The Warwickshire Herald. — 1890-07-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE SUICIDE IN LICHFIEL D  WORKHOUSE. An inquest was held at the Smithfield Hotel, Greenhill, on Friday evening last —before Mr. H. IL Jordon, deputy coroner—touching the death of an unknown pauper who gave the name of James Manning. and who committed suicide in the Lichfield Workhouse on Thursday in bait week under the circumstances detailed below. Mr. Benton was foreman of the jury. Mr. Derry watched the proceedings on behalf of the Guardians, and Sergt. l'illiner was present for the police. The body having been viewed, Mr. Williatu Williams deposed that he was the master of the Lichfield 51 orkhouee. At ten minutes to eight on Tuesday night last the deceased presented himself for admission to the tramp ward. The name on his ticket was James Manning; he also gave me that name. The body the jury have just viewed was the same as the marl who gave his name as James Manning. Deceased said he was 40 years of age, and was a labourer. He slept at Burton the night previous, and was going to Tamwortii. Deceased went to bed that night, and on the next morning he was was placed in the cells to break 10 or Ilcwt. of stones. They go into the cells to begin their work at about 8 o'clock, and are kept there until s 5 o'clock, unless they have broken the stones. He was allowed out of the cells for dinner. On the 16th an old man named Thomas Rantoul, an inmate, informed witness at about ten minutes past four that deceased was foiled bleeding. Witness went to him at once, and found him lying on the floor with his back to the wall, and his head upon his chest. When witness saw deceased lie was bleeding from a wound in the throat. Witnees went off immediately for a towel and cold water, and sent the nurse to deceased. He afterwards sent for a doctor and Dr. Edwards came. Deceased was removed to the sick wards and laid upon the bed in an unconscious state. The deceased seemed to be a !sensible man, and wirnees did not notice anything peculiar about his manner. There did not appear to be any sign of insanity about him. By the Foreman of the jury : The man was not searched. LC Wua not customary for them to be searched :tt that workhouse. He afterwards searched the clothing of the deceased, but there was nothing whereby he could be identified. The Foreman eaid he thought it wan only right that everybody should be searched. Mr. Derry said that if a requisition to that effect was given it should be presented. Mr. Williams stated that he had boxes made with a view to that being done in the future. John Wright said he was an inmate of the work. house and was in charge of the tramp ward. The man whose body was in the mortuary now, he saw ; at about four o'clock on Wednesday last, and he asked him if he had nearly done his task. He replied "I am getting along as well as I possibly can, and I shall not be so long.' In about twenty minutes or lees time than that, witness went back to the cell and saw deceased lying on his side, and that he was bleeding. Vi itness told Rentoul of the occurrence, and that man fetched the master. Deceased was very quiet and civil all day. Miss Matilda Errington, assistant matron at the Lichfield Workhouse, said that at about a quarter past four on Wednesday she was called to see a man in the stone cells. When she arrived she found the man quite unconscioue, in a sitting position, with his head on John Wright's knee. She lifted his head up and could then see that his throat was cut. The wound in the neck was bleeding freely at the time. Witness had him removed to the sick ward a few minutes afterward.. Dr. Edwards saw deceased before he died at twenty minutes to two on the following morning. Deceased never recovered consciousness.  Dr. Edwards deposed that he was called to see the deceased on the lfith inst., and arrived there about five minutes past five. He saw a man lying on the bed of a ward in the Workhouse who had some clothes about his neck covered with blood. His condition was cold, almost pulseless, unconscious, and with sterorous breathing. A medical man had seen deceased prior, and with him, and they decided to delay doing anything as bleeding bad stopped, until the arrival of the parish doctor. There was no need for active interference at the time. Mr. Amason, of Yoxall, was the doctor who was there before witness. He saw a part of the wound on the neck, but did not examine the whole of it until Dr. Morgan came. Upon his arrival the whole of the injury or wound was thoroughly examined in the presence of witness. The wound would be about six inches in length, and was on the throat extending from the left to the right side. The wound was of an incised character. The windpe was cut, and he should think that a lot of blood had gone down it. Some of the arteries were cut, but not the principal ones. The wound was afterwards dressed by Dr. Morgan. When witness first saw deceased he was of opinion he could not live very long. The probable cause of death would be exhaustion from lose of blood. He saw that in reference to this case he wished to compliment the officials for their admirable treatment of the man until medical aid arrived.  The Coroner briefly reviewed the evidence, and referred to the evidence given by Dr. Edwards, in anything but complimentary terms. The jury, after a few minutes consultation, found their verdict an follows : —"That the deceased died from exhaustion, consequent upon loss of blood from woundn self.inflicted whilst in a state of temporary insanitary.