From the Whitstable Times, 10 September, 1870.

FAVERSHAM. THE SUICIDE BY WILLIAM JAMES NUTT.

On Friday evening, T. T. Delasaux, Esq., County Coroner, and a respectable jury, of whom Mr. H. Kirby was chosen foreman, held an inquest at the “Railway Hotel,” on the body of William James Nutt, who had committed suicide by poisoning himself.

George Sinden deposed:— Last evening about a quarter to seven o'clock, I had occasion to go into Mr. T. Terry’s stable, and there saw the deceased lying on some straw. He was quite dead. I had known him for the last two years, but had not been in the habit of being in his company. I last saw him alive on Sunday. I do not know where he has been living of late, but I have known him to sleep in the stable. I cannot speak as to his state of mind.

Mr. Patrick James Norris, surgeon, who is at present managing Dr. Gange’s practice, said:— Last evening I attended at Mr. Terry's Stable and examined the body of the deceased. He was dead, and I should think he had been so for six or seven hours. From his appearance I believe he died from taking a narcotic. The two bottles now produced have recently contained laudanum.

The Coroner:— But for the bottles being found, should you have been able to form an opinion as to the cause of death?

Witness:— Not so well; but I might have been led to form an opinion.

By the Foreman:— The bottles having been found I do not think it is necessary to make a post-mortem examination.

Mr. John Hicks, chemist, in charge of Mr. Wood’s business, deposed:- I have this day seen the body of the deceased and I identify it as that of a person who came to the shop between eight and nine o’clock on Wednesday evening. He had one of his hands wrapped in a handkerchief. He said he had a bad hand, and asked for some ointment for it; with which I supplied him. He then asked for threepenny-worth of laudanum. I asked him what he wanted it for, and he replied that it was not for himself, but for a person who was in the habit of taking laudanum. I supplied him with half-an-ounce in one of the bottles produced. It is not at all an unusual thing for a person to ask for half-an-ounce of laudanum. Two drams would destroy life.

Mr. Frederick William Underdown, chemist, Market-place, said:— The deceased came to my shop on Wednesday evening and asked for four drams of laudanum. I asked him if he was in the habit of taking laudanum, and he said “Yes.” I supplied him with the quantity asked for, and labelled the bottle “Poison,” printed in red ink. I cautioned the deceased, and told him to be careful how he used it.

William Bailey, brick maker, said:— I have known the deceased about seven months. I last saw him alive on Wednesday evening. I was in his company from seven till a quarter to nine. I met him in Preston-Street, and we went to the “Swan” and had some beer. Another man named Manouch was with us. When we left the “Swan” deceased went across to Mr. Wood’s shop, saying he wanted to get something for his hand. When he came out of the shop he showed me two bottles, and, pointing to his hand, said “This is the stuff, Bill” We went to the “Limes Hotel,” and the deceased left at a quarter to nine. He was then rather tipsy. During the evening he talked a good deal about his wife. He had been living apart from her for some time. He said he wanted to see her, and get her to make it up, and not seeing her seemed to prey upon his mind. He has appeared strange during the last three weeks, and twice he told me he should make off with himself.

Sergeant Bassett deposed to being called to the stable on Wednesday evening. He found the ointment produced in deceased’s pocket. One of the bottles produced was lying by his left hand, and the other was under his person. They were both wrapped in paper. There was also 1s. 1d. in his pocket.

The Coroner, in summing up, said the jury could have no doubt as to the cause of death—that the deceased took the contents of the two bottles found by his body, and that that was the cause of death. The question for their consideration was whether the evidence of Bailey was sufficient to justify them in saying the deceased was in a state of insanity; if not, then their verdict must be felo de see, the consequences of which he need not explain. For his own part he was easily satisfied on that point, because he did not believe any man of sound mind would destroy his own life. However, it was for the jury and not him to decide.

The jury at once returned a verdict “That the deceased destroyed himself by taking a narcotic while in a state of unsound mind.”

The father of deceased was present, and stated that his son had not been right since last winter, when he underwent a painful operation.

From the Faversham Times, Saturday 21 January 1939.

LICENSING.

At the Faversham Borough Petty Sessions on Wednesday. Mr. J. R. Wortham, of the "Railway Hotel," was granted an occasional license at the Institute on February 1st from 6 p.m. to 12.30 for the dinner and dance of the North East Grocers' Association.