The Telegram. — 1895-04-16 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF AN OLD MAN.—An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Friday on the body of James Boyland, aged 63, whose laxly, as already reported, was found in a pond on Wednesday morning.— Henry Boyland, painter, a grandson of deceased, said he last saw deceased on Monday night. Witness lodged in the house, and without speaking to his grandfather went to bed. Deceased slept in the same room as witness, and also his son, George Boyland. For the past month deceased had coinplainer' ot pains in his stomach and head, and used to cough a great; deal at night. Witness did not know that he had been short of money, and had never heard him threaten to take his life. At times lately he had noticed his grandfather look strange and pale. Ile did not come to bed as all on Monday night, and witness saw nothing of him until his body Was found on Wednesda.,. George Boyland, deceased's son, said his father rented a couple of fields fur his two cows, and was in arrears with his rent. He was a very steal:ninon. Witness missed his father about 5.30 on uesday morning, but thought perhaps something was the matter with the cows or that he had been keptat the Bail Inn, where he worke He made no inquiries until the evening, when Sergeant Moore was at the house, and he went to look for his father. His body was found in Field Bars Pond.—Sergeant Moore said on Tuesday, in company with P.C.'m Redwood and Hardwidge, he made.a search, and on the following morning they found the body in . Field Bars Pond. His bat was on the bank, and deceased WAS lying in four feet of water about six feet from the side of the pond. There were no marks of violence on the body. Wittman bad noticed deceased seemed very feeble lately.—A verdict was returned that deceased committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind.  BOARD Or GUARDIANS, Monday.—lt was unanimously resolved "That this board views with alarm the proposal of the Somerset County Council to take over the management of the main roads of the county, thereby necessitating a large increase in establishment charges to he borne by the already overburdened ratepayers of the eounty."—lt was decided to procure plans for prcviding a new female tramp ward at the Wookhouse.—Mr. Doing moved that the office of assistant relieving' officer at Crewkerne be discontinued. He moved this because the tramps passing through Crewkerne were rather on the increase, and the assistant relieving-officer would no doubt apply for an increase on his present salary of El a year. The cost incurred to the board in housing and feeding casuals is now about £l7 a year.—Mr. Budge seconded, and suggested that the board should close the common lodging-Louse at Crewkerne. There were now some 800 tiamps a year relieved at Crewkerne, at a cost of 31 each-4d for the bed and Id for bread. He thought the tramps ought to be sent on to Chard for relief. The great in • crease in the number of vagrants at Crewkerne had been brought about by the extra restrictions imposed by the Chard Board of Guardians.—The question of whether it was in the power of the hoard to abolish the conitnon lodging-house at Crewkerne was discussed, but no definite information was forthcoming on the subject.—Mr. ie. H. Mitchell said there was every inducement for tramps to go to Crewkerne in preference to a workhouse, as they not only were allowed to go to a lodging-house, where they could freely assm.iate with their confreres on the road, but, in addition, they had a penny given them for bread.— Mr. J. H. Mitchell suggested that all able-bodied vagrants applying for relief at Crewkerne should be sent on to Chard Workhouse.—Mr. Haelock agreed with this suggestion, and in addition that women and children and others unable to proceed to Chard should be lodged at Crewkerne as heretofore. The suggestion of Mr. Haslock and Mr. Mitchell was accepted by the mover and seconder of the resolution in substitution for it, and in that form it was carried, instructions in accordance with it to be sent to the policeoiergeant at Crewkerne.