The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1869-06-08 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE: STINTING THE CORPSE FOR ROOM  IN THE COFFIN.  An inquest was held at the European inn, on Tumidly, before If. Lock, Req., deputy-coroner, and a jury of whom ILr. C. Martin was foreman, on the body of Robert Penney, shoemaker, formerly of Dor• chafer, who was found dead in 114 attic tbere.—Charles Allen, shoemaker, lodging at the European, said deceased lodged in the some house, and witness had known him long, and had worked with him in the same employment for about three years. He had worked for Mr. Smyth. Penney was sometimes steady end saving, and at other times would break out drinking, and spend • lot of money he had saved. This happened very often, but witness knew him give a hint of self-destructioo, though he was sometimes law sprite after he had been drinking. Witness saw him last on eunday night, when be was sitting in the settle Be bad been drinking some days before, and had not been to work the last month. Did not see him nein till Tuesday afternoon, about three o'clock, when Mrs. Tonikins asked him if Robert Pouncy was gone to woik ? Witness did not know, and on her request he went up to his room. On asking for Putney be got no answer, and looking in saw him covered with bloodoind ran downstairs and got unstanee, and want in 'gala, when he found turn quite dead. He was lying on has right aide and nearly off the pillow, and • tenor on the fluor. His throat was auk—George Russell, of Franchise-street, had known deceased about four years, and hut saw him about five minutes to tea on Monday night. Witness was rituals% at his deer, and dessessed passed and said" Goodnight, Mr. Ressall,* mad *Baer replied "Good eight, Robert." He saw him at the Military Arms between 4 and 5 end left between 7 and 8. Deceased was there all the time, and appured to be perfectly robes. Deceased bad been drinking cleat lid. per pint. He appeared from his manner to be rather seeentric, land depressed in spirits, when he had been sober for month.. Sometimes he would answer when spoken to, and at other times would forget himself. He WAS in tLe habit of getting intoxicated; but witness bad not seen him so the last fortnight. —Dr. Tisard wu aided to tee deceased about three o'cilock on Tuesday afternoon, and found him quits dead, with his throat cut, a wound extending Irons the left side oompeistely across to the right. The soft parts and vessels on the left side were divided and also the windpipe. The wound was four to five inches long, and the depth about an inch, quite sufficient to divide the vessels and cause death in a few minutes. Stiffening had set in, which does not occur immediately, but within six or seven hours of death. Witness should think he had been dead five boar& Probably his depiession of spirits was caused by the re-action, in remaining sober after bating drunk to exoess.—The jury returned • verdict of "Temporary Insanity." Some of the jury eomplained that the coffin was neither loog enough nor deep enough. If the head was not tuned on one aide, the lid could not be pot on without flattening the nose, and WWI one said that I f the throat had not been so deeply cat, the bead could not be put so that the nose should be below the lid. It was said that the coffins are supplied by contract, ready made • but Supt. Vickery very properly remarked that the miler was bound to furnish a coffin, not, as it were, to cram the body into a snuff-box. The jury thought the maker should be compelled to measure the carper, or at lust send • coffin the proper sirs. The coroner asked the Superintendent to me the maker. and ' If be would not lead • larger coffin, he (W. Leek) would write to the Board of Guardians about it. The maker afterwards offered to supply another coffin, bet the were had been fastened down, and en objection was 11"4: . l'fidiedy to having it altered, and the body vas illiffied the lams &Hermes.