The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-05-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE AT THE MIDDLESBROUGH RAILWAY  STATION.  Last Saturday morning a determined  Suicide was committed by an a.6ed man named Joseph Metcalf, who was under arrest at the time. About ten o'clock Metcalf was taken into custody at the Cargo Fleet Timber Yard, where he worked by the Sheriff's officer, under a writ of attachment issued by the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice. He appears to have been connected with an estate of a person ding without a will, and at the instance of other interested parties, living in Leeds, the Chancery Division ordered him to give up certain documents belongivg to the 'estate. But he disobeyed the toe unction, and his committal for contempt of court was applied for, and granted. In pursuance of that, the Sheriff's officer  was conveying him to York Castle, when he made the desperate attempt upon his own life. On the officer going to the timber yard he recognised him, and endeavoured to get away, but a ithout success. He was guarded more carefully by the officer, and the person who accompanied him, in consequence; but he offered no resistance, walking quietly to the Railway Station. He scarcely spoke on the way, and appeared to be 'meditative. Evidently he felt his position acutely, and remarked that he thought ' instituting the suit against him had treated him scurvily, that be could not avoid not producing the documents, and that he did ' not think they would have had him arrested. ,1 •On getting a little beyond the top of the I steps from Exchange-place to the Station! entrance Metcalf was noticed to lift his right hand to his neck, and he is believed to have inflicted a slight wound on the left side of it. Immediately be was seized by the arms, but be straggled in a most violent manner, released himself from the officer holding him, and inflicted a deep wound on the right side of his throat. Blood streamed out copiously, but for a few moments the unfortunate man struggled desperately, two or thi ee times striking at Mr Walker (the Sheriff's officer., and it was with difficulty that he was got down on the ground. He seemed determined to kill himself, for so long as he was conscious he persisted in holding back his head, so that the blood might flow out with the utmost freedom, and was so violent that it was impossible to do anything to stanch the blood. Mr J. A. Jones rendered some assistance, and Doctors Walker, Creator, and Ellerton were quickly on the spot, and under their treatment the poor fellow rallied a little, but he died directly after admission to the Infirmary, whither he was at once removed. The instrument he used was a common pocketknife with one large blade. Being a civil prisoner, the Sheriff's officer had no power to deprive him of the property en his person, as is done when arrests are made on criminal charges. In prison deceased would have been treated as a debtor. He would have been kept until the Chancery Division thought fit to release him, and that would probably have been not until the production of the documents required. or until he could have shown he hadn't them. He was between sixty and seventy years of age, and lived in Mill-lane, Middlesbrough. For many years be was in the employ of Admiral Chaloner, and while under him bore an excellent character.  A reporter who went down to Guisborough on Sunday afternoon ascertained the following: —The circumstances which led up to this tragic occurrence are of an exceedingly painful character. The deceased was a Guisborough man, and for many years was a workman in Admiral Chaloner's wood-yardBy soberness and thrift he got into a respect, able position in life, and gained many friends, among others a farmer named William of Throstle Nest Farm, near Gnisbrough, who made him an executor under his will. The property left consisted of money and two houses at Middlesbrough, and the deceased looked well after it for a time. He afterwards became landlord of the Williamgl7. Inn,Westgate, Guisborough, and, giving way to drink and dissipation, nothing could be got from him either by Mrs Wilson or the other legatees under the will, notwithstanding that legal proceedings were on several occasions threatened to be taken against kim. Ultimately Mrs Wilson, through Metcalfe neglect and misconduct, was driven into the Guisborough Union Workhouse, where she died a short time ago, and in consequence of the action that was then taken by some of her relatives, and also by Mr Arthur Buchanna.n, clerk to the Guisborough Board of Guardians, the case was brought before the Chancery Division.