Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1874-09-24 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE AT STOCKTON. ()n Sunday morning last, a man named Samuel Chilvers, living at No. 23, Paxtonstreet, Stockton, committed suicide by banging himself. Deceased is 43 years old, and has a wife and family. He had been off work during the past two months, the latter part of the time through illness. This, it is supposed, preyed upon his mind. On Sunday morning, Mrs Chilvers left deceased in bed with a child, and took him a cup of tea about ten o'clock. She went up again before noon, and then found her husband hanging by the neck from a post of the camp bedstead. A piece of string had been used by the suicide. The child lay asleep in bed. Mr William Young, surgeon, was called in, but life was extinct. On Monday evening, an inquest was held before Mr Coroner Settle at the Police Court, Stockton, on the body, The evidence adduced was as follows: Mary Chilvers said: I live in Paxton•street. De. ceased is my husband. He is 43 years old, and was a general labourer. He has not been in regular employment lately. He worked for the Stockton Corporation two or three years ago. He has been very steady and has not taken any drink during the past three or four months. Previous to that he took a little at times. I have not observed any difference in his state of mind lately. He on Saturday last spoke as to his being out of work and said he did not know what we should do, as we had nothing. He said he would to-day (Monday) go to Norton and see if he could get employed by Mr Barton to attend a thrashing machine. We have three children at home,the youngest 15 months old. We have other two children, but not at home. We have so far done without parochial relief. On Sunday about twenty minutes to twelve o'clock, deceased went upstairs alone. He generally used to lay down on Sunday afternoons, and I expected he had gone to bed as usual. He had only a cup of tea to his breakfast between nine and ten o'clock. He had not had dinner. After he had gone upstairs I gave my youngest child the breast. I took it upstairs asleep about noon. My husband was laid upon the bed awake. I placed the child beside him. He said that he was not going to get up to have seine dinner, but that I could make him a cup of tea. I took the tea to him about one o'clock. He was still laid on the bed awake, and I placed the tea on a box beside the bed, within his reach. He said he would take it when it was a bit cooler. I sat down on another bed foot. Deceased said "What are you sitting there for f" as the lodgers would want their dinners. I told him they were getting their dinners. He still wished me to go downstairs. I had no idea that he contemplated anything wrong, as he had been cheerful during the morning. I went downstairs, and about half-oast two I thought I heard the young child cry. I weat upstairs and opened the door, and found my husband hanging to the bed post at the foot of the bed that he had lain upon. He seemed to be quite dead. The young child was fast asleep in the bed. I never heard decease I close the door. The pine of cord now produced is that with which deceased hung himself. It was used for tying a bedstead. Deceased had been very anxious last week to get employment. WhEn first off work he was ill for fmr or five weeks. He had drank the tea which I left upstairs. He had suffered from slow fever, which weakened him very much. I thought he was getting better nicely. He has not had the nourishment and support which his weakly state rendered necessary. Deceased has been better in his temper and kinder to me during the last four weeks. He has not been able to sleep well for several nights. I thought this was owing to his not having employment. He would foot have dinner on Sunday. He said the children required it. Charles Emmerson, a lodger, who was sitting in the kitchen, said: Shortly afterjMrs Chilvers went upstairs she commenced screaming. Ilwent upstairs and saw the deceased suspended by a rope to the bed post. I immediately cut him down. He seemed quite dead. A running noose was fastened to his left arm, after passing over the top of the bed pole. He was hanging away from the pole as tight as could be. His knees were bent, and his feet were upon the ground. Froth was coming Ire oi both his nose and Inegth. A doctor was sent f)r and prell9fineed him dead. Deceased has told me he could uot get work. I think he has been fairly fast in circumstances. Sergeant Heslop produced the rope spoken to by the other witnesses. Thomas Miles, another lodger, gave corroborative evidence. The Coroner briefly reviewed the evidence, pointing out to the jury the salient features of the case, and stated that there were three points for consideration: Whether deceased committed the act himself, and what was his state of mind. Mr Mark said he considered it a case of clear " Felo-de-se," The jury were then left to consult together, and the result of the consultation was a verdict, with one dissentient, that the deceased strangled himself whilst labouring under temporary insanity.  COURTSHIP IN A FEVER WARD AT SUN