Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1875-06-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SINGULAR CASE OF SUICIDE NEAR STOCKTON.  On Tuesday evening, Mr Coroner Settle held an inquest ht the Town Hall, Stockton, on the body of Isaac Oram, gardener, whose death had occurred under circumstances detailed below.  Mr George Lockwood, Mr B. S. Lockwood, and Mr A. J. Dort:nand, of Norton, were present during the enquiry. Evidence was adduced as follows :  William Oram deposed : I live at Stockton, amd am a gardener. Deceasel is my brother, and was employed as gardener by Mr Dorniand, of Norton. He is 27 years old, a single man, and generally epeaking healthy. He was ill from fever about three months ago. He recovered his health, but during the past two or three days has seemed very uneasy and dissatisfied in his mind. Deceased called at my house at a quarter past six this morning, and said that my mother would not remove to Norton. He lodged with my mother at No. 4, Webster-street. Deceased had expressed a desire for her ttimove to Norton so that he might be nearer his work, but he so frequently altered his mind that we did not know what to make of him in this respect. I did not observe that the fever had enfeebled or weakened deceased's body or mind. I do not know of any trouble, anxiety, or difficulty that deceased had in his mind, except that he has talked of the great loss he had had of plants, and said that he would have to make them good or go to gaol, which would take the bit of money that he had saved. I told him that he was talking foolishly. He was s good practical gardener, and I thought his talking was wild. I never heard Mtn threaten to destroy himself. and I never had ally fear that he would do so. Deceased has leaked thinner during the past week, and complained that he could not sleep at nights. He was a steady, sober man.— Mary Cavine said: I am housemaid at Alt Dorman's. Deceased was in Mr Darmand's employ when I went there a year ago. Deceased came to his work between half-past six and seven this morn. hag. He breakfasted at home. I saw him in the kitchen between ten and eleven o'clock, cleaning the knives. I said something to him, and he said that I was not to say anything to him, because he was nearly distracted. He afterwards spoke about the plants, and said that all went wrong with him now. He finished the knives and left the kitchen about eleven o'clock. About ten minutes past eleven I went out of the house to seek deceased to assist me in putting soma blinds tie. I went to the hothouse first, and then into the stable, the door of which was standing open into the yard. I there saw deceased hanging fro:n a stall post by a rope about his neck. He was motionless and seemed to be quite still and dead. I raised an alarm, and Mr Hutchiuson, the Norton carrier, who happened to be passing, went into the stable. I did not follow him. I have noticed a difference in deceased's state of mind during the past fortnight. He has not spoke so rationally as he used to do. The state of the plants as represented by deceased was not at all so bad as he said. It was all drawn from his irnagination.—John Hutchioean, carrier, said: This morning, I was requested to go into Mr Dorruand's stable by the cook, and I there saw the deceased hanging by the neck with his feet clean;off the ground. He had a rope about his neck, in a slip noose, and one end of the rope was fastened to a pin in the stall post. I cut the rope with my knife. Deceased seemed quite dead, but he was warm. I took the rope from off his neck, and hung it again in the stable. Dr Tinuiswood was sent for to see the deady body, but did not arrive whilst I was there. Everything seemed to be orderly iu the stable. I knew deceased, and had not noticed any alteration in his demeanour of late. This was after eleven o'clock.—Sergeant Wall said: I received information of this ease about twelve o'clock, and went to Mr Dermaud's, where I saw deceased. His neck was very much discoloured, and there was a cord mark visible. I found the narrow cord produced hanging upon a pin of the stall post, and it correspouds with the indentation on the neck. I knew deceasei, in his life time, and never knew any change in his bearing. I saw him working in the front garden this morning about half-past nine, in his usual way. I searched deceased's pockets, but found nothing relating to his death.— Mr Dormand then, at his own request was sworn, and said: I am an iron merchant, and live at Norton. Deceased has been in my employment as gardener about twelve months. He was a very steady man. I have heard what has been said about the plants and having to go to gaol. I had a long talk with him last night about the plants. Mrs Dormand and I. were looking round the house last night, and we thought everything looked very nice. We were praising some of them, and expressed our satisfaction to deceased, but this seemed to vex him. He said everything was going to the bad, and that he had lost a great many plants, and wanted to recompense me for them. I told him it was all nonsense, and tried to cheer him up a bitI told him to take a holiday, and then he said that if he kept on with me lie would like to have his wages reduced. (Laughter.) He also wished me to take £5 compensation for plants which he said were spoiled. Of course, this was refused. As a matter of fast, the plants are looking very well. I saw deceased this morning between half-past nine and ten o'clock, and bade him " Good morning." tie was a steady and obliging man, and we liked him very much. Daring the time he was with me, I never had occasion to make a complaint. —The coroner then briefly reviewed the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of" Temporary insanity."  Summit.