Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 8 January 1898.

HANGED WHILST AT PLAY. PECULIAR CASE AT BLEAN.

The East Kant Cornier (R. M. Mercer, Esq.) held an inquest on Saturday, at the "Peacock Inn," Blean, on the body of Frank Price, aged 15, who is supposed to have hanged himself whilst at play.

William Price, a woodman, stated that deceased was his son. He was in the employ of the Rev. G. W. Temple, at the Vicarage, as house boy. Witness last saw him alive at 6.50 the previous day. He had breakfast with deceased, who afterwards started off to the Vicarage to his work. He had to get there by seven o'clock. He seemed in his usual health and spirits. He had nothing that witness knew of to trouble him. Witness went to the stable at one o'clock and saw deceased lying there. He noticed the rope, part of which was tied to a beam and part on the floor. The rope was one they used for drawing water from the tank; it was kept in the stable. Deceased was a quiet boy. When he left home he asked his mother to buy him some clips to put on his boots that day.

Rev. George William Temple, vicar of Blean, deposed that he last saw deceased about 9.30 a.m. the previous day in his greenhouse. Witness left him at work on the vines. Witness returned about 11 o’clock and went to the greenhouse, but did not find deceased. He called him and went into the house and asked the servants whether they had seen him anywhere else. They said they had not, but suggested he might have gone for some fowl corn. Witness went towards the stable, the doors were open and he saw deceased face downwards towards him hanging suspended by a cord from the iron rod across the stable roof. His feet were about 4 feet from the ground. Witness ran in, opened his knife and cut him down at once. Witness fell with deceased's weight. Witness laid him out on the floor and instantly released the rope round his neck. He then went to the house for assistance and brandy. They tried for some minutes to restore him, but he was dead, and witness thought so when he found him. The body was quite warm. Witness knew nothing that should induce deceased to take his life. He had recently had some extra work given him which seemed to give him great satisfaction. He was inclined to waste his time and play about.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased was playing and accidentally hanged himself.