The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1909-03-24 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

BRIDEINIELL TRAGEDY.  ARRESTED MAN HM#M PRRISRLF.  A SAD STORY.  Whilst making his usual visit to each cell in ths main bridewell on Friday evening, assistant bridewell-keeper Long saw, to his horror, a man named Edwards, who had been brought in during the day on a charge of theft from the works of Messrs. Cammeti, Laird & Co., hanging from the ventilator by scarf. He at once cut the man down and sent for Sergeant Whyte, who tried artificial respiration, but without avail. Dr. Bentley was also sent for, but upon arrival he pronounced the man to be dead. The deceased was conveyed to the Pricestreet Mortuary. Mr. Cecil Bolden, the borough coroner, held the inquest on Monday afternoon. The man proved to be Evan Edwards, aged fifty-six, of 385, Cleveland-street, a blacksmith's striker.  Mrs. Hodge, of 365, Clveland-street, stated that the deceased and his wife came to lodge with her in January last. He was out ot work at the time, and although he tried hard to find employment, he was unsuccessful. He would return in the evening and would cry just like a child because he had been unable to find work. They had very little to eat and were almost starving. Witness heard deceased ask his son for help but he refused to give it, and deceased often told her he was tired of his life. On Friday last he went out as usual at six in the morning to look for work. At about 3 o'clock the police came to the , house and told witness the deceased had ' been locked up for having stolen some piping. The police then searched the •rooms but found nothing. Witness said to , the policeman: "This is starvation. Poor old man, he is sure to commit suicide." About half-past eight the same evening the police again came and told her that Edwards was dead. Deceased had told witness that he had been to the relieving offices on Tuesday, but they told him to go to the workhouse. Sergeant Wright stated that from information received about deceased he arrested him. Witness went to his lodgings and saw the landlady, and told her what had happened. She said he had no doubt stolen to obtain food. Witness declared that Mrs. Hodge said nothing to him about the deceased committing suicide.  Acting Sergt. Long, assistant bridewell keeper, said he was in the bridewell when deceased was brought in. lie put him in a cell, and in consequence of information received from Sergt. Wright, visited damaged rather often, and he spoke quite rationally. Later in the afternoon, witness put him in a fighter cell and visited him two or three times in an hour. About a quarter to six witness visited him again, and on looking through the trap door saw deceased hanging by a scarf from the ventilator. Witness immediately rushed in and cut him down and carried him into the corridor. Sergt. Whyte was sent for and when he arrived he resorted to artificial respiration. Dr. Bentley soon afterwards arrived and pronounced life extinct.  Sergt. Whyte corroborated and said that the scarf by which the deceased hanged himself was worn by him when brought in. He had put a big knot in the end and had pushed it through the ventilator. He then stood on the seat and suspended himself. The weight of his body would make the knot tighter and tighter, and thus suffocate him. - Dr. Bentley stated that he received a telephone message to "come at once," and upon arrival found the deceased beyond human aid. The cause of death was stiff°. cation consequent on hanging. Witness wished to compliment Sergt. Whyte upon the admirable manner in which he tried artificial respiration. Dr. Preece corroborated. -The Coroner., ia summing-up, said-it, wasvery sad to think that the deceased was unable to find employment. Under thole ciroumstaqcee the, xp4HL became very_ -de, pressed and the probabilities were that he was not of sound mind. Another point that the jury had to consider was whether there had been any negligence on the part of the police in not visiting the prisoner often enough, because one witness had said he would commit suicide. He (the coroner) thought every precaution had. been taken. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind," and added that no blame could be attached to the police authorities.  Mr. Rnbery (Messrs. Cammell, Laird, Ltd.) sympathised with the widow of the deceased.