A coroner’s inquiry touching the death of Nathaniel Perkins was held at the Police Station, Rushden, on Tuesday before Mr. Cairns Parker (deputy coroner). The jurymen comprised Messrs. W. Desborough (foreman), Henry Chettle, H. Cartwright, F. Tassell, H. Bates, F. Wilkins, B. Jarvis, A. Okins, G. W. Bates, H. Seckington, A. Martin, and H. Jackson.

Louisa Corbett, 11, Midland-road, Rushden, daughter of the deceased, said: The body just viewed by the jury is that of my father, Nathaniel Perkins. He has been in the Wellingborough Union. For a number of years he was a Council employee. He said he was 71 years of age, and for about six years had been in the workhouse. He came out last Wednesday and went to stay with his nephew, Harry Bird, at Higham Ferrers. He had only come out for a day or two. I last saw him on Friday night about 6.30 when he complained of being in terrible pain. He seemed very depressed and miserable. Several times he remarked that he was tired of his life and should do something to relieve him of his agony. He made such threats on this occasion, but as he had made these statements before I did not take much notice of him. At times he had taken drink, but not latterly. He did not appear strange in his head.

Ira Scroxton, finisher, of 102, High-street South, Rushden, said: On Monday at 9.30 a.m. I was walking by the side of the river in the parish of Rushden when I saw a jacket and cap on the bank near the Old Staunch. I saw a man’s body in the water about five or six yards from the bank. There was no sign of any movement. I left information at P.C. Powell’s house at Higham, but he was not at home. I went to Rushden, gave information at the police station, and returned to the spot with P.S. Beale. The body was in the same position, as also were the jacket and cap. At the spot at which the body was found there is a sharp bend in the river, where one might walk in accidentally. I identified deceased when he was got out.

Harry Bird, boot blocker, Higham Ferrers, said: Deceased was a relative of mine by marriage. He used to come out of the workhouse and stay a few days with me occasionally. He last paid me such a visit on Thursday evening. He told me he had been very ill in the workhouse with an internal complaint. He did not seem well when he came to me and complained of terrible agony. He seemed to brighten up a little. Yesterday morning, when I last saw him, he left our house about 9.15 but did not say where he was going. He usually went out after his breakfast. On Thursday evening, after having described the agony he had endured, he said he would rather jump in the river than go through it again. He did not repeat the threat yesterday morning. I know of no reason why he should commit suicide. His wife is alive, but he has not lived with her for some years. He always found a home with me.

P.S. Beale, Rushden, said: On Monday, about 11 a.m., from information received from the witness Scroxton, I and P.C. Mobbs accompanied him to the River Nene, at a spot known as the Staunch, where I found the coat, cap and stick produced. About five yards from the bank I saw the body of a man floating face downwards in the water. I got him out with the drag and found him quite dead. The water at the spot where I found him was about eight feet deep. There were no marks of violence on the body. The clothing all bore the stamp of the Wellingborough Union. I procured a vehicle and conveyed him to the Victoria Hotel. There were marks on the bank and in the mud corresponding with deceased’s boots, showing that he had walked into the water. His clothing showed no sign of any struggle, nor were there any marks of any struggle on the ground. In his pockets were two handkerchiefs, a knife, and a tobacco box.

The Coroner said they had not considered it necessary to call a doctor as the case seemed perfectly clear. They would have no difficulty in deciding that death was due to drowning. The sergeant’s evidence showed that deceased walked through the mud into the deep water, and the evidence of the other witnesses pointed to deceased having suffered considerable pain.

The jury’s verdict was to the effect that deceased drowned himself whilst temporarily insane.