“Microfilm copy of Keighley News Newspaper.
Saturday February 23, 1867.
INQUEST. - Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held by Mr. Thomas Emmott, Busfield Arms Inn, Morton before Mr. Brown, coroner for the district, on view of the body of Henry Smith, farm labourer, who recently lived at the Old Lime Kilns, Cross Flats, near Bingley, who died about ten o'clock on Wednesday evening at Mr. John Stebbings', farmer, Cliffe, Morton.
The first witness called was his wife, Sarah, who deposed:  My husband was 44 years of age.  He was an out-door labourer.  On Tuesday morning, about two o'clock, I awoke out of my sleep, and I heard him crying and sobbing.  About seven o'clock he got his breakfast, and afterwards went to his work.  He continued at his work up to Wednesday noon, when he came home, the work being done.  He got a little dinner, but appeared to be in trouble.  After dinner he said "I will go up to James Tomlinson's, an Morton, and I might go to Keighley before I come home again."  We got our tea about six o'clock, and a little before nine we got ready for bed.  I went up stairs.  He said he wanted to go out, and he would fasten the door.  He went to the door, but in a very short time returned and called out "Is there any more tea in the pot than what the children will want in the morning?"  I told him I thought there was.  Soon after and came up stairs and said, "Well, children, I hope you will do your best to your mother, for I shall not be alive in the morning." and he came to the bed-side and undressed himself.  He told not to be at any particular expense in burying him, and I said to him, "You have been taking something."  He answered, "I have taken poison.  I have it in me."  I got up and knocked at the other house and ran down stairs.  He was down as soon as me, and he let us out of the house and got away.  I sent for a doctor; and when we were looking for him, a young man came and told us where he was.  I went: and when I got there, between nine and ten o'clock, they were holding him up.  I just saw him alive in his last struggle.  He was in convulsions.  He did not speak to me, but he fixed his eyes upon me.  I did not know what he had got.  I scraped some powder of the table and gave it to the policeman.
Charles Francis Malvern, a youth deposed: I live at Keighley, and am an apprentice to Mr. Wilkinson, chemist.  On Wednesday last, about half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, I saw a labouring man in our shop.  I served him with sixpenny-worth of vermin powder, and he paid me for it in silver, and walked out of the shop.  The bill now produced is one of our bills, and similar to the one in which I wrapped the packet of vermin powder; and also the label on the broken packet is our label.
John Stebbings deposed:  I live at Cliffe, Morton and am a farmer.  On Wednesday evening, the deceased came into our house, a little after nine o'clock, and he said to me, "Will you let me sit down a little.  I feel poorly:"  and he sat down by the fire-side.  I asked him if he had any drink, and he said "No."  He seemed to be very ill.  I asked him if he would have some tea, and he said "no." and seeing that he was ill, I asked him if I must send for his wife, but he said "No," and he stretched himself out in the chair and called out "I am going to die."  I thought he was in a fit.  In a bit he came round a little; he asked me if I had a bed at liberty, so that he could lay himself down.  A bed was got ready, and he was taken up stairs.  By this time a good many people had got in.  He died upstairs about ten o'clock.
Police-constable Hainesworth deposed: On Wednesday night I received information of the death of Henry Smith.  I went to the house of Mr. John Stebbings, where he was.  I had him removed to his house.  I searched him, and found the papers produced and examined by Mr. Wilkinson's assistant.
The jury, after a little consultation, returned a verdict that the deceased poisoned himself when in a fit of temporary insanity.
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