The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-08-15 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE AT ORAVELLY HILL.  On Wednesday morning Mr. Wynter (the coroner for Central Warwickshire) held all inquest at the Erdington Arias, “ravelly Hill, touching the death of William Edward Briggs (30),Vicarageroad, Aston, who was found dead in a water butt on the premises of his employer, Mr. John Wilson, brassfounder, Rose Villa, Erdington. The first witness called was Clara Briggs, who said: I am the wife of the deceased. I last saw the deceased alive on Tuesday morning last. He got up in bed, and I asked him what he was going to do, when he lay down again and buried his head in the bed clothes. Shortly afterwards he got up, saying he was going to the closet. He put on his trousers and boots. I did not see him alive again. About ten o'clock the seine morning a police-sergeant came and told me that my husband was dead. I was only married to him a week on Monday. He appeared to be happy and comfortable, and he was not in any trouble that I knew of. He had been in the employ of Mr. Wilson for the past 16 years. The deceased was a sober, steady man, and gave me t.:l the night before he died, telling me I could have more if I required it. I have heard my husband at times express his regret that trade was very bad, and that he did not know what it was coming to. Ruth Whittaker said: I am a married woman living at 17 court, 4 house, Lupin-street. I knew the deceased, being engaged at the same place as Briggs, namely, Rose N illa, Erdington. About a quarter to eight on Tuesday morning I picked up the bucket with the intention of going to the soft water tub to till the furnade for washing when I observed William Briggs feet and portion of his trousers sticking out of the water butt. I went to my master and said, "Oh, do come, Bill has drowned himself in the soft water tub." Mr. Wilson got up and came downstairs and tried to get , the deceased out of the tub, but failed. He sent for a Mr. Round, a gardener, who, with the assistance of Mr. Wilson, got the body out. The police sergeant came and removed the body to the Erdington Arms. I have known the deceased for nearly three years, and I have never noticed anything strange about him except that he has been very quiet since his marriage. Deceased never made any complaint to me, neither do I know of any trouble that he was in. The deceased had taken his hat and jacket off, and placed it in the greenhouse. I never knew him have a quarrel with his employer. Joseph Round, gardener, residing at Little Wood End, said : I knew the deceased. On Tuesday morning I was called by Mr. Wilson's son, and from what I heard I went to Rose Villa. When I got there I found Briggs in the tub. We tried to lift the deceased out but could not do so, and so we turned the tub over. I have known the deceased for six years, and have never known him to be strange in his habits. There was about two feet of water in the tub. A pair of steps were near where the deceased was found. On Friday last I met the deceased, and he said, "I suppose you have heard of Mr. Briggs" (meaning himself and referring to his marriage); and I said "Yes, but I don't believe it." The deceased has been very quiet since his marriage. Police-sergeant James Smith : On Tuesday morning last I was fetched to Rose Villa by the last witness, and found the body of Briggs lying in the back yard with the head resting on the tub, which had been pulled over. I saw some steps standing against the wall where the tub had stood. I searched the body, and found in the right hand trouser pocket a purse containing four sovereigns, and a piece of paper on which was written the address of his wife previous to her marriage. There was no coat, stockings, or hat, and these I found in the greenhouse. In the bottom of the tub was a quantity of mud, which I raked out with my hands, and found 7s. 6d. in silver and 4d. in copper, and also a pearl stud. I then conveyed the body in a cart to the Endington Arms. I think the money found might have dropped out of his pocket into the tub. I have this morning measured the tub and the brickwork it stood upon. The brickwork is just a foot high from the ground, and the tub itself is just four feet deep and two feet wide at the top and the bottom. I think I could have got out had I fallen into the tub. I knew nothing of Mrs. Briggs to cause the deceased any unhappiness. The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane.