Liverpool Weekly Courier. — 1893-08-12 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE AT A LIVERPOOL HOTEL.  PAINFUL DISCLOSURES. Mr. Sampson, coroner,held an inquest on Thursday on the body of Jefferson Lowndes, who committed suicide, by shooting himself in the heed uith a revolver, in his bedroom at the Northwestern Hotel, Lime-street, on Tuesday. ElixabetbDorothyLowndes said she was the widow of a newspaper editor, Jonathan Wel. Lownder, and resided at 152, Holland-road, Kensington, London. Deceased, who was her 15011,WILS 35 years of age. Ha had been engaged recently as private secretary to • gentleman. He was blind in one eye, havmg been shot in it when a boy by a schoolfellow. The other eye wae very much affected, sod an oculiet had told the deceased that when he wee 40 he would be atone blind. Nor the -Past four or five weeks he had boar very much depressed and reticent. On the 4th inst. he told Witness he will going away from London, but would nos say whore he intended to proceed, though he promised to let her know later on. He bad frequently gone away for • few days at • time, no witness did not think very much about it. On Tuesday last she received a letter from him which had been posted from Liverpool, and in which a few bills were enclosed that he requested her to pay. Deceased stated in Ole letter that he wan going to Australia, that he would write on htediag, and that he hoped to send his mother more money. Witness acid that her son was an M.A. of Oxford (Hertford College) and a fully ordained clergyman, though he had not officiated for some yearn. About six years ago he went nut to the West I Indio'', where his wife died 12 months after their I marriage. This oireuantance had preyed very much upon his mind. He was a celebrated , scalier, and had won the Henley diamonds five years in sucosesion. The following letter to witPees, which was found among the deceased's effects at the hotel, was recognised by her as being in his bandwriting:—"My dearest Mother,—l have suddenly gone blind. I cannot be a burden to you and family. I had intended to emigrate, but a I blind man can do no good in the colonies. God bless you, and forgive me—Your loving eon,  Mr. A. E. Percy, manager of the Northwestern Hotel, &aid he heard from a porter on Tuesday afternoon that Mr. Lowndes had committed suicide. He found him lying in bed, as though asleep. There was a quantity of blood on the bed-clothing and on the floor, and two pistol =ands in the temple f..f deceased,. Iu his right 'band he grasped a pietol stock, the barrel being held in the left hand. George Mowbray, a porter at the hotel, said he I.llad occasion to take a telegram to the deceased about four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. He *oohed three time. at his bedroom door, but • failing to obtain an answer, he found it net:wary to open it with a key. He found deceased dead on Use bed, his head in a pool of blood. A box containing 48 cartridges was found in the bed, and a pistol in the hands of cleoelused. Two cartridges ware miming from the box, and the weapon possetzed two chambers. Deteotive.i ospector Atkins and Detective Jonas , gave evidence to finding the pistol and cartridges, also two letters, one of which, to the manager of the hotel, read, " Dear eir.—liatiring to bed at I about twelve I found I was blind. I struck Immo ' matches, but could not see the light, alttoongh they burned my fingers. I had intended to elmgrate, selling with a friend of mine; but what use is a blind man in the Coloniee? If my sight is not all right in the morning I shall !shoot myself. Communicate to my friends at 152, Holland•roed, London. My name in J. Lowndes I have enough money•to pay my bill. If there ii any•balance over lend it to -Mre. Lowndre." The letter was very indistinct, and the lines ran across each other in several places, the deceased evidently having been almost, it not ocimpletety, blind when writing. The jury found a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane." • Mr. Cocoa (nolioitor, Derby) watched the ease en behalf of the rolativea of the deceased.  kn-poked