Nantwich, Sandbach & Crewe Star — 1890-05-10 ()

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT CREWE.  Mr Yates, coroner, held an inquest was held at; the Steam Engine Hotel, Mill-street, Crewe, regarding the death of George White, shoemaker, 43 years of age, 14, Station-street. Elizabeth Davies, landlady, said the deceased had loclgad with her for the past four months, He was a shoemaker by trade, and. worked in the town. For the last fortnight he had been drinking heavily. She knew nothing about him except that he came home frequently under the inflitence of drink. At eleven on Friday night he came home and didn't appear to be drunk. He went to bed. Shortly after he commenced sailing tr. her. She asked what was matter, and he called back saying he wanted a word with her. She told him to go to sleep and not to bother the household, but he repeated the reqaest. He rambled a good deal about some medicine he had to take, and had got out of bed. She then asked him to get into bed, and let theta have a sleep. He kept calling out "Fetch these cocoa-nuts," and "I want these cocoa-nuts. Again she said, do get into bed. For some time after he was still. He next said if she didn't go and fetch the cocoanuts he wouldthrow the: bedcloths out of the window. He appeared to be out of bed five or six, times. About three o'clock on Saturday mornin she heard an awful voice. Her daughter-said to her "He's coming up the landing," and she said "No child."_ He got out of bed  and went downstairs. She heard him come up again, and not many minutes afterwards they heard a dreadful noise. it was terrible. At last she turned round and knocked on the wall to the occupant of the next bedroom. A man named Barber came, and went into White's roora. He found him covered with blood, and his throat cut. Barber didn't touch him as be said it was a case for the police. They sent for a doctor and a policeman. She was not aware that he was being medically treated by Dr. Bailey. On Wednesday he started to work and made is. Bd. that day. On Thursday he seemed quite steady, confining himself to ginger beer. He had never been out of his mind in her house, and she never heard him say anything about anybody or anything. On Friday night when he went to bed he seemed just the same as when he was sober. That night he had a half-pint of beer to supper, and afterwards went out for a shave. The witness who went into the bedroom and found White in a dying state had since gone off to work in North Staffordshire, but as his evidence was unimportant the jury did not think it necessary to recall him:  P.C. 46. Ali Shatwell said that about fire minutes past three on Saturday morning he was called to 14, Station-street, and in a back bedroom he saw deceased lying covered with blood. He saw that his throat was cut, and that he could do nothing for him, as it was so badly cut. He asked Mrs Davies to send for a doctor, and she sent for Dr Bailey. When the doctor arrived deceased was still alive, but he died two or three seconds afterwards. The doctor said he could not have done anything for him if he had been there at the time he cut his throat. Deceased had severed the windpipe.-VvVitness searched the room, and found one knife (a black-h:nded table knife produced) on the floor, and:mother of the same kind, bloodstained (also produced) lying by his side in the bed. He searched his pockets and found one shilling, two halfpence, and an orange. He had known deceased for the last two or three months, He had been drinking heavily for the last fortnight but was always very quiet with it.. He appeared to be rational. Dr Bailey had been attending him for delirium tremens. The doctor had attenied him for three days before his death. Deceased was a native of Nantwich, and worked with Ur Cocper as a journeyman shoemaker. He was considered one of the besb workmen in the town. The jury returned the verdict that deceased had committed suieida by cutting his throat with a knife while temporarily insane.