rather commit twenty suicides. A discharged pistol was found by his side, when he was discovered on the floor, and Mr. Sellman stated that the produced weapon had been purchased from him by the deceased. Verdict – “Death by suicide while temporarily insane”.
Alfred Waters, a tailor, at Undercliff terrace, was the subject of the next inquest, he having been drowned while skating. He had gone with some other young men on Sunday, the 19th of January, to the Buckhole(sic) reservoir, and was there seen to skate across the centre of the frozen pond and fall forward, where the ice was only about an inch thick and the water ten feet deep. He sank immediately, but held on to the frozen surface for a few minutes, during which time, branches of trees and clothes prop were thrown towards him, but without avail. His body was afterwards got out and taken to the Wheatsheaf inn, where the inquest was held, and a verdict given of “Accidental Death”.
The strange coincidence of four occurrences within four days, resulting in four deaths, all at St. Leonards and all requiring investigation by a coroner’s jury, was recorded in the St. Leonards Gazette of January 25th. The fourth case to be here briefly described was that of
Signor Riccardi. This gentleman attempted self destruction on the 17th of January (same day on which Charles Blake destroyed himself), and having afterwards died, an inquest was held at the Norman hotel. From the evidence there taken it appeared that deceased was a teacher of singing that he had lodged at Miss Kitt’s, 10 St. Margaret’s terrace about a fortnight; that he complained of having a cold, and sent for Mr. Savery, who advised him to keep in bed, and he did so. At two o’clock on the morning of the 17th, a loud knocking was heard, and Miss Kitt called up Major Wirgman, another lodger, who went into Riccardi’s room, and was told by the unfortunate man that he had a pain in his head and that a great blow had happened to him that night. Dr. Turner was sent for, to whom Ricardi(sic) said he was very ill and was going to die. The doctor stayed with the patient half an hour, and gave him an opium pill in a little brandy. At six o’clock on the same morning, Major Wirgman, having been called up again, went into Riccardi’s room, where he found the bed empty, two large pools of blood on the sheets, and the deceased lying against the wall. Dr. Turner was again sent for, who found the deceased on the floor, with his throat cut from ear to ear, two or three punctured wounds on the left side of his chest, and a wound on the abdomen. The wounds were dressed by Dr. Turner and Mr. Savery, and the patient rallied until the 22nd, when he died. The verdict of the jury was “Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity”.
