Suicide whilst not responsible for his actions was the verdict returned by the Deputy East Northants Coroner (Mr. A. Norman Groome) at the inquest on Ernest Geo. Andrews, a 39-year-old painter and decorator, of Purvis Road, Rushden.

Andrews, a married man with one child, was found by the police on Monday hanging from a beam in his employer’s workshop in Woodland Road, Rushden, after they had been informed that he had been missing since Saturday.

Frank Andrews (60), of 20 Purvis Road, Rushden, said that he was the dead man’s father and lived next door to him. He last saw him alive at 9.30 on Saturday morning, when he called into his father’s home as usual before leaving for work.

In the afternoon his father went to Woodland Road and found that the gate of his son’s employers’ premises was locked and that they were away on holiday. On inquiring, he found that no one had seen his son, and he reported the matter to the police.

On Monday morning he asked the police to circulate his son as missing.

Patient

Visiting Woodland Road again on Tuesday, Mr. Andrews was informed that his son had been seen there on Saturday morning wearing a white jacket.

Speaking of his son’s health Mr. Andrews said that it had been quite normal until about 12 months ago, when his child had measles. In April he went to the Pendered Home for a month as a voluntary patient, but seemed no better on return.

He saw several doctors and specialists, but they told him there was nothing wrong with him except that he was suffering from nervous debility. He thought, however, that he was worse than he actually was, and he lost confidence in himself and his ability to do his job, though all the time his work was satisfactory.

Got Worse

During the past few weeks he had got very much worse, but he had never threatened to take his own life.

Police evidence was given by P.C. Charles Wm. Houghton, who said, with Inspector Dale, he discovered the body of Mr. Andrews hanging from a beam in a workshop in Woodland Road.

The door was wedged from the inside with a screwdriver. One note had been found on a nearby work bench, and one in the inside pocket of his jacket.

Summing up, Mr. Groome said that there could be no doubt what had happened: he had died by hanging himself, probably last Saturday.