Domestic tradegy – Denaby Man’s Suicide

March 1922

Mexborough and Swinton Times, March 4.

Domestic Tragedy.
Denaby Man’s Suicide.
Daughters Dreadful Experience.

Joseph Allen, a miner, aged 49, of 58 Maltby Street, committed suicide last Saturday evening by cutting his throat with a razor. He was alone in his home at the time (about five o’clock) and died before medical aid could be summoned.

It is supposed that he was greatly worried and distressed by domestic trouble. He was twice married, and was estranged from his second wife.

The inquest was held by Mr Frank Allen in the Denaby Main Institute on Monday.

Raymond Allen, 58 Maltby Street, miner, identified the body as that of his father, with whom he lived. Witness was attending a football match on Saturday afternoon and was summoned home. He found his father dead, with his throat cut. He last saw his father live at our past one the same afternoon. He was then sat by the fire. He was in good health, but was a good deal troubled about a certain family matter. It was about 5:05 when witness was fetched home.

Myrtle Allen, a daughter of deceased, aged 19, said that her father was very depressed on Saturday afternoon. She toldhim that she was going shopping to Doncaster, and he asked her not to do that, but to go to Mexborough after tea. They sat for a long time on the sofa, discussing his domestic trouble, and she gave him some advice. He said that he could not go on, and that he could not stand any bother. After a while he said he would go upstairs and lie down for an hour.

She remained downstairs, but hearing all about the bedroom she called to ask what was the matter. He said he was only making the bed. She then went next door to ask one of the children to go an errand. She was only out of 5 minutes, and returning to her home, she heard a noise upstairs.

She went to her father’s bedrooms and sawhim with his hand at his throat. She did not see the razor at first, and thought he was trying to strangle himself. She said “What are you doing, father? But he could not speak to her —

The witness at this point was in considerable distress, and the Coroner said: “Poor girl! You actually saw it? I am not going to trouble you further.”

Dr J. MacArthur said he arrived at the house at 5:10, and the man was then quite dead.

The coroner returned a verdict of “Suicide while of unsound mind.”

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