On Wednesday an inquest was held at the Robin Hood Inn, Raunds, before Mr. J. Parker, on the body of a man named William Bates, who committed suicide on Monday, by drowning himself in the river Nene. Mr. W. Hills was foreman of the jury.—Joseph Bates, a son of deceased, said he was a shoemaker, living in Hill-street, Raunds, and the body viewed by the jury, was that of his father, William Bates, a shoemaker, 61 years of age, with whom he lived.—He saw him last alive at seven o'clock on Monday morning last; and slept in the same room with him. Before leaving the room, his father asked him if he was going to get up, and witness said, "Yes in a few minutes." His father then left and went out. He (witness), got down about 8.30. His father had not had any breakfast before going out. His sister lived with them, but she did not see him that morning.—ln reply to further inquiries witness said his mother died about three months ago, and since then his father got low in his mind, but he had never heard him say a word about committing suicide, and he knew no reason why he should do it. He knew one of his father's brothers and an uncle had committed suicide. Some of the jury here remarked that there was no doubt deceased had suffered at times from temporary derangement.—Charles James, a labourer, of Little Addington, deposed that he was down in the field at work on Monday morning, near the "staunch" that leads over the river Nene from Addington to Stanwick meadows. About nine o'clock he saw a man dressed in dark clothes, with a white apron on, standing on the "staunch."—A minute or two after this, he looked up, and saw the man jump into the river. He was about a chain below the "staunch" on the Addington side and plunged into the river, head first from the bank. He (witness), was about 200 yards off then. A lad was working with him. As they were going down to the river they saw the man come up to the surface of the water, and then go down again, after that he saw him no more. He sent the lad for some men who were working on the railway, some distance off, and also to Stanwick for a constable.—P.C. Powell, stationed at Raunds, deposed that on receiving information on Monday morning, that a man had drowned himself, he went down to the river and found several people there with drags and a boat. He asked them to commence dragging, and after dragging for three hours, they found the body. He searched deceased pockets and found in them 2s. 7d. in money, a pocket knife, and ...... ..... There were no marks of violence on the body.

The Coroner said it was a clear case of suicide. The jury were of the same opinion, several of them stating that it seemed that a kind of suicidal mania ran through the family, as two of deceased’s brothers, his father, and his uncle had committed suicide.—A verdict that deceased committed suicide by drowning himself while Temporarily Insane was returned.