Suicide of great great uncle

[Spidermonkey]

I have just come across a newspaper report of the death of my great great uncle, Leonard William Schmidt, in 1903 (reported 14 March 1903, London Daily News) who was found stabbed in the heart at his butchers shop with a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind.  Evidence was given by a Dr Finucane who stated:

deceased consulted him on account of brain trouble.  He complained that the top part of his brain seemed to be asleep.  The brain trouble had increased of later years.  Occasionally he suffered from hallucinations.  A few days ago he visited witness and asked if he could bear a shock, as he had something to communicate.  After begging witness to shut the door, he said "I have been making a profit out of my men for the last 15 years unknowingly and now everything has come out and the shock will kill my wife."

Two queries spring to mind - firstly what sort of mental illness does the above evidence suggest that he might have suffered from, and also where could I find out what/how was he making a profit from?  (the butchers shop was at 12 Strutton Ground, Westminster).

Thank you in advance for any assistance and interest!

[Romilly]

Was there an Inquest?

If so, it might give more info. My father's youngest brother committed suicide at home in 1930, and newspaper articles said that he had suffered from 'nerve troubles' prior to this. Unfortunately the Inquest Reports have not survived, but you might have more luck.

Romilly.

[Spidermonkey]

There was an inquest, but looking at Westminster Archives website I'm not sure if the papers have survived.  It looks as if I have to apply via the Coroners Court; no email address is given but there is a phone number and postal address.

[Romilly]

Based on current knowledge... it sounds as though your relative was suffering from some sort of paranoia. (Unsure about spelling). Or some sort of breakdown... I doubt that you will find anything factual to support his concerns about profitting at his employees expense:-(

Poor chap, - it must take a lot of courage to stab oneself in such a way:-(

Romilly.

[Annie65115]

Some sort of psychotic illness. What we currently call schizophrenia might be the most likely; some of the most important symptoms of this include hallucinations (mentioned), delusional perception and thought withdrawal (maybe the "brain going to sleep"?) It's entirely possible that he was suffering from some sort of delusion about "unknowingly making a profit".

Poor man. Schizophrenia is more easily treated nowadays but still not always successfully and in those days there really wasn't any effective treatment at all.

The brother of an ancestor of mine drowned himself, and the inquest went into some detail about the things that he'd told people immediately prior to this and it seems clear that he was also suffering some sort of acute psychotic illness.

[Spidermonkey]

Thank you Annie for your comments.  The poor chap sounds like he was really suffering and utterly distraught at the thought of profiting from his men.

Is it possible that the death certificate would state the illness, or would it be stabbing / suicide whilst of unsound mind as per inquest?

[Kay99]

My uncle committed suicide back the 1930's after having been in a clinic with depression.   His death cert mentioned unsound mind rather his specific illness

[Romilly]

My late Uncle's Death Cert, (In 1930) gives the physical cause of death, 'Haemorrhage caused by wound to throat' and says 'Inquest to follow'. The Inquest papers haven't survived, but Newspaper Articles reported on it, and said death was by 'Suicide on sudden impulse'. (I think the latter was to imply that it wasn't due to a long standing mental illness?)

Romilly.

[Jebber]

Usually more detail is gained from newspaper accounts than from the Coroner's notes.

Until suicide was decriminalised, the  verdict  being of unsound mind was often used to avoid the stigma of a criminal offence.

Jebber