Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1902-02-14 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

COTTON MILL TRAGEDY AT NELSON.  SUICIDE OP A WEAVER. TOO LITTLE MONEY FROM HIS LOOMS.  MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD TO THE  LIVEN:G.  An inquest was held on Monday afternoon et the Nelson Town Hall, before Mr. H. J. Robinson, District Coroner, on the body of Israel Drown, weaver, 18, Forest-street, .S;el- Mr. J. C. Waddington represented the relativeN of the deceased, and Mr. F. Roberts. of the firm of Messrs. I)avit•s and Roberts, i,olivitors, appeared on behalf of Messrs. Reed & Dyson, manufacturers, and crnPler" of the 'deceased, and Mr. Aden Wilinere, their manager. Mr. W. Val.ley was foreman of the jury. The first witness called was  dolinnv Brown, weaver, who said he was the eon Cf the deceased, and lived with him and his mother at IS For... A-street. and the decca.scd was 44_4 years of age, and was a fourloom wearer. He had not complained of • being in ill-health, but he had been suffering from mental depression for about a fortnight before his &nth. Witness did not I know that his father had been to the doctor until his mother told him so after he Wai3 dCa (1. i).•,,ri,1‘.1 went to his work about six o'clock on Wednesday morning, got a sick weaver to take his looms, and then after getting pt mission of the manager he returned home. Witness mother was now confined to her bed, but she was up until after deceased's death.  Coroner : Was sho not ailing before? Witness : Not that I was aware of.  Did not your father get off his work ao that he could look after the house, your mother being ill? He informed me that he left the factory on account of the wages. Coroner (sharply): Come, you must tell me the whole truth. I will have it if I have to order a post mortem examination. Was he leavint. on avow:int of your mother'a illness? —He had been complained to about not getting enough money off bin loom.s, and he said if he got off a few weeks the warps would be worked out and be could do better.  Were those-mmrilaints made before that? —Be was fetched into the warehouse a fortnight ago, but not since then that I know of. When he got home how did he seem?—! saw him in the afternoon and I said ••Father, have you been brought up about getting too little money off your looms?" The Coroner : That has nothing to do with the eawse id his death. How did he seem on Wednesday when he got home P—He seeme] dejected. I saw him next morning. He got up at 5-0 o'clock and made us something to eat. How was he on Thursday night P—Much the same us he was on Wednesday. Did you see him on Friday morning ? Yes, he got up and made us our breakfast. He was stopping at home looking after mother. I left him in the house pottering about, and that was the last time I saw him. Your mother has been in bed since ?—Yes, thee his death.  She is being attended by the doctor now? _ _  Do you know that it iA for a di,ea.F.e he contracted from your father P—She hat. infarmed me of that &ince._ _ . .  Hy Mr. Waddington : He war; frightened of losing his work, and I suggested that he should go to his employer direct and tell Cm how it MLR, but he replied that he did sot like to put himself forward and go to the employer over tbe head of the manager. When he got off his work he told me he did sot like to face the manager. Mr. .1. C. Waddington: He had worked for 14 years and he had never been fetched aip before about the money he was earning!" .--No.  Be had been threatened with having to go to the warehouse, was that preying on his. mind ?-0n the Wednesday he waa fetched np be told me his sister and hist brother as well as himself had been fetched up for getting too little money off their looms. The lot of them had only made 6s. a loom, n.nd he was afraid they would not, get your itister another loom until he got more off'— No answer.  Mr. J .C. Waddington: He always reteived good treatment at home ?—Yes, very good treatment.  Cro-examined by Mr. F. Roberts, witness said decea.sed had been depressed before. About two years ago, when suffering