Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1883-10-13 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

END OF LONDON.  Mr. S. F. Longhorn, the deputy coroner for Westminster, London, held an inquest at the Westminster Union, Poland-street, concerning the death of Frederick Helyar, late of 39, Downing-wreet, late colonel in the army. Mr. Robert Warman, a draper, identified the body of deceased, whom he said he had known all hie life. He last saw him alive about eighteen months ago, and he was then in very good health. The Rev. W. Hugh Helyar, rector of Sutton Baynham, deposed that deceased was his brother, and was about -13 years old. Be now hint last about ten days previonaly, and he then appeared in very good health. In reply to the coroner, the witness said he had noticed signs about the deceased which led him to lwlieve he was not quite right in his mind. He was in the Sth Hussars, and while in India, at the time of the mutiny, he was wounded in the head. He was a single man, ansi witness was not aware that he hail anything to trouble him. He did hear through Colonel John Helyar, another brother, that about three months ago the deceased sold some property, and there was some ditliculty in getting the money. James Franks, porter at Hawley', Hotel, 3R, Jermyn-Areet, said deceased had come to the howl a week previously, and remained there until his death. Four slays after, at about twenty minutes past nine a.m., he rang his bell, and ordered witnms to prepare his bath. He diti no, and left him Later in the day he rang again, and ordered a bottle of sherry and a bottle of self or water. Witness took them into his Bitting-room. and tilled a tumbler with the wine and selwer water, and the deceased took it and drank it. He looked very strangely at witness, and he (witness) left the room after a few minutes, and went out into the street. Ile returned a little after noon. and then discovered that deceased had shot himself. He was Icing near the bed, and his brains were scattered all a out the room. Lying near the decea-ed woe a doubiebarrelled gssn, and a walking-stick, the latter being covered with blood. Charles Dilk, a waiter at the hotel. said about a quarter to twelve in the morning while engaged in the basement, he heard on e -plosion, bat could not tell whence it p oceedeel. An las or after. warde he went upstairs, and on opening the loot separating the sitting-room of the deceased from his bedroom, he saw him lying on the floor. He wan its his nightshirt and dres.sing-gown. During the whole time the deceased we., in the haat he behaved very strangely. Witness sent for the police and a elector. A Jaror Nearly all the servants in the house heard the report, bat they did not know it was in the house, and that was bow it was an hour elapsed before anyone went into the mom. Dr. Francis henry lakind said a little before one o'clock he was called to the hotel, and in one of the rooms found deceased lying on his left side with the gun produced underneath him The barrel of the gun was just above his left hand. Witness at once saw that the barrel had been in close contact with deceased's been, and such was the force of the shots, that the head had completely burst, and every morsel of the brain was gone. Portions of the skuß, scalp, and brains were lying m every diresstion. Underneath a chair in the room he found a case of =Widnes. Death must haVe been instantaneous. The whole of the contents of bolls borrels went into the head and buret it. The coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict" That the deemed committed suicide while suffering from temporary insanity."