The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-04-29 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ISTRESSING SUICIDE NEAR PERRY BARB.  A young man named Alfred Wilson (ek), who for the last four years has been engaged at The Stour licensed house, near to Aston Cron, dieappeared from the neighbourhood in a very :nye terioue fashion on Saturday last. Wilson was engaged as sub-manager at The Stour, and for some oonsiderable time past has been in ill-health. On Saturday morning he complained of feeling sick, but otherwise seemed to be in good spirits, The manager of the house advised him to at once consult a doctor, and Wilson said he thought he had better do so. At nine o'clock he relinquished hie duties, and after putting on his bat and great coat, and taking up hie walking-stick, left, stating that it was his immediate intention to see a medical man. As be did not return during the day, inquiriez were made, but nothing could be ascertained as to his whereabouts, and hie relatives at St. Helens, who aro respectably connected, wore commenieated with.As no tidings were forthcoming, the information was given to the police, and on Sunday night they ascertained that a walking-stick had been found in the Birmingham Canal, near to Perry Barr, by a boatman. This stick has since been identified as the one Wilson took away ,with him on Saturday morning, and very little doubt is now entertained as to his having committed suicide, although no reasons are at present forthcoming why he should have done re. The police commenced to drag the canal on Wednesday morning, but the body was not disoovered until Thursday morning, when the father of the deceased, Mr. John Witten, licensed victualler, of Paaley, St. Holens,went in company with a friend to the scene of the supposed suicide. About 11 o'clock ma Toureday morning Mr. Wilson saw the canal look-keopee, and promised to reweuel him if he would 430 his best endeaeours to find the body of his son, and was making his way home when the attendant of a passing barge intimated to him that he had seen a human hand brought up to the eurface of the water. A rake was at once procured, and at the spot indicated by the boatman the body was found. Upon the body were found all the money and jewellery that he had with him when he went away, and there len:aims no deabt as to the ease being one of suicide. For some considerable time past the deceased had been greatly depressed in spirits in consequence of long illness. The body was reto the Boar's Head :an, Ferry Barr. An inqueet was held on Saturday, by Mr. E. Hooper, coroner fer South Staffordshire, at the Boar's Head, retry Barr, respecting the death of Alfred Wilson (L. 5 barman at the Star Inn, Aston, whose body was found on Thursdey in the canal at Perry Barr. Mr. Bailer (Messrs. Buller, Bickley, and Cross) watched the erese on behalf of the relatives of tho deeetieed.—From the evidence of George Allen, manager of the Star Inn, it appeared that the deceased left his employment on Saturday morning tho Plinst., and did not return to it. After he had been missing some days, inquiries were made conoerning him, and on the following Monday his stick was found in the canal, in the One Milo pound, and the body was found floating in the canal on Thursday, having been brought to the surface by a peerieg boat. A watch and other articles beloegiug to the deocaeed weio found in his pockets, and there were no marks of violence on the body. Evidence was ale° given to show that the deceased suffered from ill-health, and cm the rimming of his disappearance he told& witness that he was going to fiNf a doctor. It, MO further deposed that the deceased somotimee was subject to giddiness, and probably lost hie balance and fell into the onnal.---After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned," the foreman Aiding that there was no evidence of euiei de, a reaeare with which the coroner coincided.  nl6: 'WO for the Spring. -3, rage Tkel Month W4nalwale. Ifirottegheot,