The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1840-12-01 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE AT NEW BRIGHTON.—New Brighton hasbeen the scene of one of the most determined suicides on record. It appears that a few days ago, an old gentleman, apparently between sixty and seventy, respectably dressed, took up his abode at the Egremont Hotel. He had no other description of luggage than a carpet bag, and was apparently in good health and spirits, eating and drinking moderately. On Tuesday week he wrote a letter, in which a key was enclosed, addressed to the cashier of one of the most respectable mercantile firms in Liverpool, with the delivery of which he intrusted the boots of the hotel. In the morning he left the hotel before the inmates had risen, and between ten and eleven o'clock two young men arrived to inquire after a gentleman of his description. The waiter stated that he had most probably taken a walk on the shore, and the young men immediately left in search of him. After proceeding along the sea shore for about four miles, when between Wallasey and Leasowe Castle, they met a countryman, who informed them that near to that spot, as he was standing upon a hill, he observed a man run into the sea in a rapid manner, without coat, waistcoat or hat. The sea was running very highs at the time, and thinking that a man would never attempt to bathe in such a sea, and especially with his trousers and shirt on, he ran instantly to the beach, but only in time to catch a glimpse of the deceased, as a breaker came and carried him away. The clothes which he found upon the beach, he conveyed to the parish constable. Several other countrymen then came up, who said they had seen an old gentleman answering the description, walking about the shore some time that morning, and they remarked that his features were very like those of the young gentlemen who were then making the inquiries. The parties having seen the clothes in the custody of the constable, and identified them as belonging to the party for whom they were in search, repaired to the Egremont Hotel, paid the deceased's bill, and took away the carpet bag —one of the parties leaving his address—" John Swanwick, Manchester. Nothing further was heard of the circumstance until Sunday morning, when, some fishermen's lads, who were hunting for muscles in the muscle beds, in a place called Wallasey-hole, discovered a body in one of the beds. They pulled it out by the legs, and they ran for some of the neighbouring fishermen, who identified the body as that of the old gentleman missing. It was horribly disfigured, and, what was most singular after remaining so long in the water, bled profusely from the nose and ears. An inquest was immediately summoned to inquire into the deceased's death, which was held before Mr. Faithful Thomas, and a respectable jury, at the New Brighton Hotel. Previous to the summoning of the inquest a letter was sent through the post-office, addressed " John Swanwick, Manchester," stating that the body had been found that morning, and that an inquest would be holden at 12 o'clock the following day. Singularly enough, however, as it would appear, that on the assembling of the coroner and jury, no one was present to claim the body. The mutilated corpse of the unfortunate deceased had lain in a coach-house from an early period on Sunday morning until half-past two o'clock on Monday afternoon, and yet neither relative nor friend was present to claim the deceased or to inquire whether the verdict of the jury was felo de se, or insanity. The Coroner, at the request of the jury, sent to Liverpool for Mr. Joseph Swanwick, to whom the deceased had addressed the letter. On being questioned relative to the contents of the letter, the witness stated that he could not recollect, for he had not the letter with him. Its purport, however, was that he had struggled with the troubles of life until he could bear them no longer, and that he had come to the determination of destroying himself. He also said that he had sent the key of his carpet bag, in the latter of which his watch would be found, and that they would most likely find his body among the rocks. The witness could not tell the state of his mind or what was the state of his pecuniary affairs. The jury, after some discussion, brought in a verdict of " Temporary Derangement." The unfortunate deceased was about 65 years of age, in extensive business in Manchester as a corn-merchant, and was much respected. It is said that he had recently made some extensive and bad speculations in railways.