JOHN WEBB
DEATH BY DROWNING.
MELANLCHOLY END of an OLD NEWBURY TRADESMAN.
A startling and distressingly painful sensation was caused in Newbury early on Monday morning when the news became known that Mr. John Webb had had been found drowned in a water-butt on his own premises, in Northbrook-street. It was impossible to credit the story at first, as Mr. Webb was one the oldest and most highly-respected residents in the borough, having all through life been regarded as a man of the strictest integrity and commercial substantiality. Unfortunately, it was only too true.
A succession of illnesses which had befallen his daughters, appeared to have preyed upon his mind, and having himself suffered from a slight apoplectic stroke, besides being apparently harassed by worries of business, he became low-spirited and depressed, which was farther aggravated by insomnia. Strange fits of abstraction and absent-mindedness had alarmed the relatives, and they had taken steps to obtain medical advice, but Mr. Webb, believing himself to be suffering from no physical ailment, declined to allow the doctor to prescribe for his mental troubles. As recently as Wednesday, Dr. Wylie made a friendly call in the hope of eliciting some information as to his patient's condition, and thus be able to find a remedy. But Mr. Webb would neither describe his symptoms nor accept any medicines, his only physic being a harmless homeopathic sedative to combat the attacks of sleeplessness. Mr. Webb's condition, however, gave no cause for real anxiety, for excepting these times of despondency, be appeared in his usual bodily health.
On Sunday he attended divine service at the Wesleyan Chapel, as usual, and at night bade his sons "Good-night" in a cheery tone that gave no intimation of the melancholy event of the morrow. He was, by habit, an early riser, and when his son. Mr. Samuel Webb, saw his bedroom door shut at half-put six, he concluded that his father was taking an extra half-hour in bed. As, however, did not come down within a short time, he called his father, and getting no response, entered the room, only to find it unoccupied. He then concluded that his father had gone into the garden, and on his way thither to ascertain his whereabouts, was horrified to discover him head downwards in a water-butt. Not a moment was lost in releasing him and summonsing medical help, but death had taken place some time before.
The departed was a son of the late Mr. Thomas Webb, grocer and provision merchant of Northbrook-street, and in 1855 the business was transferred to his sons, Messrs. Charles and John, who continued in partnership for 28 years. Mr. Charles then retired, leaving the business in the hands of Mr. John Webb and his sons, by whom it has been continued until the present time. Mr. John Webb was a man of reserved temperament, and although he took no prominent part in public life, he was intimately identified with several town institutions, notably the Building Society, of which be was a trustee. He was a member the Wesleyan body, to whose interest he devoted himself, being one of the trustees and a leading promoter of the scheme for building the Wesley Hall. Deceased enjoyed the universal esteem of his fellow townsmen both with regard to personal character and business capacity. It is therefore inexpressibly sad that a long life so well and honourably spent should after passing its three-score years and ten, end in the distressing manner described below.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest was held on Monday evening in the Park-street Hall, before the borough coroner (Dr. Watson, J.P.) and a jury, of whom Mr. George Paulin was foreman.
The Coroner said they were met to enquire into the death of their fellow townsman, Mr. John Webb, a member of a well-known and highly respected family, whose sad death was a source of great sorrow to all of them.
Mr. Samuel Webb, son of the deceased, identified the body as that of his father. For the last three weeks his father had been much depressed, and frequently said that he felt his brain was giving way.
The Coroner - Has he ever had any ides of doing away with his life?
Mr.Webb - None whatever.
Had you or the family fear of the kind? —No.
Is there any special cause for depression more this the ordinary things of life’s? —Nothing except family troubles, illness and affliction. Dr. Wyllie had been attending my father.
Mr. Webb further said— At 6.30 a m. this morning I came downstairs, and passing my father's door I found it shut, and naturally concluded that he was resting. At ten minutes to seven I knocked at his door, and getting no response, opened it. He was not in his room, and I searched several rooms in the house. Not finding him there, I concluded that he was in the garden. and on passing the shed on the way to the garden, I found him in the water-butt, head downwards, his legs protruding from the top. My man, Walter Wentworth. was coming to his work at the time, and we immediately lowered the butt. We withdrew the body, and found that he was quite dead. I sent for medical help, and Dr. Clarke and Dr. Wyllie came. There was a box by the side of the butt, and he had placed his hat upon that. Being a tall man he would have no difficulty in getting into the butt.
The Coroner— It must have been a premeditated thing, he could not have fallen in accidentally of course?
Mr. Webb—No.
Witness said that when his father retired the previous night be said “Good-night, boys" in a most cheerful voice. His father had been very vacant for some time, and been absent-minded. He had no business troubles, but the illness of his two daughters had worried him.
In reply a to a juryman, Mr. Webb said the servant heard his father get up at a quarter-to-five. He had been accustomed all his life to rise early. He had suffered from sleeplessness for a long time.
The Coroner— Had he taken anything to remedy It, say narcotic?
Mr. Webb - Not narcotic, but something homeopathic.
Dr. Wyllie said—l am the medical attendant of the diseased, and I last saw him on Wednesday at the request of his brother's wife, Mrs. Charles Webb. He refused to regard me as a medical man, and seemed upset at my visit, declaring himself perfectly well in body, but worried about business and his family's illness. I did not prescribe for him because he said he did not want anything. I tried every way to find out what was worrying him, but he said I could do him no good. He asked me if small doses of sulphonal* would benefit him.
The Coroner said sulphonal was a sedative, and he did not know that any harm would accrue from its use.
M. Dr. Wyllie—l did not give him any. I was called this morning by his son, Mr. Sam Webb and corroborate what he has said.
The Coroner—There was nothing on Wednesday to suggest that ho would take his life?
Dr. Wyllie—Nothing whatever. I attended him six months ago for a slight apoplectic seizure, and he has never been right since. He told me he was afraid that his business was going wrong, which was altogether erroneous. He thought everything was going wrong, and took on himself the fault of his children's illness. He had had a great deal of worry.
The Foreman - Is it your opinion, doctor, that his brain was affected, and that he was not responsible for his actions?
Dr. Wyllie— Yes, clearly so.
The Coroner said it was very conclusive that deceased's mind was unhinged by troubles. many of which were probably hypothetical. He was evidently not responsible for actions, and acting on a sudden resolve had taken hie life.
The Foreman—Our verdict must be that he committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind.
Mr. G. Mathews—Was it possible for him to have fallen into the butt?
Mr. Woodger—We have not heard the height al the butt.
P.C. Mansbridge — lt was about 3ft. 6in.
Mr. Ashdown— If he had had another seizure whilst examining the water-butt, he might have fallen in.
The Coroner—That is possible, but it is a question which no one can clear up. There is the fact of the hat being placed on the box; had he fallen his hat would have been on his head. I fear that there is no question that in his troubles, fancied or otherwise, that he deliberately got into the water butt.
Mr. S. Webb - It was absolutely impossible for him to fallen in.
The Jury then returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind.”
The Coroner said he was sure the Jury would share with the with the bereaved family. The deceased was widely known and highly respected in Newbury. During the 25 years he had held inquests he had never one which caused him great sorrow for although he had no personal acquaintance with the deceased, he had known him as a townsman for some 40 years.
The Foreman - We all share in the sympathy which you have expressed with the family.
Mr. F. C. Hopson—The deceased was a man of the highest probity, and some of us have known him intimately for many years.
Note:
*Sulphonal is a substance employed as a hypnotic, produced by the union of mercaptan and acetone
