The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1843-01-13 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE.—An inquisition was held before the borough coroner, on Tuesday last, touching the death of James Clarke. Edmund Sandars, who lodges at the India Vaults, Whitechapel, said he knew the deceased, who lodged in the same house. During the previous week deceased had complained a good deal ; he appeared to be in a consumption, and seemed to be suffering great pain. On Sunday evening witness took him up a little gin and water. He was then sitting with his head on his arm. Witness called him by name, but lie made no answer. It was dare, and witness heard something dropping. He (witness) went to the top of the stairs, and called Mr. Skinner, another lodger, to bring up a light, which lie did. On going into the room again they found that deceased had cut his throat. He was not dead, but blood was flowing freely from the wound in the throat. Dr. Jeffreys was called immediately, but the deceased died in about an hour and a half. Witness never saw anything in the manner of the deceased to lead him to think lie was out of his mind. John Skinner, who lodged in the house, said the deceased had complained of a difficulty in breathing for a month past. Witness did not consider deceased to be at all deranged then, but perfectly sane. Mr. Jeffrey, surgeon, said he was called to the deceased on Sunday afternoon, about two o'clock, and found him labouring under very great difficulty of breathing, and in a dying state. He prescribed for him. Deceased was very much excited, and anxiously wished me to order him laudanum. Witness was called to him again at six o'clock, and found him in the position described. His throat was cut from the left side through the windpipe. The enternal jugular vein was also divided. Witness sewed up the wound. Deceased died from the injuries inflicted. Wm. Jeffrey Edward, apprentice to the last witness, said that he saw the deceased on Sunday evening. His throat was cut. After the wound had been sewed up the deceased began to speak about his wife, and said she had taken his furniture from him, and he appeared rather excited. He also said that his wife had twice taken him before the magistrates, on a charge of attempting to take away her life by blowing out her brains, but that the magistrate had dismissed it. He acknowledged that he had cut his throat, and that he had not intended to live one minute, but that he could not cut through his beard. John Skinner being recalled, produced a letter addressed to the deceased, and which was brought by the postman that morning (Tuesday.) One part purported to be from the deceased's wife, and the other from one of the officer's of the order to which he belonged. (The contents were not received in evidence. The wife expressed regret if she had hurt his feelings, or been the cause of their separation, and spoke of him generally in affectionate terms, with a view, apparently, of reconciliation.) The other, (written on the same sheet, from the officer of the society, was in answer to an application for money from the funds, which could not be complied with until deceased paid up some arrears alleged to be due. The letter was dated from a cottage near Birmingham, which it is said was built by deceased, while he was a publican in that town, and in which the wife resided.) The coroner summed up the case, and remarked on the possibility of the deceased's mind being affected by the quarrel with his wife, and the physical pain produced by his illness. The jury, in a few minutes, returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased destroyed himself while labouring under temporary insanity.