Sheffield Independent – Thursday 18 May 1893
A Mexbro’ Miner Found Poisoned at Conisbro’
About half-past six o’clock yesterday morning two women found a man lying in a field at New Conisbro’, apparently dead. They raised an alarm, and shortly afterwards a miner went to the spot, with the result that he found, a short distance away, a bottle labelled “poison.” It was an ounce bottle, and had contained laudanum, but was empty.
Information was promptly given to the police, and the man—who was discovered on examination not dead—was quickly under medical treatment, Dr. M‘Call’s assistant being sent for. The poor fellow, whose name was ascertained to be George Uttley, described as a miner, living at Mexbro’, was conveyed to a cottage. An emetic was administered, but the man was very much under the influence of opium.
He was removed to the police station at Conisbro’, but no explanation could be got from him except the oft-repeated declaration, “I wish I was dead.”
Inquiries subsequently made show that Uttley, who is 36 years of age, is unmarried, and was formerly employed at the Denaby Main Colliery. He was lame, this being attributed to an accident sustained while in the pit. Being apparently incapacitated from following his employment he had, during the last two years, paid periodic visits to relatives in the district. They kept him for awhile, but ultimately he had to find his way to the Doncaster Workhouse.
He was discharged from this institution two or three weeks ago, and then went to stay with a sister at Denaby; he also visited a brother at Swinton. It would appear that he had been out all Tuesday night, and that he had become so mentally depressed, as well as physically debilitated, that he drank the contents of the laudanum bottle—which had been obtained in Mexbro’.
Uttley having been taken into custody yesterday was subsequently conveyed by train to Doncaster, and was charged, before Mr. C. E. S. Cooke, with having attempted to poison himself. He made no answer to the charge, and evidence was briefly given by Police-constable Jarvis.
Mr. Cooke told the prisoner of the risk he had run, and then discharged him, on the understanding that he would be transferred to the Workhouse, and this was accordingly done.