The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1916-07-22 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NAVAL MR'S TRAGIC SUICIDE.  ", Dramatic Stories.:at the Inquest.  The atury of. a Naval gunner's suicide was told at the inquest held by Mr. Cecil Holden (Coroner) yesterday, on the body of Jahn McGiatehy, of one of his Majesty's battleships. Marion llekleachy, 12, Mill-street, Greenock, said deceased was her husband and Was 32 years of age. Ile had been in tlw Navy about 18 months, and came home to her on leave on the 17th May. He left her on the 22nd, but should have returned on the 21st. He told her he was going to join his ship, and she hedrd nothing more of him.- until: sha.recaved word of his death. Her allotment order was stopped ,Lan. the 25th 'May owing to the fact that he was absent from the ship. lie wee a ' good husband to her, but be drank pretty heavily: , Margaret Camobell, Lowther-street, Bir. kenhoad, said deceased was her brother, and ,came to her •house on the 11th inst. 'He. mid he had'leave uutil the 21st, and he handed her a pass, ,but she did not look at it.. He also said he .had been discharged from hosspitahhu Belfast and had been in the battle of .Jutlasid. He seemed strange in his manner, and. isms very bright and staring about the eyes, shaking all over. On Wednesday he .left the house shortly after noon., and, along with her, he visited a public-hod4e in Clonway-st-eet. On cam; ing out they were stopped by a policeconstable, who asked deceased if he had a pass for leave .from his strip. Deceased invited him to her house, where he said he had the pass. They went, deceased and the officer by Exmouth,-street, and witness by Bemtinck:street. At the house deceased looked into the cupboard for thn pass, and asked her to look for it. She turned to a box in whiel she had placed the pass, and on again turning towards deceased saw him hack at his throat with a razor. The policeman, who had been watching her, clutched the razor from deceased and rendered firia-aid. The ambulance was sent for, and deceased was taken to the, Borough Heepital. The razor was in the cupboard, and he must have taken it out when looking for the pass. The Coroner PDo you think lie was right in his mind?—l could not tell you, sir; he was strange a bit. Witness knew him to be a Naval Reserve man, who was caLled up at the beginning of the war. Elizabeth Higgins, 8, Bentinck-terrace, who was in the thouso when the search was being made for the pass, said she heard the deceased say to the previous witness "For God's sake look for my pass. I don't want to lie there all night" (meaning prison). The next thing she heard was Mrs. Campbell aluarting "My (101 l He's cut his throat," and f`ille saw deceased with a razor in his hand and blood flowingfrom his throat. The .Caromer: Do you think he was all right?—No, sir, I don't. . .  You -think he was wrong an his mind?— Yea, sir, I do. P.C. Langford said that at about 2.20 on Wed,nesday afternoon he met deceased and Mrs. Campbell in Commay-,treet. Having noticed deceased walking about the town for a tow days in Naval uniform, he asked him to produce 'his pass. I),,,ease4 took him to Mrs. Campbell's house, and there looked for the pas. Witness turned to look at Mrs. Campbell, and on his immediately turning round be saw deceased with a razor in his hand and blood flowing from his threat. Witness did all that was possible, sent for the ambulance, and had deceased removed to the Borough Hospital. He was sober, but smelt strongly of  'Dr. 'Wilson, house surgoon at the Borough Hospilal, said deceased was admitted on Wednesday afternoon. On examination he pronounced life extinct. Deceased had a wound across his throat about five inches long, caused by a sharp instrument such as a razor. He had severed his windpipe and his extermal' jugular vein. The blood from the severed vesscls had run dawn his windpipe and had filled his lungs, which were congested with blood. He died from asphyxia caiesed by the running of the blood down the , . The jury were satisfied that deceased died front aelf-inflicted woefisla whilst tem. . „.„ .