Widnes Examiner. — 1896-06-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SUICIDE AT EA.RLESTOWN.  A SINGULAR LETTER.  On Saturday evening Moses Tees, living at 17, Bradlegh Road, Newton, when walking along the canal towing path in company with Charles Allandale, found a man's jacket and cap lying on the canal bank near Bridge's Farm. He saw nobody about, and examining the pockets found a pocket-book. He conveyed the articles to the Earlestown police Station, and told the police where he had found them. P.C. Bullen accom• pulled Tees to the canal, and, with the assistance of the lock-keeper,tbey succeeded in recovering from the water the dead body of a man, which turned out to be that of Owen Lewis, of 163 Gas-street, Newton. It appears from enquiries made that Lewis,who was a Bottle-maker and a collector for tbe Bottle-maker's Society, was in some monetary difficulties, and as the monthly reckoning day drew nigh he became depressed,owing to his inability to make up the deficiency,and it is supposed that this has so preyed upon his mind that he was ied to commit the rash act.  The inquest was held at the Old Crow Inn, Newton, on Monday by Mr. S. Brighouse, coroner. Mr. W. Mills was foreman of the jury. Robert Lewis said he was a labourer, and resided with his father at 63, Gas-street, Newton. The deceased was his brother, and was 26 years of age. Ile was a bottle maker and a collector for the Bottle Maker's Society. He last saw his brother alive about 8.15 a.m. on Saturday. Deceased asked him for 103. and witness told him he had not got it. He also said to him " How is it you are wearing my jacket ?" Deceased said "1 will pull it off," but witness said "Never mind it to-day." The jacket produced was the one his brother was wearing on Saturciav, and the pocket book was his, as also was the handwriting. The deceased had been drinking rather freely of late, and had threatened to take his life two or three times, and had been very strange. He had nbt been well for the past month, and last week he was very weak.  John Broster,ls years of age, residing at 41, Laurencestreet, Earlestown, said he was well acquainted with the deceased, and he used to work with him at the bottle house. Aboyt 5 o'clock on Saturday he was lying on the grass by the side of the canal, near the nine arches when the deceased passed him walking along the canal bank, about half a mile from where he was afterwards found. He did not notice him after he had gone past a little way. He had a coat on,and his vest and shirt front were open. He was walking slowly and looked strange,as if he had been drinking. WitneQs was present when he was taken out of the canal, and he was then without a coat. This would be at 6.45.  Moses Tees said he was a grinder, and resided at 17, Bradlegh-road, Newton. About 5.30 on Saturday, he was walking along the canal bank with Charles Allandale, when he found the coat and cap produced on the canal bank. He saw no one about, and felt in the pockets and found the pocket book produced. He took them to the Eariestown police station, and went with the police to the spot, and was present when the deceased was taken out of the canal close to where the coat and cap were fcund. P.C. Builen said he received the jacket, cap, and pocket book produced from the last witness. He went with the witness to the canal, and with the assistance of the lock-keeper, recovered the body and had it conveyed h4me. He stripped, and examined it but there were no marks of violence upon it. He found inside deceased's shirt, next his body, £3 03. 11d., tied up in a handkerchief.  The Coroner then read the following letter, which w found in deceased's pocket book. "Dear father and brothers, very sorry, I am, as lam going to take the action of taking my life, but the temptation is so strong upon me that I cannot resist it. I would not face my fellow-workmen, being deficient, as little as it is. AU I can advise my brothers to do is to take a different kind of life to what I have been doing, and to keep away from drink, which has been my ruin. lam now going to meet my God, who I doubt, or He would not let men suffer on this earth as He does." A verdict of " Suicide whilst temporarily insane was returned."