The Express. — 1865-10-05 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A BOY.  INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.) This morning an inquest was held by Mr. W. J. Payne, the deputy coroner for the City and Southwark, at the Swan Tavern, Old Kent-road, respectieg the death al a et: boy named Frank Bell, aged 13 years, who was alleged to IS. have committed suicide. Miss A. Bell, 39. Swan.plaos, Old Kent read, said that the deosased was her brother. He was the son of Mr. Jamas Bell, who was eoeneoted with an iron works. He It died some months ago. The doomed was employed by the et South Eastern Railway Company. Ha was to have be- It come an engineer. On last Monday his mother 'eked him at to go for some oil Be said, " I shall not go," SI end be left the house. Shortly afterwards be :Si. returned, end got into the house through the et window, and took the con and got the oiL He was sit then told to go to bed as he had been so naughty. He went U. upstairs, but said, " I shall not go to bed before I N. nod • book." He was very foal of rending. He N. belonged to the Bruaswick Chapel, and on the night before he bad recited a piece at that chapel it to • class. Witness did not think that excited et him a great deal While he was up in his room he got M. let. • great pamioa and stamped upon the floor violently. 1 He thee come to the window and threw it up. He then It Snug • white handkerchief out into the garden and said to lW witness's sister "Take that !" Mrs. Bell said "It is N. better to take no notice of him." It was then 5 o'clock in 9 the evening, and at 9 o'clock witness went to deceased's gt, room to get • book, and in the moonlight which was stream- U Mg in the witness saw bar brother seetai on the bed with 111hie bead hosting down in frost and with a scarf tied round :I; his neck. One end of the scarf was tied to the bsdpo.t. sf Witness called her mother and he woe found to be deacL el Coroner—Was he • boy given to making experiments in M. Wnastics ! itness—Yes, sir. Me was very food of them. ft Coroner—What books was be in the habit of reading? 1266 Witness—Every book that he could get. The pivot be Bt recited at the militarism, meeting of the class onthe Friday is was entitled " What than?" It was a serious piece. Hie st mother lately found " Jerk Sheppard" in his room. A boy l kad lent it to him. The book that be was reading shortly N. before his death was a novel in the "Journal.' it Mr. Charles Owen, a clam teacher at the Brunswick (Atonal, deposed to the general steadiness of the deceased 99, lad. Up to within the last morning he went to school. II Mr. J. H. Comb& assistant superintendent of the loco- 10 motive department of the South Eastern Railway, said that Mt the lad was a month in their employ. He was a very in- at talligeot boy. 10 Miss Bell mid that the demised was in the habit of ti getting very excited. He mice fell in the street in come=of a pain in the head. He afterwards got into a It was found that the cams of dreamed's death was suffocation canoed by pressure ma the neck. The Coroner said that the deceased, being over the ago of woe years, could be held respoesible for say felony committed by him. In this Cale be had committed a crime against society as well as • sin against God. If the 14 jury considered that the deceased's crime was not excused by insanity, they must retina a verdict of " fel* de se." It certainly looked as if excitement bad unhinged his mind. 1 The Jury retartied • verdict " That the deceased boy 9t destroyed his own life whika in • state of temporary IL insanity."