SUICIDE OF A BLUECOAT BOY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 225, 22 September 1877, Page 4

SUICIDE OF A BLUECOAT BOY.

On the Hth July, Mr Payne held an inquiry in the infirmary of Christ's Hospital, Newp-aie- street, concerning the death of William Arthur Gibbs, one of the scholars of the hospital, who committed suicide by hanging. William Gihbs, a glass- painter, of 397, Kings-land-road, identified the body of the deceased as that of his son. He was 12 years of age. Deceased was naturally of an open and kindly disposition, but was possessed of a somewhat stubborn temper. He had been for several years at the school belonging to the hospital at Hertford, and came to Loodon just after the Easter holidays. Since then he had ran away twice, the first time about three weeks ago, and the other on Monday last. On the first occasion witness took him back to the school, and he afterwards received a flogging with the birch as a punishment. On Monday afternoon last deoeased ran away again, and on the next day witness told deceased that he mußt return to the school, when the latter said, "Dear pa, I will never remain under that monitor as long as I live; I would rather hang myself." Witness remonstrated with the deceased for talking in such a manner, and then he aaid, "He beats roe craelly, he is a tyrant ; he has been so since the athletic, sports were held, when I won three prizes." The deceased Baid he had not complained of the conduct of the monitor, as no notice would have been taken if he had done so, and he would have been treated worse than ever. Witness then got a friend of his to take deceased back to the school. At the parting deceased said, "Do you forgive me, pa ? " and the witness answered, "Yes I do." Tbey then parted, and he never saw him alive after. (Witness here wept bitterly.) Deceased also told him that when at the baths some time previously, the monitor held him under water for some time, and frequently made him " fag." —Major Brackenbury, the warden of the school, said the deceased never made a complaint to him. Monitors were not allowed to inflict any punishment.—Mary Perrin, assistant nurse, deposed to taking breakfast up to the deceased, all of which he ate, and at half-past 10, when be was locked in alone in the infirmary, he appeared quite cheerful. At 20 minutes to 12 ahe found him suspended by fche cord attached to the ventilator in the window. His feet were nearly touching the ground.--Mr Alder Smith, the surgeon, gave evidence as to the cause of death being strangulation by hanging. Herbert Arthur Copeland, aged 15, said he was one of the monitors over tbe deceased. Deceased was not a good boy. He was quarrelsome and determined, and he had had rows with the deceased about his untidiness. He had no power to strike a boy, but had several times struck the deceased and made him cry. He did this because the deceased told untruths. Deceased aoted tas his " fag " sometimes, though he was paid for it. Daceaaed fought with aaother lad during religious instruction on Sunday last, and for thiß he was to have been reported to the head master on the following day, when he left school. Witness believed that the deceased was going Jo complain to the head master about Mr Mackay, one of the junior masters, for knocking bim about* Could not assign any reason for deceased's suicide. The Rev. Charles A. Lee, M.A., the head master, said that he could not understand Copeland'a statement as to the disturbance at the religious instruction, aa there was so much supervision. The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity."