The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1866-07-20 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

AND SUICIDE  IN SOHO.  On Monday Mr. C. St. Claw Bedford, coroner for Westminster, held an inquiry in St. Ann's vestry- room, Dean-street, Soho, relative to the death of William Mold, who committed suicide after having attempted the life of a young woman with whom he bac co. habited, the attempted murder and suicide being committed almost in the presence of deceased's wife, and at his residence.  The jury having viewed the body in the dead-house, the following etidenne was takon.:— .. .  Mrs. EliZibeth Handle7-51;rd. Bald: I live at 25, King-street. The deceased was my husband, who was 51 years of age, and a public-house broker. He had several times threatened to poison himself, and generally had poison by him. He sometimes threatened to do so owing to pecuniary pressures. He has been in a lunatic asylum. I have been married to him three years, and previous to th:.l, time he had twice attempted suicide with laudanum. On one occasion he took two ounces. He was not of sober habits. In 1551 he received an injury which affected his brain. He was at times delirious. His affairs were in • confused state, which affected him. On Thursday last be said he should not live through. out the day. I said, "I don't believe you, for you have 'said it so often." He replied, "You will find it out." After tea he lay down, and a young woman being in the room, he attempted to poison her. She screamed out, and said deceased had tried to force vitriol into her mouth. I sashed into the room, and I saw my husband lying on the bed. The young woman was also on the bed, both being dressed. All my husband could Fay was, "Water ! water!" I gave him some, which he drank, and he never spoke afterwards.  Mr. John Hareley, of GG, Wardourostreet, said: I am a surgeon. I was called to deceased about eight o'clock on Thursday evening. I found him lying partially on a bed and a box, with his logs drawn up. He was quite unconscious and collapsed. On the box there were about six dractrins of fluid and a bottle containing but a very small quantity of cyanide of potassium. I dashed water upon him, and enders. voured to administer antidotes, but he rapidly sank and died. There was a strong odour of prussio acid emitted from the mouth, as also in the stomach upon internal examination. Oa testing some of the fluid from the stomach, it returned Prussian blue. The organs of the body were all healthy, and the brain congested. The cause of death was poisoning by cyanide of potassium. Hannah Howden said: On Thursday last about 12 o'clock Mr. Mold came home, and entered the room where I was at work, adjoining the one where Mrs. Mold was. lie said, "Yon nerd not finish that work, as it will not be nettled, for neither you nor I will live beyond tho day." I said, "Don't talk that way. I don't believe you, for you have often said so." I took no heed of him, but I heard him say to Mrs. Mold that he wanted to provide for my child, as neither he nor I would live throughout the day. After dinner he laid down, and at teatime he said, "You don't want tee," and snatched the cup from me and drank the contents, He continued " You're going to die." After that he lay down again, and pulled me on the bed alongside him. Shortly afterwards he got up and went to a tool. box in the room, when I got frightened, and thinking he was going to ga a razor to cut my throat, I ran into the next room, but he brought me back. We lay on the bed again, when he put his elbow across my neck and forced a bottle into my mouth, and I felt something run into my mouth. I struggled and got up. I did not swallow any of the stuff, but it touched my tongue and throat; none of it got into my stomach. I though it was vitriol, from the burning sensation. I screamed out "I'm burnt—l'm poiaoned. It is vitriol." I knew nothing more till he was dead. I believe be died &noes my knees. Mrs. Mold was recalled, and the following questions put to her:— The Coroner: So it is true that the last witness had a child by your husband? Witness: Yes, air, but that was before I was married to him. The child is nearly five years old. She has twice lived with him for a short time.  The Coroner: And elm resided in your house ? Witness : Only occasionally for a abort time —.. . . •  The Coroner I find, by gicertificatO-p-izi7ito my hapds, that your husband was in the iLIMEIOO ward at St. Pancras. Ilas he since been under treatment P Witness: Tea, twice at Wandeworth.  _ The Coronor : • Was it not suggested to you that he should again go to St. Pancras' ward Witness Yes, but I could not afford to pay for a keeper for him. The Coroner : It is a wonder he did not kill 3on all. Witness: Ho did ask me if I wished to die. It is a wonder we were not all killed,  The Coroner then referred to the evi3eo3e par. Caul:m.ly showing the etate of mind of the deQeased, and left the jury to c3nsider their verdict. The foreman then announced the following nnani. moue opinion:—" That the deceased died from the effects of cyanide of potaseium, taken by himself while in a state of insanity." The verdict was so recorded.