The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1839-05-03 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE IN LIVERPOOL.  On Tuesday morning an inquest was held before P. F. Curry, Esq. coroner, touching the death of a man named Thomas Shore, who was said to have committed suicide. The first witness called was _ _ _  Marianne Cole, who deposed.—l am the wife of Joseph Cole, who is at sea. The deceased, whose name was Thos. Shore, and who got his living by selling birds, lived in a cellar in Dale-street. For some months past I have lived with him. He was a great friend of mine, and he allowed me to live with him and to have my meat, for attending to his cellar and birds when he was out. The cellar was a double one. Between one and two o'clock on Monday last, I was in the front cellar, and the deceased was in the back one, when I heard a noise as if he was sick, and 1 ran directly to him. The cellar was dark, and on putting my hand against the wall, I felt that it was wet. On coming to the light, I saw it was blood that was on my hand. I went up stairs to Mrs. Spencer, who resides over head, and told her I was afraid that the deceased had cut his throat. She went down with a candle, and I followed immediately after. There was then a man in the cellar, who said that Shore had cut his throat. A doctor was called to the deceased, but he only lived about three quarters of an hour. For the last fortnight, Shore used to say. that he had something heavy on his mind through his family. He was a married man, but had been separated from his wife for many years. The night before last, the deceased was rambling all night. I had not any words with him. He got up on Monday morning early, and went out. When he came back he ate his breakfast heartily. He was tipsy then, and he turned his eyes badly. After he had eaten his breakfast he went out for a bit, and then he returned and went into the back cellar. Martha Spencer examined.—l live in Dale-street. The deceased lived in the cellar under our house. About ten minutes past two on Sunday afternoon the last witness came into our house and said, " For God's sake, Mrs. Spencer, Come in, for Shore has cut his throat." I went down immediately, and she followed at my heels. I went into the back cellar, and found the deceased sitting up in bed, and holding out his right hand. I went to light the candle which I took with me, and on my return he had fallen on his left side. I saw a razor lying on his body. I went for a surgeon. I saw deceased on Monday morning. He then seemed collected, but low in spirits. He had lived in the cellar about four years, and during that time I never saw anything that led me to think him out of his mind. _ _  .... James Cook.—On being informed that Shore had cut his throat, I went into the cellar, and found both the last witnesses there. I saw the razor lying on the deceased. There was a wound in his throat, and the bed was covered with blood. Mr. Ainsworth, the constable, and the assistant of Mr. Cripps, surgeon, came in when I was there, and the wound was tied up. I remained until the deceased died. He only lived about twenty minutes after my entering the cellar. Thomas Ainsworth, constable, gave evidence similar to that of the preceding witness. He also stated that when the wound was sewn up the deceased tried to tear it open again. Mr. F. J. Lilly, assistant to Mr. Cripps, surgeon, found the throat of the deceased cut from side to side ; the carotid artery and the jugular vein divided, and the windpipe also severely cut. Nothing could have been done to save his life. Mr. William Wright, surgeon,--I had known the deceased for a couple of years, and had occasionally attended him professionally during that time. I saw him last week, and he complained of the hardness of the times. He has often told me that he had nothing to live for ; that his children had married and deserted him. He had scarcely the means of living, and during the last winter I had to supply him with both food and clothing. John Jones, surgeon.—l was the first person called in to see the deceased. His throat was cut nearly from ear to ear. He had cut through the windpipe and oesophagus. Those injuries were the cause of death. _ _  The verdict of the jury was, that the deceased destroyed himself during a fit of temporary insanity.