The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News. — 1906-01-19 (Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England)

LABOURER'S DELUSIONO.  The circumstance@ attending the death af George Haigh, (43) labourer, of In, Armitagn Had, Milnsbridge, were then investigated. H will be remembered by readers of the" Guardian," that the deceaeed was found banging In the ',WI kitchen on the previous Thursday evening, whet hie wife returned from work.  _._ ........_._.___ .._._ .._._. Emma Haigh. widow of the deceased, eater tilt her husband had been on night shift at the Gas Works. On Thursday morning he arrived home at 840, which was his nsuril time Re bad nothing to eat. Witness WWI in the house about an hour, and when she left home at about iseres o'clock to go tn her work he was in the house. During that morning he seemed very strange,— in fact she had noticed he was derreteled fro* September. When she asked him what was the matter, he said " They're on the flags,- and elm , asked "who's there." Deceased replied "Hie detectives." She said "Not they, its all imagine. tile." Decease& however, said "Lie if isn't they're after me." Witness never saw anything or anybody on the ease. She asked him to put it oft ids mind, but he mid he couldn't becauee it was true. Deceased had else refused the services of a doctor on the same grounds. Many, ! times he had spoken in similar strains, and had ; her doing all sorts of things, with the request I that ehe should not tell anyoue. To witness's [ kn!twledge there was nothing to warrant his I being in fear of the police, and she did not know I that anyone was watehing him. One time he ! said the dent-Sere were on the roof of an outhouse, and she had to go look before he would be ' satisfied. He had always been talking about I detectives watching him. Once she asked hint if he would not rather work in the daytime, but he replied "No, if 1 do, they're 'toed on the ; top of the railway arebee watching me," That ! seemed to have been the one thing wrong with : him. He had nerer threatened suicide. Witnese ' arrived home, at 5.30 on the Thursday evening, and when she entered the house she did not see him, so concluded that he had 'deft over. Oa going upstairs, however, he was not there, and I when she returned she looked into the kitchea I awl found him suspended from a beam. The 1 cord which was round his neck, had come from ' the top of the kitchen door. Witness at once Iran out of the house and called a neighbour. Sam Quarmby, power loom tuner, of 4g, Armitage Road, deposed that he knew the 1 deceased very well, but had never seen anything different about him. Deceased had never told him that anyone was watching him. On Thurs. day evening, while on his way home from work; he heard an unusual noise, and wont to see what was amiss. Mrs. Haigh came to the bottom ef the steps and said "Oh, my husband has hung himself in the back kitchen' Witness went ; into the kitchen, and with the help of hie coin! panion cut the body down. In the kitchen was i a barrel placed on one end with some clothes on, 1 and there were also some clothes on the set pot. ; Deceased appeared to have fastened the rope to 1 the beam from the set pot, and then ewung I himself off. His feet were a few inches from 1 touching the barrel. When cut down deceased I was quite dead. The place itself seemed quilis ! undisturbed.  ..... rerdiet of' Suicide whilst of unsound Mind 4 was returned.