Nantwich, Sandbach & Crewe Star — 1890-01-11 ()

SHOCKING SUICIDE OF A CREWE 'MAN  AT HORWICH.  An inquest was held at the Bridge Hotel, Horwich, on Wednesday afternoon, before Mr J. H. Clarke, deputy coroner, upon the body of Thomas Allison, journeyman blacksmith, at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Works, and who lodged with his son at 14, Armstrong Street, Horwich, but who had formerly livad at Crewe, and had been employed at the London and North Western Railway Works there. r Charles Allison, 14, Armstrong Street, Horwich, deposed that he last saw his father alive at 5.30 on Tuesday morning. Deceased came to his bed-room door and asked for a match and a key of his box, as he wanted some tobacco. He afterwards heard his father go down stairs; He gave hii father a box of matches and the key, but when he went down stairs his father had no light. Witness went down stairs at 5.45, but his father was not in the house. He heard the 5.50 whistle going, and he went into the yard and called out "Father the 'tenner's going." He got no answer and he went to the closet and found his father sat down with his throat cut. He had a black mark on his neck, and .the door was wet. Witness ran into the house and called out, "For God's sake, Tom, bring a light," Tom Williams, the lodger, got alight, and they went to the closet, and witness went for a doctor. His father left work at Crewe at 12.30 on Saturday last, and came over to Horwich the none night. He slept by himself, but the other lodgers came back on Sunday. One of them gave up his bed for deceased, and witness and the lodger slept on the sofa. Witness had made arrangements for his father to go in lodgings, but they wanted him to stay as his father did not like going into lodgings. His father had disagreed with his foreman at Crewe, but he believed the grievance dated years back. His uncle was formerly foreman over his father He thought his father was disappointed as he was waiting for office. He seemed contented with his work at Crewe. He had plenty of tools at Crewe, but only ' half-a-dozen were allowed him at Harwich, Deceased had at one time shaved himself and was about to do so again. It was a new razor that he had used. The razor was on a shelf, and it had been removed to another shelf. Had never heard his father threaten to commit suicide. He had worked at Crewe about nineteen years. His father was a cheerful man and always very jocular. He seemed in good spirits on Monday and thought there was a good prospect before him at Horwich. He would have less wages by coming to Horwich.—Thomas Allison, eldest son of deceased, residing at 8, Siemen'sstreet, Horwich, had his attention called to his father's house by his other brother. When he got to the house no one was in. He called upstairs, and found" two lodgers engaged keeping his, witness's, wife quiet as she was in a fit. He went to the closet with a lodger named Thomas Williams, and found his father lying on his right side. He thought he was in anightmare, as he was accustomed to be. He and the lodger carried him in the house, His father told him on Sunday that he had been very much harrassed the previous week at his work at Crewe, and that he never had such a week in his life. Deceased complained because he had not got him work sooner at Horwich. He had 400 tools allowed him at Crewe but only 4 were' given him at Horwich. Deceased told him that when he went to Crewe 17i years ago, he thought he should leave his bones there. Deceased was in comparitively good spirits, and if he was depressed it was owing to his work at Crewe.—The Coroner• summed up, and a verdict was at once returned that "deceased committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.'