Children of Edwin and Louisa Pollard

POLLARD—BRAINE.—March 11th, at St. Mary's, Old Town, Eastbourne, Samuel, eldest son of the late Edwin Pollard, of Sherborne, Dorset, to Louisa, widow of the late Edwin H. Braine, of Eastbourne.

DRINK AND SUICIDE

Watchmaker's Sad End.

SCENE AT THE INQUEST

WITNESS REPROVED FOR LAUGHING.

A JUROR'S SEARCHING QUESTIONS.

Painful disclosures of intemperance and domestic unhappiness were made on Saturday afternoon, when the East Sussex Coroner (Dr. G. Vere Benson, of Lewes, held an inquest at the Leaf Hall, Eastbourne, on the body of Samuel Pollard, a journeyman watchmaker, of 7, Willowfield-road.

Mr Frank Sogno was chosen as foreman of the jury which also included Mr. A. Riddle, Mr. J.E. Wadey, Mr. F. Featherston, Mr. W.R. Whiting, Mr. C. Whiting, Mr. W.R. Mockett, Mr. Cris. H. Moorton, Mr. R. Dyer, Mr. F. Pattenden, Mr. Goddard, Mr. J.W. Hobbs and Mr. L.V. Hobbs. The police were represented by Inspector C. Miles and Constable R. King.

DELIRIUM DURING THE NIGHT.

Jane Rosina Pollard, widow of deceased, was the first witness. She is a middle aged woman with light brown hair and a florid complexion and she wears spectacles (pince-nez).

Replying to the Coroner, she said—My husband, who was sixty years of age, was a watchmaker by trade. I last saw him alive at nine o'clock yesterday morning when he was in the kitchen. He came down brushing the case of a watch, and he had a glass of stout.

Was it his habit to take stout so early?—Unfortunately—lately.

Has he been taking more than he ought lately?—Yes; I think so.

That would go a long way to account for this dreadful act of his. Has he been exceeding to a great extent? Has be been taking spirits, or beer, or stout?—Well, he took a little of each.

Where did he get it?—He brought in spirits, but I hid it away from him. He did not obtain the drink from any of the houses around here as I had stopped it.

I suppose he was subject to occasional breaking out in regard to drink?—Yes. At other times he would be as good as gold.

When did he have the last breaking out?—Quite a month ago, I should think.

Was he obliged to have the doctor then?—I doctored him myself. I did not bring the doctor in more than I could help because it made so much expense.

I daresay you did it as well as any other doctor?—I gave him as much nourishment as I could to stop his craving for drink.

Was he delirious?—Through the night. After taking the stout he went upstairs. I was busy, and when I went up I saw him hanging in front of the door. I had not heard a sound. His face was as black as coal. It gave me a shock, I can assure you. He had driven the nail into the cupboard door.

PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT SUICIDE.

Mrs. Pollard, further questioned by the Coroner, said—He (deceased) tried to do it twice before. The second time he woke me up in the night and said, "Jenny, take this cord off my neck. It won't hold me. I shall have to get one. I shall not do it now." That was about two months ago.

How long ago was the first attempt made?—Well, of course I could not tell you. This has all occurred during the past year. We were married in December. The time he was in bed he had a cord with a loose knot. He put it on to strangle himself. (Witness concluded her remarks with a laugh).

The Coroner (gravely)—I don't think it was a laughing matter.

Mrs. Pollard—I thought it was a laughing matter at the time, when he woke me up out of my sleep. If he wanted to do it, why didn't he do it?

The Coroner—It is no laughing matter now he has taken his life. What he tried to do on the other occasions was to commit a very serious crime.

Mrs. Pollard—Yes; it is a serious crime.

Mr J.W. Hobbs—If I were a wife I should not make it a laughing matter at an inquest.

Mr. Sogno (to witness)—Your domestic relations have been unhappy since the time of your marriage? You have not lived happily with your husband?

Mrs. Pollard—On account of his drinking.

Mr. Sogno—He was not a drunkard before you married him. I have known him for thirty years.

Mrs. Pollard—I cannot say anything.

Mr. Cris. Moorton—I am not acquainted with the procedure of coroner's inquests, and, being somewhat nervous, I have written down some questions. I have known Mr. Pollard for some twenty-six or twenty-seven years and I should like to ask these questions. Of course they have not been prompted. They have formed themselves in my mind since I was summoned to serve on the jury. You say he was delirious the night previous to his death?

Mrs. Pollard—No, I did not.

The Coroner—I understood you to say so.

Mrs. Pollard—He had no sleep all the night and I know I was kept awake.

Mr. Moorton—Do you think you did the right thing the next morning in going out to get drink?

Mrs. Pollard—Well, if I had not got it he would have gone out himself. Then he would have stopped out the whole of the day. No one would have brought him home.

Mr. Moorton—Would not it have been the right course to have fetched the doctor?

Mrs. Pollard—I have often fetched the doctor. That is where £9 is owing now.

A JUROR'S QUESTIONS RESENTED.

Mr. Moorton—Since you were married has your conduct been perfectly moral?

The Coroner—I don't think you had better ask that question.

Mr. Moorton—As regards domestic trouble has Mr. Pollard had no cause for suspicion as to your moral conduct?

Mrs. Pollard—I am not obliged to answer you on an untruth! No, I will have no more of it. I am before judge and jury. You mind your business!

Mr. Moorton—It is my business as a juror. Of course if I am out of order the Coroner will rule that I am.

Mrs. Pollard—He told you so just now.

The Coroner (to Mr. Moorton)—I don't think you can ask this witness to make admissions of that sort. She has refused to answer. You must be satisfied with that.

Mr. Moorton—I think there have been frequent quarrels?

Mrs. Pollard—Of course you don't mind your own business.

Mr. Moorton—I am minding my business as a juryman.

Mr. J.W. Hobbs—Quite right.

The Coroner—It is a simple question. Have there been frequent quarrels?

Mrs. Pollard—Yes, on and off.

Mr. Moorton—Will you tell the jury what have been the causes of these quarrels?

Mrs. Pollard—The majority have been due to drink and my jealousy. I will tell you straight.

Mr. Moorton—Was Mr. Pollard a drunkard before his marriage?

Mrs. Pollard—According to what I can hear of it. I shall not say what I don't know. I do not know that he was a moderate drinker.

Mr. Moorton—Recently he has given way to drink a great deal?

Mrs. Pollard—That is not my fault.

Mr. Moorton—Don't you think the trouble has arisen in consequence of Mr. Pollard gaining the knowledge of your going to public-houses with other men?

Mrs. Pollard—Certainly not! No!

"HOW DARE YOU?"

Mr. Moorton—Have you been cautioned?

Mrs. Pollard (angrily)—You dare to say such a thing against my character! How dare you!

Mr. Moorton—I do dare to do my duty as a juryman.

Mrs. Pollard—I say you tell an untruth then. I have myself to speak up for, and you have no right to say such a thing against me.

The Coroner—If you asked what is untrue you can deny it.

Mrs. Pollard—Yes. I do deny it.

The Coroner—I think you will serve your interest best by denying it firmly, and not by losing your temper.

Mr. Moorton—Have you been cautioned in any public-house?

Mrs. Pollard—I suppose I can go in with a relation?

Mr. Moorton—Mrs. Pollard, this was not a relation. Have you been cautioned about going into a public-house with strange men?

Mrs. Pollard—By whom? You have never seen me in a public-house with strange men. What you accuse me of is going to a public-house with my old "guv'nor," to whom I was housekeeper for twelve months at Waldron.

Mr. Moorton—Is that the only occasion?

Mrs. Pollard—Since I have been a married woman. Never mind what I did before. That has nothing to do with you. I suppose that when I am letting rooms I can admit to my house anyone I like.

A QUESTION DISALLOWED.

Mr. Moorton—This is the last and most important question. Before you were married did Mr. Pollard know——

Mr. Riddle—I don't think he can put that at all. I think that is unfair.

The Coroner—I don't see the bearing on our enquiry. Our object is to ascertain how deceased came by his death. In the second place if there is any obvious reason, it is right it should be brought up. I think it is quite enough to have the admission of the wife that the relations were not happy. She says they were due to his drinking and her jealousy of him. There may have been jealousy on both sides. It is quite fair, perhaps, to suggest that he had reasons for jealousy; but I do not think you can ask this witness to give an account of her previous life.

STATEMENTS BY JURORS.

Mr. J.W. Hobbs—I knew Mr. Pollard for twenty years, and never saw him the worse for drink.

Mr. Riddle—I knew him for 23 years. I was a personal friend for ten years, and as far as I knew he was a very abstemious man. For the last twelve months I think that he has probably taken occasionally a little more than has been good for him. He knew him when he was at Walkers's.

MRS. POLLARD FURTHER QUESTIONS.

Mr. Goddard (to witness)—Have you been in the habit of accompanying your husband on his drinking bouts?

Mrs. Pollard—Well, to take care of him.

Mr. Goddard—Oh; to take care of him.

Mrs. Pollard—Yes, to take care of him.

Mr. C. Whiting put a question as to deceased's alleged first attempt to commit suicide.

Mrs. Pollard—I took a nail out, and he knocked another in at the same place. He said, "I am going to hang myself. I don't think the nail would have been strong enough for me."

By the Coroner—When I found deceased hanging yesterday I ran out and called Mr. Sympson.

A WITNESS COMMENDED.

Edward Sympson, a middle-aged man, was next called and said—Yesterday morning the last witness told me that her husband was hanging by a rope and that she wanted me to see to him. She was much agitated and excited. I found deceased at the top of his house in a workshop. He was hanging by the neck, his toes almost touching the ground. I cut him down at once. The nail, I should say, was about 7ft. from the ground. Deceased was a very short man—not above 5ft. He put his head in the noose and dropped down. He was a heavy man for his size.

Mr. Sogno—Probably the fall severed the spinal cord.

Witness—The doctor said that deceased's neck was too strong for that. The bed was only about 1 ft. from the wall. Dr. Bailey and Dr. Bryce Maucalay came to the house. Dr Bailey said that it was impossible that the neck could have been broken because deceased fell such a little way. Death was due to suffocation. The rope was embedded in the neck, and I found it a difficult matter to cut deceased down.

Mr. J.W. Hobbs considered that witness' action was very creditable. It often happened that the first person called in went away to get assistance instead of cutting the body down at once.

In reply to a juror, witness said that he got to the house at about ten minutes past ten.

The Coroner remarked that deceased must have been in a condition bordering on delirium tremens, and it was a great pity that the witness did not call in a doctor.

Mr. Goddard—Especially in view of previous attempts.

Mr. Sympson—I should mention that Mr. Paul (a gardener) was with me. As soon as I got the body down I sent for a doctor.

Mr. J.W. Hobbs—I saw deceased the night before. I simply met him in the street.

HER THIRD HUSBAND.

Mr. Sogno—Was he your third husband, Mrs. Pollard?

Mrs. Pollard—Yest.

Mr. C. Whiting—Was he in financial difficulties?

Mrs. Pollard—Yes; decidedly.

The Coroner—He was in work?

Mrs. Pollard—He had not done any for a week.

The Coroner—What was the reason of that?

Mrs Pollard—It was because he had been having a little too much.

VERDICT.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity.

SCENE AT A FUNERAL.

The funeral of a suicide named Samuel Pollard, at Eastbourne yesterday, was characterised by disgraceful scenes. Great feeling existed against the widow, who came in for loud hisses and booing, both upon leaving the house and on returning. The police kept the crowd back when Mrs. Pollard left the house to enter a carriage, but the booing continued until the hearse had left the road. At the graveside people made obnoxious remarks to Mrs. Pollard, and followed her to the carriage. One woman gathered a handful of gravel and shingle and threw at the widow. Further disturbance took place upon returning home, and the police had to make a passage way for the woman through the crowd, which continued to hoot. Among the things thrown at her was a bag of flour.

PELTED AT A FUNERAL.

GRAVEL AND FLOUR HURLED AT SUICIDE'S WIDOW.

The funeral of a suicide named Samuel Pollard, at Eastbourne yesterday, was characterised by disgraceful scenes. Great feeling existed against the widow, who came in for loud hisses and booing, both upon leaving the house and on returning.

The police kept the crowd back when Mrs. Pollard left the house to enter a carriage, but the booing continued until the hearse had left the road. A portion of the crowd followed on foot to Ocklynge Cemetery, and others filled a motor-'bus going in that direction. On passing the cortege the occupants of the motor-'bus again hooted loudly. At the graveside people made obnoxious remarks to Mrs. Pollard, and followed her to the carriage. One woman gathered a handful of gravel and shingle and threw at the widow.

Further disturbance took place upon returning home, and the police had to make a passage way for the woman through the crowd, which continued to hoot. Among the things thrown at her was a bag of flour. Police were put on special duty outside the house all the evening, and kept moving the crowd away.

SERIOUS CHARGES.—On Saturday, Edwin Pollard, 15 years of age, apprentice to Mr. Adams, jeweller, Half Moon-street, was charged before Mr. E. Benthall, with stealing watches, chains, brooches, and other valuable articles, the property of his master. The prisoner was remanded. The greater portion of the stolen property has been recovered, but one watch and chain, Pollard says, he was robbed of in Bristol.—On Tuesday, before the same magistrate, Samuel Webb, aged 16, apprentice to Mr. Hayward, linendraper, Cheap-street, was charged with having received some of the articles purloined by Pollard, knowing them to have been stolen. He was also remanded, his father-in-law, a respectable dairyman at Haselbury, becoming bail. Webb is said by his associate, Pollard, to have supplied him with collars and shirt fronts, &c., from his mater's shop; and three or four other lads, whose names have not yet transpired, are "mixed up" in the matter.

Edwin Pollard and Samuel Webb were charged on remand, Pollard with stealing, and Webb with receiving, a watch, the property of Mr. Robert Adams, jeweller. Mr. Ellis appeared for the prosecution, and stated that he considered the evidence was insufficient to convict. He did not, therefore, intend to go on with the case. Prisoners were then discharged.

DEATH BY POISON AT HAMMERSMITH.

On Wednesday Dr. Diplock held an inquest at the Royal Oak Tavern, Glenthorne-road, Hammersmith, as to the death of Ellen Beecroft, aged 26, a dressmaker, who had resided at 12, Sotherton-road, Hammersmith, and who came by her death by swallowing prussic acid.

The body having been identified, William Thompson, a lad living at 40, Cambridge-road, was called. He said early on Tuesday morning he was at the shop of a chemist at 27, Glenthorne-road and saw the deceased, who was in her nightdress, knock at the door. Mr. Pollard, the chemist, opened the door and asked her if she was coming in or out. She said she would stop outside. Mr. Pollard hustled her in. A woman came downstairs and the deceased said she would kill her. Mr. Pollard held the deceased while the woman passed out. Then there was a row. Mr. Pollard said he would do for himself, and took a bottle from the shelf which he asked witness to hold while he went to get a measure. The deceased snatched the bottle from his hand and drank from it. When Mr. Pollard returned with the measure she was sensible, and addressing him said, "Ain’t you tricky?" He then exclaimed, "Poor Nell." Witness assisted Mr. Pollard to carry her out to the back. Mr. Pollard gave her some water and said he thought she was all right. Witness went for a policeman and a doctor. In answer to questions witness added that he heard the deceased ask Mr. Pollard what he wanted with the woman. He replied that he thought she (the deceased) was not coming home. Witness had previously seen the deceased drinking with a gentleman. Pollard did not know at the time that the bottle contained prussic acid.

The Coroner: How do you know that? Who told you ?

Witness: Mr. Pollard did.

The Coroner: That was afterwards?

Witness : Yes.

Alfred Pollard, after having been cautioned by the coroner elected to give evidence. He said he was a chemist, carrying on business at 27, Glenthorne-road. He had known the deceased about eight months. On Monday night about twelve o'clock he admitted the deceased in her nightdress. She found he had a woman in the house and wanted to get at her. He held the deceased back while the woman left. She then abused him, and out of pure bravado he said, "I will get out of this," and took a bottle from a shelf and gave it to the boy to hold. He went away, and on his return he found that she had drunk a portion of the contents, which consisted of prussic acid. He sent for a policemen to save her reputation, and his. She lived about forty minutes.

In answer to questions, witness said he was not aware at the time what the bottle contained.

Police-constable Williams said he was called to the shop and found the deceased resting on Mr. Pollard's knees apparently deed. He was told that she had taken poison.

Dr. Alderson, of Glenthorne-road, deposed that when he arrived he found the deceased dead. The result of a  post mortem showed that death was due to prussic acid. He ought to have been called in sooner, but he could not take upon himself to say that he could have saved life. The doctor added that he censured Mr. Pollard for not having called him sooner. He had known of cases where life was restored after a dose of prussic acid.

The jury after some deliberation returned a verdict of misadventure, censuring Pollard for putting poison within the reach of the deceased, and for not calling in a doctor sooner.

The Lancet, the leading medical journal, has been dealing rather severely with the Hammersmith chemist who was connected with a case of suicide by prussic acid, which, with the inquest on it, was reported in our columns.—lt says:—The unfortunate woman seems to have been the mistress, or rather one of the mistresses, of Alfred Pollard, chemist, of Glenthorne-road. She came, under the influence of drink and in her nightdress, to his premises at one o'clock on Tuesday morning, and found a rival woman there. Whereupon a quarrel ensued. The chemist, according to his statement, seized a weak preparation of prussic acid which he kept for poisoning cats, threatening "to do for himself." He gave the bottle containing this fluid to a boy who had come with the deceased, to hold till he got a measure. Whereupon the deceased got hold of it and drank enough to kill her in forty minutes. The chemist protested that he never meant to poison himself, which is probably true enough. But his whole behaviour in this business was disgraceful. He displayed a self-possessed air, and described himself as "partly a doctor" to Dr. Alderson, who was not called till the woman was quite dead. Pollard also, with surprising coolness, in the midst of & situation that would have disturbed most men, countermanded the order to the boy to fetch a policeman. The jury returned a verdict of "Death by misadventure," and properly censured Pollard for putting the poison within her reach, and also for not sending for medical aid after she had taken it. As Dr. Alderson said, if she lived forty minutes, and the poison was as diluted as was represented, there might have been a chance of saving her life with suitable remedies. It calls for the consideration of the Pharmaceutical Society, though we are not sure that they can inflict any adequate punishment on so unworthy an Associate.

Charges OF Drunkenness.—Alfred Pollard, a chemist, of Golborne Road, was charged with having been found drunk in the Broadway, Hammersmith, on Sunday night. The prisoner admitted the offence, but as he had not been in custody before, the magistrate allowed him to be discharged.

At Canterbury John Edwards has been sentenced to 21 days' hard labour for stealing a scarf pin, value 10s. 6d., the property of William Pollard, jeweller, St. George's-street, Canterbury. Prisoner went to the prosecutor's shop and asked to look at some rings. He left without making a purchase, and the scarf pin was then missed it. It was afterwards found in possession of a pawnbroker, who identified prisoner as the person who had pledged it.

WILLIAM POLLARD

INVITES AN INSPECTION OF HIS

LARGE & VARIED ASSORTMENT

OF

New Year's Presents.

53, ST. GEORGE'S STREET,

CANTERBURY

William Pollard, watchmaker and jeweller, of 53, St George's Street, Canterbury, stated that on Monday, May 22, a young woman entered his shop and bought a ring. He did not sell it but it was sold in his presence. She paid £1 1s. for it. He could not identify the prisoner.

NATIVE OF SHERBORNE.—Mr. William Pollard, a native of Sherborne, has died at Canterbury, where he has been in business for 50 years as jeweller and silversmith. Mr. Pollard's late father had the jeweller's business on the Parade, Sherborne, and was succeeded by Messrs. Cole & Son at the premises now occupied by Mr. Hicks. Mr. W. Pollard was apprentice to the late Mr. Robert Adams, who had a jeweller's business where the bank now is, under the Conservative Club. Mr. Pollard retired from active participation in his business about 2½ years ago. He leaves a widow, one son and two daughters.

POLLARD—MAN.—On the 14th inst., at All Saints, Carshalton, by the Rector, the Rev. Lord Victor Seymour, Arthur Pollard, of Willesden, to Harriet, youngest daughter of the late Harry Man, of Halstead Hall, Sevenoaks, Kent, and niece of Mrs. Morgan Thomas, Halstead Lodge, Carshalton, Surrey.

BEQUEATHED TO VICAR.—A sum of £200, free of duty, has been left to the vicar of St. Gabriel's, Cricklewood (the Rev. J. Noel Gill), by the late Mr. Arthur Pollard. The vicar is devoting one-half to the repair of the church tower and fabric, and the remaining £100 is to go to charities of the church.