on the causeway covered with a window-blind. He caused him to be removed into the bone, and a medical men (Dr. Evans) was at once sent for and came. Witness made a search upstairs and found the pocketknife produced in a pool of blood on the bed. The Coroner, in addressing the jury, said that it wee quite clear that there had been no quarrelling or misunderstanding between deceased and his wife, the latter apparently a very respectable woman. There had been no upbraiding by the woman because deceased was out of work, but had evidently been with some companions who had treated him with beer to drink ins,ead of something to eats A verdict vos returned of "Committed suicHe vhilt saff,rl::g frosu temporary insanity."  A.