The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Thursday 3 April 1879
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3 corrections, most recently by rexnp1 - Show corrections
DETERMINED SUICIDE AT
SYDNEY.
(from THE SYDNEY EVENING NEWS, MARCH 31.} '
The city coroner this morning held an inquest at Thomas Keerey's Woolloomooloo
Inn, concerning the death of a young man named Henry Charles Bobart, who committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor. William Cooper, of 157 Darlinghurst road clerk in the Lands department, deposed that deceased was his brother in-law, aged 38 years, and a native of Parramatta. Deceased was at one time a clerk of petty sessions at Bourke, but since then has not been in any regular employment. He was a widower, and left one son. He had for some time past been given to habits of intemperance, and been lately drinking to excess. He returned home last Monday, after being absent about four days. He was sober on his return, and touched nothing that night. He appeared very depressed and nervous, and did not like to be left alone. Witness never bad the slightest notion that deceased contemplated suicide. He never said or did anything to lead witness to believe he would do so. Lately deceased complained much of his head. He had received an injury to it some years ago. These complaints were made ordinarily after drinking. On Wednesday, before going to bed, deceased said to Mrs. Cooper, " Will you lock up all the knives in the house." She did so. He asked her to sit with him, and she did so nearly all the night. Deceased was praying and reading the Bible nearly all the night. On Thursday witness noticed deceased was labouring under delusions. He said the house was full of devils, and they were after him. On that night he jumped from his window on to the shed immediately beneath him, and from that he rolled on to the flags in the yard. That was at midnight. The distance was 20ft. He did not sustain any injury on that occasion. Mrs. Cooper went down to him, and he got up and returned into the house and went to bed for the remainder of that night. He exhibited no inclination to repeat what he had done, and two servants sat with him till morning. On Friday he was much more quiet, and repeatedly said he would do no more harm. He did not make use of any expression that showed he laboured under delusions. He was quiet and rational. He had a good habit and slept soundly. On. Friday night he was put downstairs, in case that in the event of his wanting to get out he might do so through the door instead of jumping through the window. He slept better that night than he had done previously during the week. On Saturday morning he said he felt much better. In the afternoon witness noticed he was low spirited and nervous. Mrs. Cooper and witness had to go out in the afternoon on business, and the deceased said to Mrs. Cooper, "For God's sake don't go out, for if you do you will lose the kingdom of heaven. " They went out, and returned home at 5 o'clock Deceased was then upstairs and in his room. Witness felt uneasy about him, and on his way home called at his mother's, and asked her to write to Dr. Cox and ask the doctor to put deceased under restraint. His mother gave witness a letter for Dr. Cox. When they returned the de- ceased said to Mrs. Cooper, " I think a walk will do me good, I will go and see mother " Mrs. Cooper was his sister. Deceased went out and returned about half past seven. Mr. Cooper and witness were sitting in the room after tea, when witness heard a foot- step on the stairs, and heard it go into deceased's room, which is next to the parlour. Presently witness heard a strange noise apparently coming from deceased's room. Witness did not know that deceased had returned. The time was then half past one o'clock. Witness rushed into deceased's room, lit the gas, and saw him lying on his back on the bed with his throat cut, and a large quantity of blood on the bed and floor. Witness immediately sent off in two directions for two doctors, and then re- ported the matter at the Darlinghurst police station. Deceased appeared to be dead. Dr. Dixson saw deceased The razor produced belonged to the gentleman lodger. Dr. Craig Dixson gave evidence that the cause of death was the wound in the throat, which nearly severed the head off, and extended as far back as the backbone. Constable Joseph Corrigan deposed to taking possession of the body. Walter Keele, clerk in the Lands Office, deposed that the razor was his property, and was kept in a leather case. The jury returned a verdict of death from haemorrhage consequent on a wound in deceased's throat inflicted by himself.