Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1888-01-07 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE AT RASTRICIC.  INQUEST AT THE THORNHILL ARMS.  On Wednesday afternoon, at the Thornhill Anne, Mr. J. 14:. Hill (deputy coroner), held an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of rien Barber, aged fifty-seven, of Itastrick (working surveyor ior Fixby). The following gentlemen comprise" the jury :—Messrs. IL lottetson (foreman), G. S. Whiteley, 1. Marsden, Witainson Broughton, James Bond, James Kitchen, W. ti. Thornton, Oeo. Waller, James timith, Wright Jessop, Hartley turner, James Bickeritike, and i7,am Helm. Inspector unton was also. present.  The jury hi,viUg been sworu proceeded to view the body which lay at the house of deceased at the Bottom of Town. The first witness called was  MARY JANE DOUGItIiIiTY, of Thornhill Briggs, widow, who deposed that, she lived with the deceased who was working surveyor for filaby township, and was 57 years old, On Sionday night he was well in health, retired to bed at nine o'clock, and went to sleep. She was awakened about twelve by his getting up. He went into the back room, walked about, and got a drink of water ; she said come ,to bud" but he would not. At last he did and kept getting up every few minutes between twelve and live o'clock. he never complained of anything. At five o'clock he put the poker and the coal rake to the front door, wined was locked. When she asked him what be was doing with them, he said he was only fastening the door, being afraid somebody would coma in, and told her to go to sleep. lie had never done so before. He had been drinking all the week before Christmas but she hail not been with him, and ha was fresh when she went in on Christmas night. He told her he had been drinking, and had eaten nothing all the week. she did not know 1-e had been drinking till he told her. At five o'clock, after putting the coal rake to the uoor, he went into the back room and she heard a "splutter." She went and saw him standing over the npeggy " tub With blood running from his throat into the tub. She shouted out and got out of the window for assistance, afterwards going to her cousin's, Allen btoney's, and stayed there till a policeman came. They had always been on good terms, Before he cut his throat on Tuesday morning he told her that he thought he had lost his work and was sorry he had been drinking. He had no family and had never been married. He had been away from his work a fortnight. He had never spoken of committing suicide, and the last words he spoke were about his work. _ _ _  P.U. W. H. SOUTHERN, of Rastrick, deposed that on Tuesday morning about 5-5 t.) he received information that deceased had cut his throat. He went to the house, arriving there about live minutes past six, and found the door fast. There were several people about outside. He sent a young luau through the window who opened the door. lie (the constable) went into the back room and found deceased lying on his face with his hands by his side in is pool of blood, He ha,l on a white shirt and a pair of stockings and appearel to be quite deal. A few inches from his left hand he found a razor (which he produced) partly open and smeared with blood. Close to was a large tuu and inside the tub was is small pail which was nearly full of blood. Under tne pillow of the bed he had slept in he found a razor case (produced). - -  MARY ANN tiouNTON, wife of G. Thornton, grocer, Itastrick, said she laid out the body, and there were no other marks of violence except the deep out round the throat. She should think he had out it with his right hand. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide by cutting his throat whilst in a state ot temporary insanity,"