Widnes Examiner. — 1894-09-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE SUICIDE AT RUNCORN.  CORONER'S INQUIRY.  Mr. J. E. Worsley, coroner, -held an inquiry on Friday afternoon at the Royal Hotel, Bridge-street. Runcorn, relative to the death of Fred Williams, 31 years of age, blacksmith, recently residing at Dunham-o'th-Hill, who was drowned on the previous Thursday morning by jumping into the Ship Canal, near the Runcorn swing bridge. Thorns Williams, 9, flart'ey-st. said that the deceased, who was his brother, had of been very weak and ill. On the previous morning at about six o'clock, be got out of bed and ran away out of the house. Witness suspected that he was not quite right in his mind, and followed him. Be saw him running down Irwelllane towards the Ship Canal. He shouted for help, and ran as quickly as he could, but he could not catch the deceased when he saw jump into the canal. Some persons collected on the bank, and a rope was thrown in the water, hut witness did not see his brother try to grasp it The deceased then sank, and being overcome he (witness) left the place and went home. Edward "'seaman, boatman, of Weston Point, testified that at about twenty minutes past six o'clock on Thursday morning he saw the deceased in his shirt sleeves running towa ds the canal and the last witness running after him. Be heard the latter shout for help, and immediately afterwards saw the deceased get over the canal wall, on to the rock ground and then jump into the waterway. There was no boat near, and witness ran to a place about 300 yards away and procured a boat-hook and line and returned as quickly as possible to tbe spot where the deceased had entered the water. The latter was on the surface of the wet, r, and witness tried to reach him with the hook, but it was not long enough. He then threw the line to him but deceased made tio attempt to grasp it,although it was well within his reach. Soon afterwards he sank, and was not again • seen alive. By the Coroner : When he saw the deceased and his brother rutining,the latter was some distance behind and could not possibly have stopped him. Be (witness) could swim but not very much, and considered that if he had jumped into the water both of them would have been drowned. He could see that the deceased did not intend to be saved. A lot of people gathered at the spot, many of whom could swim he thought. The Coroner observed that a line might have been tied to someone and that person could have entered the water to save the man. Then, if the rescue could not be effected, the person to whom the line was at-Ached could have been drawn up again out of the water by the people on the bank. The last a itness,in reply to this said he did not think of such an expediment. He could not dive, and could only swim a li•tle. One of the bystanders partially undressed htmself,but pa on his clothes again,saying that he could not swim sufficiently to save the man. Guy Preece, lock-master, deposed that when leaving duty at about 6.30 he heard a noise on the opposite side of the canal bank, and could see something in the water. Be was at such a distance, however, that he could not distinguish the object, and thought that it was probab'y a dog in the water,and that the boys were throwing stones at it, as they so often did. He did not hurry, therefore, but walked along at his leisure. Some persons called across to him when he got nearer, and told him a man was in the water. Be at once procured some grappling irons, as the man had then sunk, and he,with other men, began to grapple for the body which they recovered shortly before ten o'clock. Thomas Williams (recalled) stated that his brother had Said nothing to him of any intention to destroy himself. Witness slept with deceased on the previous night. When be called to his brother, while ruuning after him, the latter made no reply. The Coroner, in a resume of the evidence, said it was a pity that more efforts were not made to save him However, it was easy to think of means—such as that of the attached rope—upon cool reflection after the event but they were not often thought of in the moment of emergency. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind."  ST.