Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1894-07-13 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

SUICIDE AT THE WORKHOUSE.  AN INMATE CUTS HIS THROAT.  A somewhat atartling occurrence took pl.e at the Lancaster Union Workhonselast Thin,day afternoon. William Wilkinson, an inmate, who formerly was employed as a cart. of coal, borrowed a knife from another inmate, and then retiring to one of the closets, rut his throat. He was discovered alni.t at once, and the doctor sent for. The injured man was ! Put to bed, and everything was done for him that was possible, but he only lingered over night, and died ! about eleven o'clock on Friday morning. THE INQUEST on the body of the deceased was held at the Union offiasa, in Dalton-square, on the aftern.o of Friday, Mr. Holden, Coroner, pr.iding. The following depomitioos were taken:— Mary Smith, wife of John Smith, cotton spinner, 5, Prin.se-street, Lancaster, said :—The deceased was my brother, and was 51 last birthday. life was a coal carter. [loot saw hi:a alive yesterday in the Workhouse. He said he did not feel any better. He huaa been very poorly, and complained of the pain in his : inside. I thought he seemed better. Ile never gave me raweu to think he would do himself any harm. Its told me that when the plain came on he hardly knew what he WWI doiug. William Wilionberg, an inmate of the Lancaster Workhouse, .id I have known deceased for five or six years. 1 have been friendly with hint and be never are me reason to think he would harm himself. [inns hallipast four when it happened. He had had tea and was in the closet. I heard a noise coming from the closet and I went there and now the deceased with the blood streaming from his throat. I called for assistance and ran and pulled the nurse's bell. She came at once. and [saw nothing about with which he amid cut his throat. We carried docemed into the boo. and I was with him when Dr. Harting came. It am not nmeh more than a quarter-of-an-hour after when the doctor came. . . .  Fronk Benson, an inmate of the Workhouse kispaal said I have known Wilkinson eighteen months and have not known that be had anything to bother him. About twenty minutes past four yesterday afternoon I was called by Wiltonberg, and found the deceased in the closet with his throat cut and bleeding profusely from the wound, and found the knife lying on the floor in front of the deceased. There was blood on the knife. It was my knife and ha had borrowed it from me about a quarter of an. hoer previously. He said he wiehed to cut his toe nails. He had often borrowed the knife before. He was taken to the hospital and pot in his own bed. Dr. Bailing was went for and I win there when he tame. Hannah Tyson Steele, aseistant-nurse at the Work. house, said I have known the deceased for • year and he had been more or less in the hospital during that time. So far as I know he wan in • sound state of mind. I was called to the deceased and found him is the closet. Iran for,the Mester. He was removed to the hospital and I was with him till 7,30 this morning when I left him with the other nurse. I have never heard him say he would do anything to himself. Mr.. Smith re-called, said I have .seen the body since deatk.....l.sawlt this afternoon. . .  5e.... Thorne William Steele, Master of the Workhouse, eid : I was called to nee the deceased at 4-35 yesterday afternoon. He was in the closet, and bleeding from the wound in big throat, and had: him removed sad went for the doctor. Dr. Staling went back with me. I one not with him when ha died, lie told me yesterday at eoon that he was "very bad," buff could not say that he appeared to be in other than his ordinary state of mind.--:By n Juryman: He made no statement viler, but wait congruous. . . .  •., Dr. linritug said: I hove known the deceased since March, 1893. Ito wee suffering from consumption, and has been in the holpital the whole of that time. Ile never wive one any cauee to think that he would ever harm himself. I detected no suicidal tendency in him, hut it may be developed in r weak mind at say moment. I was sent for yesterday afternoon, and found the deceased in bed with a wound in his throat. It woe 3 inches long and 111 inches in the deepest part. It wan such as might have been self. inflicted, and the knife produced would make such • wooed. In his wasted conditiou. I thought the wound might ho fatal.—By o juryman I did not mak him any questions, and cannot say what the state of his mind was. Mrs. Smith 1)0in re-called, said : I was in the room with my brother when he died, and the head nurse was there as well. Fla died at five minutes past eleven. The Coroner briefly summed up the evidence and pointed out thst persona in the weak state of health en which they were told the deceased man was, were held° to tempornry nttacks of weak mindednesn. The jury returned • verdict of suicide whilst of anmund mind.  At the commencement the jury were kept waiting for sometime owing to the noreappoaranee of one of jurvinen..Mr.J. Pilkington. The Coroner's °Meer 11'.D. 3aelemA obtained the services of Mr. J. V. I) moon in his stead. On the matter being reported 1.. the Coroner he said he would fine Mr. Pilkington 10s. At a later stage P.D. Jaeloon was sent in search of the missing jarynmo, and 011 hi.; return inform A the Coroner Mut he Noa.4 in bed. Mr. Holden did not say whether or Oct he ',maid remit the fine.