Determined Suicide at Newton Club: At the Newton Abbot Town Hall, yesterday, Mr. R. Hacker, County Coroner, held an inquest relative to the death of Harry Brealey, who was found death at the Constitutional Club on Saturday afternoon. Mr. E. J. Hobbs was elected foreman of the Jury: Frank Brealey, of 1 Highbank, Coronation Road, Newton Abbot, identified the deceased as his younger brother Harry, aged 28, by occupation, an accountant in the employ of Mr. Pinsent. He was a bachelor, living with his mother … (discussion of state of mind) … His mother informed him that the deceased had not been home to dinner, and a member of Mr. Pinsent’s staff had been to tell her that the deceased had not been at the office since 9.30 that morning … Mrs. Brealey, mother of the deceased, said she knew of nothing which could throw any light upon her son’s death. He was very regular with his habits. He left home, as usual, about nine on Saturday morning to go to Mr. Pinsent’s. During the last week or two the deceased had not been in quite his usual spirits but appeared quite cheerful on Saturday morning. … She had been in at about eleven o’clock, and finding the deceased busy, said she would clear it after he left. Witness went to the door of the room and found it locked. Soon after Mr. Pinsent’s clerk came and asked if he had seen anything of Mr. Brearly, and the family was communicated with. … (discussion of death by poison – morphia) … William Swayne Pinsent, brewer, and wine merchant, said the deceased has been in his employ as an accountant for about six months. He came to the office about 9 a.m. on Saturday last and left about 9.35 a.m., not coming back. Deceased’s accounts and money matters were all perfectly correct. He had been in no trouble at the office. …
[see similar Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Tuesday 1st December 1903]
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive
Referenced
GRO0911 Devonport: William Swain Pinsent: 1843 – 1920