The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-10-13 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

MISSING MAN'S END. Body found it Bidston.  "I am tired of this life. 1 think it best to finish up." So read an extract from a letter written by Jacob PLaft, aged M, of n, Queen'sbuildings, Birkenhead, whose decomposed body was found in a wood at Bidston on Sunday afternoon. The circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased formed the subject of an inquest conducted by, the West Cheshire Coroner (Mr. J. C. Bute) it the Ilideton Police Station yesterday, when it 'was revealed that the deceased had been missing from is home for nearly two months. _  John Platt informed the Coroner that the deceased, *to was his father, .I.ot at we on the afternoon of August 18th, and had not been heard of since. At that ..i.e I. was in his ',usual state ofhealth, did not appear depressed. When witness arrived home from work on the evening in question he searched his father's rooi._ and found ;he two letters produced in a drawer. One of the letters was dated August 18th, and addressed to "Dear Children." It contained the following extracts: "I am tired of this life. I think it beet to finish up. I don't want anyone to blame themselves or anyone. My last word la you is to think of each other and not of self. I will let you know if there Is any way of communicating with you." When %moss found this letter he gave information to the police the same evening. Witness had heard nothing of the deceased until t;iinday evening, when he identified the clothing of the man found in a wood at Bidston as the property of his father. He was able to identify a pair of grey socks, the pair 9f boote, a scarf, and a briar pipe, and was -quite satisfied that the deceased vvas jiii father. In answer to the Coroner, I'latt Ffiid that his father prior to December, IPIB, had been employed continuously at the Dock Board as a labourer for 28 years, but since that date he had only done occasional, work with other firms. As far as witness knew he was not short of money, and had never threatened to take his life.  Ceojlla Gates Platt, also of Queen s-onildinge, said that she acted as hoisekeeper for her father. On August 17th be was playing with the revolver produzed, end loaded the six chambers flitth car:r:ogts. Witness told him to emßty it, and ilus he did, at the same time laughing at w:tness because ahe was afraid.  In answer to the Coroner, witness said she had first seen the revolver about two or three years ago, and as far as she knew he always kept it locked up in a drawer together with a number of cartridges. Continuing, Kies Platt said that about 2 pan. on. August 18th the deceased asked witness for some paper, and qbe saw him writing letters. He went out bf the house about 2.30 p.m. and She had not seen him since. When the last witness came home they went upstairs and forced open the drawers in the deceased's room, and found the two lettere produced. They also found that the revolver was missing. He had always been comfortable at home, and no one had complained about his being out at work.  The Coroner: Can you explain what he means by the statement, in the letter "1  will let you know if there ia any way of communicating with you"? Witness: I think he believed in spiritualism, but he never said ea definitely.  A boy named Albert Hayes, of Connaught street, Birkenhead, informed the Coroner that on Sunday afternoon last he was picking blackberries in the "Pleasure Garden Pkantation." Bidston, when he saw the decomposed body of a man lying near one of the bushes. _ _ . _  P.C. Wright, of Bidston, said that in consequence of information received from the last witness at 4.15 p.m, on Sunday he went to the place named, and there saw the body of the deceased in a very decomposed condition. The revolver produced Was under the deceased's left arm. In the skull there was a holeabove the right eye, and from the decomposed state of the body witness formed the opinion that the body had been lying there for a considerable period. There were two spat and four live cartridges in the revolver. Dr. Brown, of Hoylake.'who made a postmortem examination, expressed the opinion that death was due to the injuries caused by a revolver bullet which had entered the brain.  In summing up. the Coroner said that from the evidesce it was quite clear that the deceased intended to take Ids life. He wrote a letter dated August lath to this effect, and had not been seen alive since. The position in which he was found with the revolver near to him, together with the letter lie left in the house, pointed to the fact that he went to this secluded spot and Idiot himself. _ _ _  He returned a verdict of "Suicide," and added that there was not suffioient evidence to show the state of the mtpd at the time.