A painful sensation was caused in Rushden yesterday morning by the report that Mr. John Davis Butcher, of Oswald-road, had committed suicide by cutting his throat. The report proved to be only too well founded, and an inquiry into the circumstances was held at the Vestry-hall, yesterday afternoon by Mr. J. T. Parker, Coroner. Mr. G. Winter was foreman of the jury.

The Coroner, in opening the inquiry, said it was a terribly short time since they were met there before, and the parish seemed to have more than its share if misfortunes.

Alfred Jeffs, shoe finisher, Rushden, identified the body as that of his brother-in-law, John Davis Butcher, journeyman carpenter, aged 40. Witness saw the deceased on Wednesday night at about ten o’clock and he seemed in his usual health. Deceased had been rather depressed on account of having no work, but had not threatened to commit suicide, so far as witness knew.

Edward Loveday, shoe finisher of 18 Oswald-road, said he knew the deceased but had not seen him lately, as deceased had been away from home. A few minutes after nine, Mrs. Butcher came into his house in a very agitated state, and asked him and his wife to come into her house as she feared there was something wrong with her husband who was in the back room upstairs. Witness went in, and in the back room upstairs found deceased lying on his back on the floor with his throat cut. Witness spoke to him, and he opened his eyes, but did not answer. Deceased had his hand at his throat holding something as if cutting his throat and after making a movement with his hand dropped his hand to the floor. Witness went out of doors and others went in, including Mr. Cure. Witness then went to give information to the police. Witness saw that deceased had cut his throat too badly for anyone to be able to save his life.

Dr. Baker said he knew the deceased, who suffered three years ago from melancholia for six or eight weeks. Deceased was naturally of a somewhat morbid turn of mind. Witness was called in just before ten o’clock that morning and found deceased lying on his back on the floor in the back bedroom, quite dead. His throat was cut very deeply, all the structures being severed to the spine. A razor was lying against his feet, and a small piece was broken off the tip as if it had caught against the spinal column. The cut must have been made in a very determined manner, and witness was satisfied that it was self-inflicted. Deceased had shaved himself that morning. He probably cut his throat while standing up and then fell to the floor.

Inspector Onan said it was the noise of a fall that attracted Mrs. Butcher’s attention, and when she called and got no answer she felt suspicious that something was wrong.

The jury found that deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane.