The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1884-08-23 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.  Mr. G. A. Charsley, coroner for Bucks, resumea the inquest on Tuesday afternoon at the Eton Union into the circumstances attending the death ef Mr. John Rogers Coker, who shot himself on the night of the 11th inst. in a first-class carriage, while travelling on the Great Western Railway between Paddington and Slough. Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Ford, of 7, tipper Montagustreet, Montagu-square, said that Mr. Coker took an apartment at her house on Wednesday, the 6th of August. He seemed strange and unsettled. On that day he left home after going out several times; he returned about eight o'clock, changed his things, and shaved. She found a bullet in his portmanteau. He had no watch, but had left a gold chain and other ithings at her house.  Mr. Charles William Dare, barrister, residing at Croydon, stated that in consequence of having seen an account of the suicide in the newspapers, he went down to the Union on Wednesday and recognised the body as that of his cousin, John Rogers Coker, who was between 31 and 32 years of age. He had no occupation, but had been in London conducting negotiations with the North Barnes Company for service in Barnes. These negotiations had fallen through, and he was then negotiating for service in the Western States. He saw Mr. Coker about ten days before his death. That was at his chambers in Lincoln's-inn. Apparently he was in his usual health, though he complained that his liver was affected by the hot weather, which had also affected his head. The. deceased, who had been five or seven years in the service of Rajah Brooke, of Sarawak, came home about ten months ago. When he called upon witness he stayed with him nearly an hour, and though rather strange in his manner he talked sensibly. He was a single man of temperate habits, and as far as he knew lie was not in any pecuniary difficulties. Ho could not account for his having taken a ticket to Windsor. His portmanteau and clothing were at his lodgings, but he had found no other property or papers. Had not expected that Mr. Coker would commit suicide, but was not surprised. His parents sived at Weymouth, and were in well-to-do circumWinces.  Mr. James Carr Saunders, an underwriter, residing at Reigate, and I' r. Charles Lyttleton Chubb°. a barrister, of Lincoln's-inn, gave corroborative evidence, the latter stating that Mr. Coker threw up a good appointment in Stuckey's Bank to go to Barnes. Edward Wills, a ticket examiner, said that Mr. Coker came to him at the Paddington Station of the Great Western Railway at twenty-five minutes to ten on the evening in question, and asked for the next train to Windsor. On being informed that it left at half-past ten he walked about smoking a 'cigarette till the departure of the train, when he entered a first-etlha;:ts he haa made a carriagoainthe mistake,Reading bat portion, and was could change( at Slough.  Mr. -Adam John Burr, an assistant clerk in the general manager's office at Paddington, who was travelling by the same train deposed that as it was running near Acton his wife called his attention to what she thought was a pistol shot, but which really sounded more like a popgun. The jury returned a verdict that death was caused by a pistol shot, inflicted by his own hand while in a state af temp:rary hisanit47