Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 27 August 1910
Sheffielder’s Suicide at Conisboro’.
Remarkable Story at Inquest
Landlord Says He Had “A Bit Of A Loosing.”
Foreman Enlightens Coroner
On Monday week John Martin razor blade maker of Sheffield. had “a bit of a losing” at the works where he was employed. A fellow worker had retired, and Martin celebrated the occasion by going of work for that day.
On Tuesday morning he told his landlord he was going to work, and told him a similar tale on Wednesday. On Wednesday night be bade his landlord ‘good night” in the friendliest manner possible and went to bed. That was the last seen of Martin in Sheffield. When his landlord got up at 8 o’clock on Thursday morning is lodger had gone, but there was nothing unusual in that, as the man always went to work at 6 o’clock.
Nothing further was none of Martin’s movements until, at half-past four on Thursday afternoon, when PC Watling, of Conisbrough, found a man’s jacket and cap on the river Don bank. In the jacket pocket was a furniture dealer’s hire system account book, which was the name of John Martin, 44, Brownlee, Sheffield. The river was dragged and a man’s body was found close to the spot by Sergeant Ramsey.
Sister’s Story
At the enquiry in the Castle Inn, Conisbrough on Saturday evening, the body was identified by Mrs Annie Ellen Tyas, of eight, Castle Grove Terrace, who said deceased was her brother. She last saw him alive at half-past seven on the previous Sunday evening, when he came over to Conisbrough on the sixpenny trip. He told her he was poorly, and complained of pains in the head; he seemed very strange. He came in the afternoon, between two and 3 o’clock and had a bit of dinner. He had a cup of tea at his nephews, returned to Sheffield that evening. He just came over to see his friends. He was not getting poor law relief, as he had plenty of work, and it was the busy season now in his trade.
A hawker, named Henry Ward, of 44, Brown Lane Sheffield said deceased, with whom he had known for 20 years, had lodged with him for about eight months. He was a widower, and in regular work as a razor blade maker. Witness told the Coroner that Martin had had a bit of a “loosing” on the previous Monday.
The Coroner (Mr F.E.Nicholson): What do you mean? Witness: He had a bit of her “do”.
Do you mean he was drunk? – No; one of his mates retired, and he gave over work too for the day.
The Coroner: I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.
The foreman of the jury (Mr Gould): He had a “bruise.” That’s what he means Sir.
The Coroner: I thought so.
Continuing, Wall said his lodger had apparently been at work on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday night he had he paid them all “good night” about 9:15 and popped off to bed. He was then quite cheerful. That was the last he saw of Martin
Fits of Depression
The Coroner: Was he in trouble about anything? – No, except pains in the head that he complained of, and he suffered from fits of depression. He never threatened to commit suicide.
Had he been dismissed from his work? – No:
Reply to a juror, wall said Martin had been three times married. 20 years ago he married for the third time, the wife being his (Wall’s) sister, who died five years later.
PC Watson said there were billheads in Martin’s pockets, but nothing that threw any light on his suicide. There were no marks of violence.
“Suicide during temporary insanity” was the verdict