The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1880-10-23 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

SUICIDE OF A PENSIONER.  An inquest was held on Monday evening, at the "Hill Cross Tavern," before Mr. Coroner Dewes, on the body of James Gibbons, a pensioner. The following evidence was called : John Venn, Coventry. bricklayer, said: I am in the employ of Mr. Charles Hayward, and am engaged in building some houses in Coundon-street. I worked there on Saturday until a quarter to one, and went there again this morning at six o'clock. About nine o'clock I was telling a labourer to make a scaffolding, when I saw a hat lying on some brickwork, and on looking round I found deceased hanging from a "puddlehook" with his feet between the joists of the floor, and within two inches of the ground. I called a labourer, but he lid not like to touch the deceased, and I then called two other men who were near, and they cut him down. I was present at the time and he was quite dead. Not above three minutes were lost before he was cut down. The police were communicated with, and we then removed the deceased on a door to the "Hill Cross Tavern." The Coroner said he wished he could impress upon people the necessity of not waiting till someone came, or the police were sent for. It might have been that the man was not quite dead, and the thrne minutes lost by the witness might have saved him. He ought to have thought that simply cutting the poor man down could not do anyone harm. When people saw anyone hanging, they should out them down.  Witness: I could see he was dead, sir. The Coroner said that it was impossible for him to tell whether the man was dead or not. He went on to say that it was only the other day in a field near Coundon two young men about eighteen years of age saw a man actually hang himself, and they thought it was not their business to interfere. They went to the stationmaster and told him what they bad seen, and he even said it was no business of his, and they th6n started oft to the town, and after a delay of an hour and a half a policeman was fetched, but of course the man was dead. Witness said he would bear the Coroner's remarks in mind in future. Elizabeth, wife of Arthur James Peake, servicelayer in the employ of the Gas Cqppany, said: The deceased was my uncle, and he was about 52 years  of age. He had been a leading stoker in the navy some time ago, and was in the receipt of a pension Since he left the navy (last Christmas) he has been in different places in search of work. I saw deceased on last Thursday morning when he seemed as if he had been drinking. He received his quarter's pension a fortnight ago, and went somewhere and spent it all. He was at our house on Friday: and Saturday, when he seemed in trouble, about having lost all his money, clothes and watch and the probability of losing his employment. The last time I saw him was on baturday afternoon at three o'clock, when he said he was going for a little walk and I have not seen him alive since. By a juryman : He received his pension at Leicester, and went from Leamington to Leicester to receive it. Deceased's wife drew his half-pay all the time he was on the tlustralian station, a space of four years; and when he came back to Coventry she left the town with another man. Charles Nicholson, labourer, Coventry, said: This morning I was working near Coundon-street, when the first witness called my attention to the deceased, who was hanging. I went and cut him down at once. When they called me, I did not kncw what was the matter, but on looking I saw km banging. The men who were present said, Don't touch him until the policeman comes," but I thought it was unnatural to let him hang, so I cut linm lowa and laid him on the joists. I said at the time that I thought hi had been dead since Saturday, by the smell. The Coroner said he wished he could make everyone understand that they should do just the same as be had done, but be could not. The witness was ranch to be praised for his conduct in the matter, and he should allow him something extra for his promptitude. Witness: Thank you, air.  The Coroner thought the verdict could only be similar to the one at the previous inquest. He thought the jury would agree with him that it would be right to give the witness Nicholson a little extra to mark his conduct. The jury assented to this, and returned a verdict "That deceased destroyed himself, but there was no evidence as to his state of mhad at the time."