The Telegram. — 1894-12-18 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF A SOLDIER.  Sir It. N. Howard (coroner) held an inquest at the barracks on Monday, on the body of Bendierdkiir Vicary, who had tsemniteed suicide by cutting his threat with a razor under circurnstaucee already reported. Win. Juhn Woo!gar, acting boinhardierr in the 14th Company, Bite, Southern Division, said deceased was a bombardier in the same company, and he had known him since October, 1891. He had left the eorupany and had joined again, and had een with them the last time since she end of May. On Sunday, about 6.30 p.m., witness went into No. 3 bacracksroom at the barracks and MOM Vicary standing with his back to the fire-place and his hands behind his back. He said to tele," You look had," and he replied, "1 don't feel very well." Vicary then moved towards his bed, and witness went to look for some washing on the other side of the room. About a minute afterwards witness turned round and saw Vicary with his face tcwarde the wall and his body in 's bent positiou. Vicary turned towards him and said, "Good-bye, Jack." To his horror witness saw that he was cutting his throat with a razor which he had in his right hand. Witness rushed at him, aeized his right hand, got the razor from him and pushed him on to-his bed. He sew he had managed to cut his throat severely. as it now appeared. Blood was gushing from the throat, and witness went to the opposite room and called thinners Wilson and Fallon, who came, and they and others carried Vicary into the hospital and reported thief:7We to Sergeant-Mejor Murphy. Witnese knew of no cause to induce him tucouernit the act. He was of a very morose and singular disposition. Ile Wat 4 very depressed the whole of &ludas'. Ile was very reticent and at times strange in his manner. He would sit for hours without saying Up word, but witness did not think he would commit suicide. He was a single man. Thomas Fallon, a gunner in the company, corroborated the previous witness MS to being called with Gunner Wilson and others into Vicary's room, and said that deceased was tearing the wound as though to widen ire Mr. James Daniel Crowe, brigade surgeon on tbe Army Medical Staff, in medical charge of the troops at Weymouth, said he was celled out of church to see deeeased and came at once. He found him in the hospital, with Dr. Drury attending him. There was a severe cut =rose he throat, severing the skin and superficial veins and opening into the air passages. He was conscious but wiry weak and exhausted. With the assistance of Dr. Drury he stitched up and dressed the wound and had Vicary placed in bed in the hospital. Ile gradually sank, end died at 20 minutes to eine the same evening from the effects of shock and exhaustion consequent upon hies of blood. He asked deceased how he felt, and he said "better." It was evident he had cut his throat with a sharp instrument like the razor produeed.—Joim RICO, 16 gunner who insisted in removing Vicary to the hospital and remained with bun till be died, said he asked him what was the matter with him to make him do it, awl he shook his head as if he did mot know. Witness asked hint again and he said his mind was uneasy—Colonel Frederick George Slade, CB., and major commanding the 14th Company said Vicary was 27 years of age and had 'served for the last seven months as fa uort-cornird,,imicd officer under him, end had also in 1891 served under him as a gunner. Daring the interval he served with the depot at Gosport. Ile employed Vestry AY S easels in his office owing to his high education and steadiness. He never on any occasion had to find fault with him, and he was never brought before him for any military offence. Vicary was born in Pimlico, but his father re-titled liastings. He was a very sober man, having no entities for drunkenness, but witness had always noticed that he was most retiring and depressed and avoided companionship. He never mixed with his comrades, and wituese could not filid that he had any confidant in the company. He scarcely ever went on pass, but spent his evenings reading—mostly military books. On Saturday. he put in a PagA for Sunday, to proceed to Restipole, and witness granted it. He did uot take advantage of it, but spent the day in barracks. On hearing that he had cut his throat, witness CUITIO to the barracks at mice and saw him in hospital. The doctors had just sewn up his throat. He remained with him some tinie. He could see he was conscious but is extremis. —The jury triund a verdict to the effect that deceased ecenniitte.d suicide while') of unsound Clia.ries Hughes was :foreman of the