The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1884-05-30 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF THE DEAN OF RANCOR. The Dean of Bangor, who has been on a visit to his brother, the Rev. W. Edwards, vicar of Ruabon, near Wrexham, committed seicide on Saturday. About six o'clock in the morning the dean was discovered hanging in his bedroom, and it is supposed that the act had been committed about two hours previously. Some time ago the dean had a very severe attack of rheumatic fever, to which it was feared he would succumb. Since his partial recovery the very rev, gentleman had been subj ‘ct to mental depression and nervousness. During the early part of the present year he took a month's cruise in the Mediterranean, on the advice of his medical attendants, but had not been able to resume his labour. Until his recent illness he was a very active nreacher, and OM very popular in all parts of the Principality, being considered one of the most eloquent speakers connected with the Welsh Church. Since the long and severe attack of typhoid and brain fever, the late Dean of Bangor had been subject to extreme depression of mind and to paroxysms of mental grief and religions mania, when he would seek seclusion, and stamp about the floor in helpless agony. It was his custom to spend an hour alone upon his knees every morning ia his private room, and of late he had frequently expressed how utterly unworthy of his calling he felt. He said that for some time he had never entered the pulpit without spending three hours with Jeremy Taylor and the Bible, both of which books were found in his bedroom after death. On Friday he spent over two hours with the local chemist, and strenuously endeavoured to obtain poison, stating he was in great trouble and would never get well. When refused one poison he asked for another, and Wag with difficulty prevented procuring any. During Friday he told his brother, the Rev. W. Edwards, vicar of Ruabon, that he had been tempted to commit suicide by hanging himself in his room, and that he could not live much longer. He was afterwards clesely watched. On bidding good-night to his niece, the last person he addressed, the dean turned his face aside as he gripped her hand, and would not meet her gaze. Ile rose early on Sat inlay morning, and b. tween eight and nine o'clock was seen by one of the servants to leave his own room for an adjoining one, and to return hastily. She afterwards heard him treading the room heavily, and she thought it was one of his old mental paroxysms, so she did not raise an alarm. Shortly afterwards the vicar entered the bedroom with the dean's letters, but, on opening the door, stood aghast. The dean wan standing in an upright position, with one knee on the bed, and his head thrown back. A portmanteau strap wan buckled round his neck, and was attached to the teeter rod at the back of the bed, the dean apparently having violently strangled himself. The body was immediately taken down, and Dr. Roberts, of Ruabon, arrived shortly afterwards, but said life had been extinct a quarter of an hour. An inquest on the body was opened at Ruabon Court-house on Monday morning, before Mr, B. H. Thelwall, the coroner. The Rev. R. W. E iwarcis, brother of deceased, said the dean complained ill January of his mind giving way, and said he must go into an asylum. He afterwards went to the Mediterranean, but derived no benefit from the voyage, and since his return he had suffered greatly from paroxysms of nervous depression, during which he lost all control over himself, and spent sleepless nights. Medical testimony to the same effect beiug given, a verdict of "Temporary insanity" was  returned.