Shocking Suicide at Fleetwood
The District Coroner, Mr J Parker, held an inquest at Fleetwood Police Court on Friday evening, on the body of Walker Dawson Dewes (alias Frederick Pearson), 56 [Walker was actually 36] a dock labourer who committed suicide by cutting his throat on Thursday morning.
Mary Louisa Dewes said prisoner [sic] was her husband. For the last six weeks, he had been under the care of Dr. Robinson for dyspepsia, and had been very depressed and suffered from delusions, stating that he had no stomach and that if he ate anything he would be choked. On two occasions he had threatened to cut his head off. On Wednesday, he took a razor out of a box, put it in his pocket, and asked her whether she was going into the parlour. He said he was going there, and remarked to witness, “I want you, I shall not hurt you.” She was afraid of him, as he looked strange, and knocked for the next door neighbour, Mrs. Woods. Between them they took the razor from him. About six weeks ago, deceased received a lawyer’s letter, demanding money he owed, but he could not pay. Since then he had been queer, and would not eat, drink or take any medicine. He constantly said he was dying. There were eight children, the oldest of whom was 17, and the youngest 18 months. Deceased left home at 9.30 on Thursday morning and she did not see him alive again. She had identified his dead body.
Fred Lee, hairdresser, 28, Blakiston Street East, said the deceased was his cousin. He had been ailing for some weeks, suffering from a stomach complaint. Deceased had been in the habit of visiting his shop almost daily. He came at 10 o’clock on Thursday morning and witness asked him how he felt. He replied, “I’m done; what dost tha think about it?” He told him to follow the doctor’s advice, and get something to eat. Deceased went into the kitchen and sat down in a rocking chair. About 11 o’clock, witness had occasion to go into the yard, and whilst there he heard deceased shout, “Fred” several times. He went into the house, and met deceased coming out of the shop, with a large gash in his throat. Deceased said, “Sithee, what I have done.” Witness asked him what he had done it for, and he said, “I want to die”. He assisted him into the kitchen, put two towels round his neck, and sent for a doctor. Dr. Preston arrived about ten minutes later, and deceased died shortly afterwards.
The bloodstained razor, produced, which was left by witness on a shelf in the shop, was found on the floor. Deceased had been low-spirited for some time, but he (witness) had no suspicion that he intended to take his life.
P.C. Scarborough stated that about 11 o’clock on Friday morning he was called to 28 Blakiston Street and there saw deceased sitting in a rocking chair. He had a gash, 3½ inches long and an inch deep in his throat and the arteries were lacerated. He was just dead, when he arrived.
The widow was recalled, and the Coroner asked: With regard to these delusions, did you never report them to the police?
Mrs Dewes said on Wednesday night she went to the Police Station and stayed there for an hour and a half, but could not get any answer, and she also went to the doctor’s and could not get any answer. She added that as she was going home she met two policemen at the bottom or Poulton Street and asked them if she could have protection, as she was afraid of being in the house with her husband.
The Coroner: When was this? – Wednesday night.
Why did you not go to the Police Station on Thursday morning? – He was a lot better on Thursday morning.
P.C. Scarborough said Mrs Dewes came to him at half past eleven in Styan Street and told him that her husband had been threatening her. He was acting-sergeant and he told the policeman on the beat to keep a watch.
In reply to the Coroner, P.C. Scarborough said that the woman told him that her husband was strange in his manner, and he advised her to get him into the hospital or seek some protection from the neighbours. He himself passed the house at 2 o’clock and again at 3 o’clock but did not hear anything.
The Coroner said it was evident that the wife had become afraid of deceased, and the police were powerless to interfere. She might have got him certified as being insane, but that could only be done by getting two doctors to examine him. She seemed to have made her first complaint practically at midnight and the sergeant gave her excellent advice, but this unfortunate occurrence happened before anything could be done. Deceased was suffering from delusions and evidently thought he was a dying man and threatened to cut his head off.
The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst of unsound mind”.
Tragedy in a Fleetwood Barber’s Shop
A sensational suicide occurred at Fleetwood yesterday morning. Frederick Pearson (36) dock labourer, residing at 195 Poulton Road, Fleetwood, had been suffering from dyspepsia for the past six weeks and had been under the treatment of Dr. Robinson. He was in the habit of going for a chat in the morning to the hairdressing establishment, 26 Blakiston Street East, kept by his cousin, Fred Lee, and yesterday morning he arrived as usual at 10 o’clock. Mr Lee asked him how he was feeling and he replied, “I am done. What dost tha think about it.” He was counselled to follow his doctor’s advice and get something to eat. He went into the kitchen and sat on a chair. About 11 o’clock, Mr Lee had occasion to go into the yard, leaving the deceased in the kitchen. Shortly afterwards he heard deceased call out, “Fred” four times. He hurried into the shop, and found deceased standing there with a large gash in his throat, which was bleeding profusely. Deceased remarked, “Sithee what I’ve done.” Lee asked him what he had done it for, and he rejoined, “I want to die.” Lee assisted him into the kitchen, wrapped two towels round his neck and sent for Dr. Preston and the police. The doctor arrived ten minutes later, but Pearson died shortly afterwards. On the floor of the saloon was a blood-stained razor which deceased had taken from a shelf. Pearson was a married man, and leaves a widow and seven children.
Dock Labourer Cuts His Throat in Barber’s Shop
A determined case of suicide occurred at Fleetwood, on Thursday morning at a barber’s shop at 28 Blakiston Street, the victim being Fred Pearson, aged 36, a dock labourer residing at 195 Poulton Road. It appears that Pearson went to the residence of his cousin, Mr. Fred Lee, a barber, about ten o’clock. During the absence of Lee deceased went into the shop and cut his throat with a razor. Towels were at once applied to the wound to stop the bleeding, but death followed in a few minutes. Deceased had been suffering from dyspepsia for six weeks; it is stated that he was under the delusion that he had no stomach. He leaves a widow and seven children, the oldest being 18 years and the youngest 18 months.
Mr J Parker held an inquest at the Fleetwood Police Court last night.
Mary Louisa Dews, the widower, said her husband was known as Frederick Pearson, was a dock labourer, and was 36 years of age. He had been suffering from dyspepsia and had been attended by Dr Robinson. He was very depressed and suffered from the delusion that he had no stomach and that if he ate or drank anything he would be choked. On two or three occasions he had threatened to cut his head off. On Wednesday he took a razor out of his pocket and asked her to come to him, saying he would not hurt her. She was afraid of him as he was looking strange. She knocked for the next door neighbour, and the razor was taken from him. About six weeks ago he received a lawyer’s letter demanding payment of some money, which he could not pay. Since then he had been queer and would not eat or drink anything and only had a glass of water. The night before he died. She had eight children, the oldest being 18 years and the youngest 18 months.
Frederick Lee, hairdresser of 28 Blakiston Street East said deceased was in the habit of visiting his shop and came there about 10 o’clock on Thursday morning. In answer to a question regarding his health, deceased replied, “I am done, what do you think about it.”
He told him to follow the doctor’s orders, and get something to eat. Witness went into the backyard, leaving deceased in the kitchen, and shortly after he head the deceased call out “Fred”. When he got in, he met the deceased coming out of the shop with a big gash in his throat and bleeding profusely. He asked him why had had done it, and he said that he wanted to die. Deceased died shortly after the arrival of Dr Preston.
P.C. Scarborough said that he went to the house of the last witness and found deceased in a chair with a gash in his throat. The man had just died when he arrived.
The Coroner (to the widow): With regard to these delusions, did you never report them to the police?
The widow said she went to the police station on Wednesday night and could not get int. She also went to the doctor’s and could not get an answer. She did not see anybody until 11 o’clock on Wednesday night, when she met two policemen at the bottom of Poulton Road and asked them if she could get protection as she was frightened of being in the house alone.
The Coroner asked her why she had not been to the police on Thursday morning, and she replied that he seemed a bit better.
Replying to the Coroner, P.C. Scarborough said that the last witness came to him about 11.30 and told him that her husband had been threatening her. He was acting sergeant at the time, and he told another constable to keep a watch on the house, and he himself passed the house at two o’clock and three o’clock the next morning and heard nothing. He advised the woman to get deceased in the hospital, or under smoked of restraint, and also advised her to get a neighbour to stay with her.
The Coroner review the evidence, and suggested a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind, which the jury returned.