Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-04-09 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

ANOT ITER SUICIDE IN SIIIBDEN HALL  LAKE. INQUEST AT THE COINTRY HOUSE HOTEL, HIPPERHOLME.  On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Wm. Barstow, J.P., (district coroner), tiel 1 ant ievest a' the Coentry House Hotel, Hipperholrne, het) the tircu nstenees attending the d.ath of William Bentley, meohauic, of 117, Glibbet•street, Halifax, who commUted euiodle by drowning himself in Shibien Lake on the previous Sunday morning. D;ceasel has been of drunken habits, has not workei for a long titne, and was living apart from his wife, whom he La I brutally assaulted on many ocaasiors. His wife lived with her daughter, Mrs. Wormald. at Beech Hill Terraoe, Halifax, and on Saturday evening, Bentley went to the house and asked to see his wife. Mr. Worniald refused, whereupon Bentley drew from his pocket a knife and stabbed his son•in law on the arms, neck, face end ho ly. Mrs. Wormald interfered and was elm elielttly bruised. Toe deceased then took to his heels an 1 wtse seen going in the direction of Birke Hall Wool. The landlord of Beacon Tavern SAW a nun imp' from the place board into the lake at Shiblen Park on Sunday morning, and afterwards a coat was found at the water site, wite the words written on a piece of paper, ' William Bentley, No. 117, Gibbet street, Halifax.' Dragging operations were co:nmenced by P.U. Lee (Halifax Borough) and P.C. Jackson (who is stationed at Ilioperholine), and the boiv was brought to the surface about six o'clock in the evening, and was removed to the above hostelry. The first witness examined was Sidney Bentley, deeeased's eon, a'mechanic and fried fish vendor, living at 117, Gibbet-street, with whom the deceased had lately resided, said that the last time he saw his father wee on Saturday night about nine o'clock. Deceased had been out during the dey end hal come homedrunk about five o'clock. Re went to bed and got uo about a quarter to nine, going out shorly after without saying anything. Witness gave an account of the family troubles, and said that during the last six weeks when deceased had gone out in the day time he bad invariably come noma the worse for drink, He had not worked; in fact, witness thought he hal only tried to get work once during the last six moetne. He tiaj born queer in his mind for n long time, and wnenever tie was in the house he talked very little but seemed to be in a kind of a deep study. Witness had never heard him use any threats, but he had near.' it said that deceased had threatened to murder his wife and afterwards take his own life. Only a month ago decteased took a carving knife andabsented himself from the house for two nights; witnees found the knife hidden under the steps. Deoeaeed seemed to have an idea that be would Ali some misoiiiel sooner or later. Re bad not lived on agreeable terms with hie 'wife, and had even assaulted her when sober.  Sarah Ann \Yumall, deceased's daughter, and wife of the man upon whom the murderous attack was male, spoke to her fatbtr's conduct on the Saturday night. She thought her father had attacked her husband because he would not let him 866 Lis wife.  Poineas Cookroft deposed to sieing a man jump into the like at et-Al:Oen on Sunday morning. Witness was a good distance off, and could not see whether the man was dressed or not, tie thought he was swimming or be would have gone to his assistance.  Police Constable Le, who prodund the paper found tinned to deceasea's calt and the knife which was found in the coat pocket along with tso pairs of spectacles anti a sixpence, deposed to receiving information of the diecovery of the coat, to dragging the lake along with Police Constable Jackeon, and to finding the body. The address on the paper was written in ink, a fact which drew from one of the jurors the remark that evidently deceased had ' meant business.' Tee foreman thought that had he meant business in the attack he would have provided I linself with a better weapon than the pocket knife. Tue jury anent some little time in discussing what verdict they should return, The foreman was of opinion that deceased's oonduct all through had been that of a violent lunatic. Another juror thought there was not nation lunacy when a man ocruld sit down anti calm:3? write a note similar to that found on deceased's coat 1 he was cf opinion that they should return a vadict of fe.lo tie se. The coroner &raid that while it was not his place to advise the jury as to their verdict, yet he thought on rbe evi.ienoe before them they could not return a verdict of that nature. Eventually the jury found ' that 'deceased bad committed suicide by drowning himself, but there w 45 not euiliJient evidence to show toe state of his mind at the time of the deed,'  OADBURY'IS 0000a,--"A Ooooa posaes.lng value able dela-forming qualities', ItUti 101,041111 MOO OtOYlni POINV•R'LIieIfA.  HALIFAX WEST itiOING