The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1873-11-29 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THREE CORONER'S INQUESTS.  Tu Lord te. on Tue.lay afternoon, Tle. Lankester, ervr f• r I 'ef.tral Lel I e1,..0 irgri et . rhe.fire: tette no the le aly o; Jaraes h fel I Newton, aged 29 yearg, of the firm of .7. Newton ano Sour, cork mannfecnirera, 69 to 73 St..lohn'ee.treet. It appeared that arale few ) ears ago the (Incensed had been ero++Ctl in a love affair, and he had latterly complained of ileeplera nights. On Thursday evening he supped with a friend In Pad Lion street, leaving, an wan thought, to proceed to his private residence at Westbourne. park. On Friday morning, when his foremsn got to brain..., he found on his drak two letters ad• dressed in the handwriting of the deceased, one to a brother, another to an intonate friend named Porker. The foreman forwarded the letter., and on the brother opening has he found it. contained the following :  _ . " Deer F4,—N, doubt you fiLink I have been Ample tome time. I cannot helplt; It Is owing t 0 ludrgdttlon. My life hu r.... burtieD ; I Illhud to put e top It. Yea will find me In the top garret of my premtses."  On reading this the brother immediately went to St. John-street, and on enteting the attic described found the deceased lying dead, with • pistol cloee to his right hand. Dr. Burringer, who was called in, on examining the chest four.! that the deceased had shot himself through the heart and that the bullet bad passed through the right auricle. Toe poet. mortent examination showed that the deceased's brein was very much congested, and it was stated that be had been engaged with his friend Mr. Parker in intric ite chymical experiments. His letter to Mr. Parker :said—" I just leave you this, knowing how sensitive you are, to let you know you are not the cause of what has happened. Remember me to the school (meaning his personal friends). Mr. Parker Aimed that these experiments were in connexion with crmbustion, and the heat to which he hat! been exposed might have caused congestion of the brain. A verdict was prououniad of "Suicide while in an un: sound state of mind."  The second inquest was held at the Model Prison on John Henry Niola .Lion, aged 43, a carpenter, formerly of Bristol, who IVES undergoing a term of seven year.' penal servitude. Deceased WYE a violent, self- willed man, and during the whole of the term orhie incarceration had simulated insanity, and gave himself up to violent fits. In consequence Of Una he was placed in a special cell in the Infirmary, with iron bars on the door, so that the warder could see everything in the cell as he passed and keep • watch upon him. Ori the night of the 2dth he went to bed, and re. mained so very quiet that ultimately the warder's suspicion was aroused, and on examination he found the deceased with a ligature round his neck, the other end tied to a corner of the counterpane, which he had paned over and under his feet, bringing up and fasten. ing the upper end of the counterpane above the right elbxw. By stretching himself out he was at length enabled to tighten the ligature round the neck, producing strangulation. Wnen discovered he was quite dead. Verdict, "Suicide while of unsound mini" The third inquest was held on Mr. Whitehead, a physician, Egad 52, of Seven Siters.road. The evidence showed that the devised had complained of nervousness and languidness, and when suffering from depression had threatened to deirroy himself. On Thursday evening he went to bed about nine o'clock. Shortly after ten Mrs. Whitehead heard • moaning, and upon proceeding to kyr bushanife bedroom she found him insensible and Jae letter produced, addressed to her : ..Lisar Wile,—l have borne up against my a Ithction is long all conic!, and now, assAirist my isviour said, IS ieginished,' when he gave up the Ghost I hope I be forgtv.n in the next wino. I wish my will, that is with Mr. Sworder, 2. Poole's-park, to be si:rlctly carried out, with the exception of Mr. R. Cluteerback, missionary. of 40, isshburton-grove, befog in toe place of Mr. thackerbroom U trustee. You do cot know what l have suffered, although you &lefty, put it down to nervousness. I wish no exposure with my funeral. —From your affectionate husband, J. WHITEHEAD /truant of almonds his been my best friend. My great falling has been that I nave been lee too conscientious with every sue."  Further evidence showed that the il.ceased entered severely from asthma, bronchitis, &c., which induced him to absent himself from business for weeks together. Dr. Gibson, who was called in, produced a bottle which he found by deceased, labelled "Essence of almonds," cmtaining prusac acid, which was the cause f death, being an essential part ef bitter almonds. Verdict, " Suicide while in an unsound state of mind."