Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1875-09-23 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE OF A NUT ANL) BOLT MAKER.  On fletterday afternoon, a most deliberate suicide was committed in the Teis by a nnt and bolt maker named George John Reece, aged 25 years, who lived at No. 30, Grey-street. While the rat., described elsee hove was being rowed, the man who was on board Mr Harkess's yacht the "Annie," jumped into the river. There only being a la I in the yacht, no assistance could come from that quarter, but Mr Robert Stu pherdeon, leridlord of the Victoria Hotel, was in his yacht the " Lover," on the 'opposite aide, and seeinA the drowning n.an, be rushed across in front of one of the comietitore in the race, and pulled the man on board his bast just as he was about to sink. The man who was probably intoxicated, endeavoured to elarnbei over the side again, but Mr Shepherdson felled iiirn with his fist. At this juncture the yacht wail° front of a erearner, and Mr Shepherdson'e aftection wile called off to get his craft' out of the way • %girl while he was attending to his Pail' the man Reeed got op and deliberately jumped into the river sgain. He immrdiately ,ank, and as the body flouted away with the tide, he was seen no more. Mr Sisei benison's gallant rescue was witnessed by hundreds of spectators, who londly cheered him for his bravery. The body was found On Sunday afternoon, about half -pa,t two o'clock, within a few yards of where the fatal occurrence roiodkdipeleabcero,ugahn.d was conveyed to the dead house at m  An inquest was held on Monday night before Mr J. T. Belk, coroner, in the Corporation Hall, on the body of George Reece, nut and bolt maker, who had been drcwned in the Tees on SsrLty. Ann Reece said she lived at 30, Grey-street, and was the wife of decea.ed. He was 25 year; of age. She last saw him alive about 12 o'clock on Saturday. He said he was going to see Mr Shepherdson. He was a nut and bolt maker, hot had been on strike for two years. The uniou.had been supporting them. . .  John 'Robert Sbepherdson, if the Victoria Hotel, said: I have known deceasi d fur six or seven months. I saw him soon after twelve o'clock on Saturday. I saw him again about four o'clock. He was then spber. He was usu :11y a sober man. He was at Mr Harkess's shipyard on board Mr Haiktss's yacht, which was ii.oored at the time. There was a boat race berme, n two shipwrights at Newport, and we went to sse it. The deceased seemed to be very much exciti d, and cheered the winner. The deceased was about 150 yards from Newport landing about five minutis past five. He leaped on ihe sect of the yacht and jumped overboard. He came miming towarda me. David Watt, a shipwright, had been with him in the yacht. I was in my pl asure boat. I saw him swimming and stood towards Lim. I got hold of him and lilted him up. He seemed eithausted and to be either drunk or mad. I had been in company with him all the time, and I di,l not see him drincing, but I was told he had had a mouthful of rum. He could not sit upon the "shaft,' and I laid him on the bottom of the boat, and te:4l the two boys who were with me to hold him down. I ran up to fix the sheet and alter the tiller. Directly after, he got away from the boys and sprung overboard like a cat. He was a good swimmer, but he sunk like a stone. I did all I could to rescue the body, and stood over the place fur above ten minutes, but he never rose again. _  By the Jury: There was half a pint of rum on board the yacht whe.e he was. The other men told me that deceaa d had a mouthful. He had swum at least a hundred ya*dis before I got to him. I was more than 200 yards off at first. He must have been FeiVid w:th cramp the second time. He was a good swimmer and practised tinny feata in the water, such as putting his clothes off. David Tully said he was o.ma Ward the pleasure boat with Mr Shepherdson, aid saw the deceased in Mr H trkess'a yacht just outsi I, the slipway. He seemed quite sober, and was sitting on the shaft. After they had got to Newport, and while witness was watching the race he saw deceased suddenly get up and walk overboard, aid start to swim across the river. His clothes kept him up. rhe pleasure boat put about to get to him, and Mr Sheplierdson pulled him out. He seemed to ha tuitions to get out of the water. Mr Shepherdsou laid him down in the bottom of the boat, and told witness to hold him down. Mr Shepherdson went aft to the tiller, and deceased then sprang up and went overboard, nearly pulling witness with him. He sank at once. He had all his cloth-s on and his boots. He did not stop five minutes in the boat after he was rescued.  Hichard Rece, fisherman. Lawer Fevershamstreet, said he was searching for the body ou Monday in Mr Shepherdeon's coble, and picked him up about fifty yards below Newport. He was nearly at the Durham side of the river. His limbs were stiff—one leg was bent and the other straight, as if he had been taken with cramp. Witness knew hint by sight only. He brought the body to Middlesbrough. David Watt, shipwright, said: I live at Bottle House Cottages. I went up the river on Saturday afternooi with deceased. I met him at the Victoria Hotel first, and went down with him. He was sober then. We called at the Waterloo Inn, and had a glass of beer each. We then went to Mr Harkess's shipyard, and got on board • the yacht. I had half a pint of ram in my pocket. Deceased bad one drink out of it, and I finish& it myself. Just before he went into the water he leaked me who was winning. I told him Dalby. I then felt a lurch, and looked over my shoulders and saw him standing on the seat. I put my hand on his shoulder to restrain him, tont he jumped over, and fell with his face flat an the water, and then commenced to swim. He had told me he had backed Dalby.  The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury returned a verdict of—" Death by misativen• ture."