A painful tragedy occurred at Rushden on Tuesday evening. A young man named Rawlings, of Moor-road, Rushden, committed suicide by drowning himself in the river Nene late in the evening. The affair seems a mystery as the jury at the inquest were unable to arrive at any decision with regard to the condition of the young man’s mind. It would appear, however, that a quarrel between the lad and his fiancée took place some time ago, as a letter was found asking for forgiveness, etc. The affair has aroused a great deal of sympathy in Rushden, as the deceased was quite a favourite with his many friends.

A passer-by, who noticed a hat and coat on the bank of the river, at once notified the police. Sergt. Brumby dragged the river and soon brought out the lifeless body of the young man. The body was conveyed to the Queen Victoria Hotel, and the friends, who were getting anxious about the lad’s unusual absence, were informed of the sad occurrence.

An Inquest

was held at the Police Station on Wednesday afternoon before Mr. J. Cairns Parker, Deputy Coroner. The jurymen were Messrs. John Clark (High-street), Thos. S. Fuller, H. O. Miller, Wm. J. Neville, Chas W. Barker, Harry M. Seckington, Frederick Webster, W. Mole, Frank E. Wills, Harry Jackson, Wm. Taylor, and Arthur Prigmore. Mr. Webster was chosen foreman of the jury.

Arthur Rawlings, father of the deceased, shoe-hand, identified the body as that of his son Albert Arthur Rawlings, who was 21 years of age. He said: I last saw my son alive at 12.55 yesterday. He had his dinner and left in the usual way. I did not know at the time that my son had not been to work yesterday morning but have since heard so. He has had a slight illness recently and had a few days off from work. He has never threatened to take his own life, I know of no reason why he should. He did not seem at all strange and was in no financial trouble. My son used to walk out with a girl, but was not engaged to her. He had not mentioned any trouble with the girl and was not about to be married to her that I knew of. After his dinner he went up the garden, picked a rose and gave it to his sister, but made no remark. He had had no quarrel at home. He was staying with his young lady all the holiday week.

Jabez Skinner, currier, of 17, Succoth-place, Rushden, said he was walking on the tow path by the river Nene about 7 p.m. on Tuesday. He was informed of a hat and coat being on the bank. The coat was folded up and the hat lay on top. These were on the opposite side of the river to the tow path. There was no sign of a struggle having taken place. Witness stopped until Sergt. Brumby arrived, which was about an hour later. The body could be seen about five or six yards down stream from the clothes. Witness did not know deceased.

The Foreman of the Jury: Did he show any sign of life when you first saw him?

Witness: Not the slightest sign, sir.

Miriam Ager, 16, living at 33, Sartoris-road, Rushden, said: I knew Rawlings and had been walking out with him for 19 months. I last saw him alive about 1.25 p.m. yesterday. I asked him if he was going to work. He said “No,” but did not say why. I said “I am not going if you’re not.” He took me to work.

The Coroner: Why did you ask him whether he was going to work?

Witness: Because I heard at 10.30 that morning that he had not been.

I did not know why he had not been to work and when I asked him he would not tell me. We went for a walk together on Monday evening and left each other about 10.45, quite good friends. We have had no trouble.

The Coroner: Has he ever suggested marriage to you?

Witness: No, sir. I am only 16.

The Coroner: I know that.

Continuing, witness said: Last week he complained of a headache; he stayed at our house from Friday to Monday. He had had the pain nearly all the week and had lain on the couch all one day.

The Coroner: Has he ever threatened to commit suicide?

Witness: No, sir, and I know of no reason why he should.

The Coroner produced a letter which witness said was in her own handwriting, and showed the Coroner some of deceased’s handwriting.

The Coroner asked witness what a certain part of her letter meant – he did not want to read it out.

Witness said it was a joke that was about at the time.

Insp. Bailey: Where did you first see him yesterday?

Witness: I stood against Mr. Clark’s factory and saw him at the top of Midland-road. I followed him along the High-street and caught him up near Mr. Cartwright’s shop. I spoke to him there, and it was from there that he brought me back to where I work.

Insp. Bailey: Have you ever quarrelled?

Witness (reluctantly): Yes, sir, but it was a long time ago.

Insp. Bailey: Then why were you crying when you left him on Monday?

Witness: He walked along the street and I thought I saw him put his handkerchief to his eyes; there was no other reason for my crying.

The Foreman: It would be rather an unusual thing to be crying along the street if there was nothing the matter.

Mr. Barker: Do you usually cry when you leave him?

Witness: No, sir.

Insp. Bailey: Why did you on this occasion?

Witness would not reply.

The Coroner: We only want the truth; we are not blaming you.

Witness, however, refused to say why she was crying when they parted on Monday, persisting in the remark that there was no reason for it.

P.S. Brumby said: From information received I went to the river Nene and there saw a cap and jacket lying on the opposite side to the tow path. Deceased would have no right on that side of the river – he would be trespassing. I dragged the river and about five yards down stream from the coat I found the body. Deceased would have been dead about two hours or more at the least. I examined the body; there were no signs of a struggle having taken place.

Mr. Clark: What was the depth of the water?

Witness: About 8 ft.

In summing up the evidence the Coroner said that Sergt. Brumby had not called the doctor and he thought the sergeant had done quite right as he had had a good experience and would be able to form a good estimate of the time the body had been in the water. The Coroner had no doubt the deceased met his death by drowning. The point was, how did he get drowned. They might not be quite satisfied that deceased committed suicide, but there was another verdict, “found drowned,” they could give that if they were not sure that it was suicide. All the evidence was the hat and coat, and that would be taken as evidence that deceased took his own life, at most inquests, but there was no evidence to show the state of his mind.

The Coroner read a note which the sergeant said was in deceased’s box and in his own writing. It read: “Forgive and forget; my actions do not chide me. I loved you once but that love has died * * * the past we cannot recall. Promise that you will remain my friend; you cannot remain my lover.”

The jury returned a verdict of suicide but said that there was not sufficient evidence to show the state of deceased’s mind.