The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1869-06-19 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

SUICIDE BY HAS GING.—An inquest was held at the Town Hall, Lancaster, before Mr. L Holden, touching the death of William Shaw, aged 73, a boot and shoemaker, of Lancaster, who was found the previous evening suspended by his neck from the upper part of his bed at his lodgings in Cable-street. The evidence of his landlady, Mrs. Hollas, showed that during the time he had lodged with her-15 months— he had conducted himself very well with the exception of now and then getting drunk, and the previous day he was drunk, but he came in and had his dinner and went to bed, and went out again, and came in again and had his tea and went to bed again. There was nothing in his manner to excite suspicion that he contemplated suicide, he being the same as usual, quiet and reserved. The landlady had occasion to go upstairs about half-past eight o'clock, and found him hanging ill his bed-room. She immediately called in a neighbour named James Corless, who cut the body down. He found the deceased had fastened his scarf to the top rail of his bedstead, and placed the noose round his neck. His weight had bent the rail RO that his feet touched the ground ; he was quite dead when found, but the body was still warm. He had undressed himself, and was only in his shirt and stockings.—A witness, named Kennedy, spoke to the deceased having been up to his house on Sunday afternoon, when he complained of being ill. He was in a state of intoxication, and appeared to be suffering from nervousness. He stayed about half an hour, and had something to eat. He seemed very much depressed in spirits and repeatedly said he did not know what was to become of him, and he thought he should be found dead in the streets. From the repetition of deceased's words and his apparent forgetfulness of having used the same words before, Mr. Kennedy thought the deceased's mind was affected, but only affected through the drink, for when sober he was rational enough.—Bryan Cumpsty, tailor, deposed that he had acme conversation with the deceased, whom he had known for some 40 years. The conversation, which took place in Brockbank's-yard, in Church-street, about four o'clock on the day that lie committed suicide, was upon general matters, but deceased I complained of being very poorly, and said he I did not know what he should do, but he thought Ihe would have to go to the workhouse. He was very much depreseed ill apirits, and witness I told him to cheer up and go to work again, when deceased left him, saying he would do his I twat. A verdict of " Temporary insanity, thr.ugh incessant drinking," was returned.  r.Ninciion of pre lunit ted to. tril  The price-. 4 f r3Lte,l from (1,16 d. to 61d.  - supplied with but the dettruid fitica to supply I ele.trance was ing from 355. to  Ile ran a ippol it ill th.c  AL N1001:.-V t  Satylimat, a khou whikt at w at Litvlal Moor,  flier witl,  a stone in it Jr with a bar, gle ran further than usual, and de'rough holding on to the bar, was ,ver the bogie to the bottom of the distance of six or seven yards. The ;teem.— was witnessed by a boy named Thomas Jacobs, who informed Aaron Butler, the engine driver, and he itn mediately proceeded to the assistance of the old man, who, however, only breathed two or three times after being taken up.—The jury immediately returned a verdict of "Accidental death." SUDDEN DEATH AT AsKAM.— &ii ingip.st was held at the house of Mr. Edward Miller, Askant Hotel, on Saturday last, before Dr. Hall, deputy coroner, touching the death of Mrs. Mary Wright, who expired suddenly under the following circumstances :—Priscilla Graham, wife of john Graham, furnaceman, said that she knew the deceased, who was the wife of Thomas Wright, of Manchester, joiner, and was 49 years of age. Mrs. Wright came over to witness's house at Askam on Monday, the 7th instant, for change of air, having been in delicate health for some time, and effected with asthma and dropsy. On Friday she was very bad at breathing. Witness put her to bed about eleven o'clock at night, after rubbing her with a coarse towel. She did not then appear worse than usual, but about two o'clock in the morning witness heard her coughing and went to her room to see if she wanted anything, but she said she did not. Witness, however, gave her some beef tea and left her sitting up in bed. On entering the room :ibout six o'clock she found the poor woman lying dead in bed.—The jury found a verdict of "Died from natural causes."