Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
The Bristol Mercury. Daily Post, Western Counties and South Wales Advertiser. Saturday 15 Oct 1898
Page 6 Column 3
SUICIDE IN BRISTOL.
A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER HANGS HIMSELF.
Yesterday, the City Coroner (Mr H. G. DOGGETT), held an inquest at the Phoenix hotel, Totterdown, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of Thomas Yelverton OATEN, aged 60 years, a commercial traveller, who committed suicide by hanging himself on Thursday.
Mary Ann OATEN, of 123, Wells road, Totterdown, widow of deceased, said her husband had always been a weakly man, and had been a martyr to gout. He had suffered very much from giddiness lately, and had appeared depressed. He had also had money troubles. He had never threatened to take his life, but three weeks ago he received a telegram, and this seemed to upset him very much. On Tuesday last a letter came for deceased from the firm which he represented, making an appointment for a partner in the firm to meet him at the house at eleven o'clock on Thursday. This gentleman called just after eleven o'clock, but deceased could not be found, although witness had heard him in the breakfast room half an hour earlier. Witness told the gentleman that her husband was not in the house, but if he went to a neighbouring public house he might find him there. The gentleman left and witness went into the garden. Shortly afterwards she found that the water closet door was locked. Witness thinking deceased was there called out to him, but obtaining no answer she fetched the police.
P.S. William POWELL, 9? B, deposed to being called by the last witness. He went to the house, forced the water closet door open, and found deceased hanging by the neck from two large nails which had been driven into some woodwork at the top of the wall. Witness cut him down, and fetched a doctor. Witness found a note on the body, which was in deceased's handwriting, and was as follows:- Thursday morning – Gone! All sense is gone. May the Lord have mercy upon my soul. T Y.O. Nothing to live for except trouble.”
The foreman said he saw deceased on Wednesday and he then seemed very depressed, and spoke about taking his own life.
Edwin Henry Churton PAULL, surgeon, said he was called to deceased by the last witness on Thursday. There was evidence of the neck being broken, and there was also evidence of strangulation. The appearance of the body indicated long continued illness, and the hands were terribly deformed with gout. Death was due to dislocation of the neck by hanging.
The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst of unsound mind.”
<NOTES: Thomas Yelverton OATEN son of Henry OATEN and Sarah Christian HOLE, married Mary Ann MAGGS>