South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 23 October 1860.

DETERMINED SUICIDE BY SWALLING LAUDANUM.

An inquest was held at the "Morden Arms Tavern," Troytown, on Thursday last, before B. Marsh, Esq., deputy coroner, on the body of Mr. George Brown, aged 22, a clerk in the employ of Mr. Ball, contractor, Strood, who committed suicide that morning by swallowing a considerably amount of laudanum.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Brown deposed that the deceased was her son and resided with her in Queen Street, Troy town. Deceased came home about half-past seven on the previous evening, and sat by the fire smoking for a short time, when he complained of being tired and rose up for the purpose of going to bed. before leaving the room he asked for some milk which was in a cup on his table, and witness gave it him, about a quarter of a pint. He then took a light and went to bed, but had not been up stairs long when he called out for another candle, which witness took him, remaining, as she gave it him, that he should not go to bed until he had put the light out. Deceased shortly afterwards extinguished the light, and in about ten minutes after witness heard a kind of groaning noise proceeding from his bed-room. She at once hastened upstairs, when she found him lying insensible on the bed, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. On looking round the room witness perceived that he had drunk the milk, the empty cup in which it had been having a very strange smell. Witness called for assistance and afterwards despatched a messenger for Mr. Beavan, surgeon, who soon arrived. Deceased died at about seven the next morning. When deceased came home on the previous evening he appeared to be poorly, and seemed as if he had a cold. For two or three days previously he had appeared to be very dull, but witness did not know of his being in any trouble. He had been through a great deal of exertion, but had not complained.

Mr. Beavan, surgeon, Eastgate, said he was called to the deceased between one and two that morning, and found him insensible, lying on his right side, breathing heavily, and having the appearance of suffering from the effects of a narcotic poison. The drinking cup handed to witness smells strongly of laudanum. Witness had a mustard emetic prepared, but deceased could not swallow it, and witness then fetched the stomach pump, which he used. Various other remedies were continued by him for upwards of three hours but without effect, as deceased never rallied and died about seven o'clock. Witness searched the room and found six empty bottles all labelled "poison," the whole of them having contained laudanum, the aggregate quantity being nine drachms, two drachms and a half being sufficient to cause death. There was no doubt that deceased came by his death by swallowing an overdose of laudanum.

The jury immediately returned a verdict that deceased destroyed himself during a fit of temporary insanity. It is a somewhat remarkable circumstance that the father of the deceased committed suicide, and two sisters of the deceased are now suffering from mental derangement. No cause, whatever, can be assigned for the committal of the rash act.