Brennan, Thomas 1890 September 6th Andover
Andover has been much shocked by a terrible occurrence which took place at No 5 London Street, the residence of a man and his wife named Hobbs, the recently appointed Drill Sergeant (Thomas Brennan) who lodged there, having been found to have committed suicide by shooting himself with a rifle, his head being partially blown to pieces. At the inquest several witnesses stated that deceased had given way to drink lately, and had been drinking spirits on the day of his death. It was also proved that he had taken a bottle of whisky into his bedroom but a short time before he shot himself.
Mr Talbot, the borough coroner, held the inquest at the Forester’s Arms, London Street, on Saturday afternoon. Mr G O Mayors was appointed foreman of the jury.
Dr F H Ellion stated that he was called to deceased’s lodgings at about half-past five on Friday evening by PS Matthews, and found deceased lying on the bed fully dressed with the exception of the right foot, which was entirely bare. Between his legs was a rifle lying lengthways. The butt end was between his feet and the muzzle pointing to his throat, the barrel being firmly clenched in both hands. He found a bullet wound beneath the chin and a great part of the right side of the head was blown away. There was a large hole in the wall of the room evidently indicating the course of a bullet. The cause of death was only too evident – a gunshot wound. He had no doubt that deceased committed the act himself.
By the foreman : There was no string attached to the trigger, and the foot probably naturally went back into a straight position after the trigger had been pulled by the toe.
Emily Hobbs, deceased’s landlady, stated that he had lodged with her for about four months. She had noticed nothing peculiar in his manner. Deceased came in about a quarter to ten on Friday morning, having been out all night, and said he would lie down on the bed. About one o’clock he came down to dinner and had a hearty meal. Then he went up again (about 2.15), saying he was going to write some letters and afterwards have a sleep, and that if anyone called to see him she was to say he was out. That was the last time she saw him alive. She went out about 3.15, leaving the front door unlocked. At 5.15, when she returned, she went to her bedroom, where she saw some ashes on the floor and a large hole in the wall between deceased’s bedroom and her own. The bullet (produced) was lying on her bed. She at once ran across to Mrs Joyce, the landlady of the Forester’s Arms, and said, “Oh Mrs Joyce, the Sergeant’s been and shot himself.”
The Coroner : Can you say anything as to the sobriety or non-sobriety of the deceased?
Witness : He had been drinking that day, and for a month or five weeks previous deceased had taken to drink. He appeared to be the worse for drink that morning. He had taken a bottle of spirits up into his bedroom. She knew this, as he asked her to drink with him, but she refused, as she told him he was too early. When deceased came down to dinner he asked her to get some more drink, but she said she could not go out ; perhaps the other lodger would go when he came in.
By PS Matthews : The rifle had been in the kitchen behind the door for two months. She saw it there up to 12.20 on Friday, when her son noticed that it was gone, and she thought deceased had taken it to the Armoury. She saw no ammunition there at any time.
By the Foreman : Deceased had never before told her to tell people he was out if they called to see him.
Oliver Hadden, deceased’s fellow lodger, a photographer, stated that Mrs Hobbs called his attention to deceased, saying she thought he had shot himself. He looked through the bullet-hole in the wall and saw deceased. He then turned the handle of the door, and the button which fastened it on the inside fell off, and he saw deceased lying on his back, with the rifle between his legs, and the muzzle against his chin. The right foot was bare, and the right leg slightly bent, as if he had pulled the trigger with that foot. There was a large wound in his head. No person could have entered the room before witness, as the door was fastened inside.
By the Jury : Deceased always appeared jovial, and he was never better in his life than when they dined together at one o’clock. Witness fetched a quart of beer, and a bottle of whisky. The former they drunk between them, and the latter he handed to deceased. At the end of dinner deceased was sober in his opinion.
PS Matthews stated that he was called to 5, London Street, where he found deceased as described by the previous witness. A portion of the scalp was on the floor. In his opinion deceased had appeared very vacant for some time. On searching deceased he found a purse, a half-penny and the two letters produced – one addressed to “Mrs E L Batten, Crown Inn, Kingsomborne,” and the other to “T H Woodham, Acting Adjutant, Winchester.” There was also a piece of foolscap on the table, with “good-bye” written on it.
The Coroner said he thought he should be right in opening the letters to see if they contained any light on the matter. He proceeded to do so. The first letter was as follows :
Andover, August 29, 1890.
To T H Woodham, Acting Adjutant, Winchester. Dear Sir, please pay £1 to Mrs Malcolm, Victoria Arms, Andover (money lent), and the balance of my pay now due to Mrs Batten, Crown Inn, Kingsomborne – Thomas Brennan.
The other was not read, the Coroner saying it contained nothing to throw any light upon the subject. In the letter deceased said he was going to kill himself, and at the end of the letter signed himself “Your unhappy —–.” There was a lock of deceased’s hair enclosed in this letter. Another paper was found on deceased, it being an order for him to report himself at Winchester on Friday morning, August 29, the day on which he killed himself.
Captain East, E Company, 1st Volunteer Battalion Hampshire Regiment, stated that deceased came to Andover about the first week in May, and he seemed to go on all right. Some things were not done, but still there was nothing to complain about. Things went on this way till witness returned from the Bisley meeting on the 26th July. He could not give the date, but deceased was to have remained at Broughton to drill some new recruits, as he said he could get them on quicker by being there altogether. He did not know but that deceased had been there till he had a letter from someone at Broughton, saying that deceased had not attended three of the drills he had himself appointed, and stated that the men were very angry about it. Deceased excused himself to witness by saying that there was a thunderstorm on one occasion, and that the men had made a mistake about the time of the other drills.
He saw nothing more of deceased till the 12th August. On that day he met his brother at the Town Station, and he told him that he had gone to Broughton the previous evening to see the men drilled, and found that deceased did not put in an appearance. They saw deceased, who said he did not go as he thought it was going to rain. They then suspended him for neglect of duty. They found that deceased’s books were not made up. He was ordered to give up all the things in his possession to the colour-sergeant. Witness reported him to the acting adjutant at Winchester, and through him the report was sent to Colonel Cave, and his discharge was sent down. Witness had the discharge papers for deceased to sign, but he refused, saying he would prefer to sign them before the head authorities at Winchester. That was the purpose for which he had to attend Winchester on the 29th. The discharge was not a very serious matter, as it would only put deceased back to the position he was before he came to Andover.
Witness stated that on one occasion he thought deceased was going to have delirium tremens, and Dr Farr thought the same. His face was flushed and he appeared to have been drinking very heavily. He had never heard him complain of illness of any kind. When deceased was supposed to have been at Broughton he spent most of his time at Kingsomborne.
Sergeant-Major Poole stated that he came to Andover on the 18th August to do the work of deceased until a permanent instructor was appointed. Deceased appeared to be under the influence of drink. He could not see anything to account for his suicide. He had heard that deceased had served in India. He gave him the order, produced, and he promised to comply with it.
Sergeant-Major J Sullivan had known deceased for about two and a half years. He was a teetotaler while in his regiment – for a considerable time, but when witness saw him at Winchester, before he came to Andover, he found he drank, but not to excess.
Mrs Hobbs (re-called) stated that deceased owed her £5 odd for lodgings, and he told her it was the only money he owed and he was going out of Andover clear.
Captain East (re-called) said he had reason to believe that deceased had considerable money difficulties.
The Coroner pointed out that the facts were very simple. The only serious thing they had to decide was whether deceased was in is right mind. Deceased, they had heard, came to the town a steady sober man, and then by some means he took to drinking heavily. There could be no doubt that the act was pre-meditated, as deceased had written to say “good-bye,” and also said in a letter that he was going to kill himself.
The jury, after consultation, found “that deceased killed himself by shooting himself with a gun while he was of unsound mind.” A juror wished to know if it could not be added to the verdict that deceased became insane through drink, but the majority of the jury did not appear to fall in with this, one going so far as to say that probably deceased would have been insane if he had been a water drinker.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 