The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1879-04-08 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

SUICIDE OF M. I. FLETCHER, M.P.—On Thursday evening Mr. Isaac Fletcher, Liberal member of Parliament for Cockermouth, shot himself with a revolver in Morley's Hotel, London. His most intimate friends say that there was nothing to account for his committing the act. He had been connected largely with the coal and iron trade, but he sold out in the time of high prices. He was on good terms with his family, and he was of a most cheerful disposition. He voted on Wedtesday for Mr. Mundelm's Bill for the abolition of the qualification of town councillors. The announcement of his suicide caused great consternation in the lobby of the House of Commons. The Caraiaa Pores says :--'The news will cause deep distress in a': county, where Mr. Fletcher's amiable character, great attainments, and strong and vigorous intelligence have long been knows and appreciated. Ho was not only a learned antiquarian and a man of science who followed its investigations with genuine relish and grasp—in which department his contributions to meteorology deserve coaspicuous mention—but the general strength of his mind marked him out as one of the last men whose powers were liable to be obscured by this ter.able blight. But his is not the only case in which able and good men have fallen victims to the momentary impulse of subtle and unsuspected mentsl disease. We need not say that his family will be supported in their affliction by the nasst tendta sympathy of all Cumberland people. Mr. Fletcher was born in 1827, and was consequently only 5.'! Tars of age. He was the son of the late Mr. W. Fletcher, of Tarnbank, near Cockermouth, by Mary, daughter of the late Mr. Allison, of Beech Hill. In 1361 he married Esther, only sursiving daughter cf Mr. Joseph King, of Wessell Grove. near Stoarbridge. Ha was a Fellow of the Pop°. Society, the 'loyal Astronomical Society; ant th.. Geological Society. He has represented Ceariva mouth since the General Election of IS6S. H. was Chairman of the Cockermoutia Keswick, and Penrith Railway, Vice-Chairman of the George Moore Trust, and President of the Cumberland Literary and Scientific Associa'aae.." 'The Press Association reperter is able to give the following particulars centers:tea with the lamentable suicide of Mr. Isaac Fle;caer, M.P. The late member for Cockermouth was in Le haat of •I‘,jug itt Morley' Hotel, Traialgarasquare, L at different times, and on Thursday he about four o'clock and went to his bedreona Atout a quarter of an hour after. the chambermaid went. upstairs in pursuance of her duties, and heard a noise which she described " like the fallina if fender." This at the time Eurnewliat startle I a but she went on with her duties until, • after, she had to pass the room where Mr. Fletarrei was located, and then she discovered a sm 'at et powder. Thai lid her to think that all was ass right, and she attracted the attentisn of tS manager of the hotel (Mr. James) and s,Ane 01 people connected with the pl ice. They wces! s, to the room where the honourahle gentleman , and kooked at the door. There acing ne trattoria., they went into the apartment and found Mr. Fletcher lying on the bed at full length. Upon approaching what proved to be his corpse, it wes found that there was a aullet wound straight through the forehead. The hands of the deceased were clenched, and held a revolver near the pal,: of the head indicated. To use the expression of a person who saw the body, "He looked perfectly calm, as if asleep." Dr. alias, divisional surgeon of the E division, was at once coated in, and at.er few minutes declared that life was erai• e Seagemit Adams of the E eivisica was the .•tlieet sent for, and he searched the Masts efthe deceased and found a gold wattle money, :ttul tick books, but nothing to an-a...is • forezl.il lit' dressingde ce osfefd ;htwasbel.Bl):•li cleked :1, : • • . In addition to tOese.-! art . . the pistol with which t •1. •.; ;Lan i t w g anewsix.bamrehic,l a... • cli,cliargol, the rouakh.i; is saw talk in the lobby nt ' louse of Cntn as to the circe asor of tilt itre knots that there are several local candal;;the L°oeksmrnout}' seat on b.tth ;.•, sides a ;1 'will la' taken rota Lort,lot til rise rm'epe. tv Ia I,odv of Mr. Lilac Fletcher, M.P. for Cockermour h. en -Saturday, the jury found that the deco aed gentlesaan had cotunatted suicide while in a state of temporary insanity. Beyond the fact that the aeeeased had been. von' nervous of late, the caidence did trot reveal any paricular motive to which the sad act could be attributed. TEETH extracted ithout the slightest pa's. by the aid of nitrous-oxide gas, at Mr.