Trove Tuesday - Suicide

Doing genealogical research you come across a lot of different 'causes of death' from natural causes and disease through to accidents, murders and suicides.  Today's Trove article covers a case of suicide, committed by my 3rd Great Grandfather Henry O'Brien in 1863.  It is the first official one I have come across in my personal research so far and was a bit of a surprise as it was not mentioned by other family researchers I have had contact with.  Unlike some others I do not sanitise my family tree, the facts are the facts and while they can be uncomfortable for some descendants they are a part of the family history and I believe should be recorded as accurately as possible.

Source: MUDGEE. (1863, July 11). The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), p. 3. Retrieved July 23, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18708458

Transcript:
Henry O'Brien, the owner of the property in Perry-street, was found dead on Monday, having, it is, believed, taken poison.

Source: CLARENCE AND RICHMOND. (1863, July 16). The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), p. 3. Retrieved July 23, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18703500

Transcript:

SUICIDE.- An inquest was held on Wednesday, the 8th instant, at the Denison Hotel, Market-street, before Dr. King, coroner, on view of the body of Henry O'Brien, lying dead there.  John Thomas O'Brien, son of deceased, deposed that on Sunday last he saw his father at Maloney's public house, when he said to him.  "You were very near not seeing me."  Upon asking him what he meant, he replied, "I have taken a dose;" he then directed him to look at a pint pot, which he did, and saw some bluestone in it ; he gave him a dose of salt and water, and went for a neighbour ; his father had been drinking a short time before in Mudgee ; he afterwards rode to Mudgee for a medical man ; on his return he found his father dead ; the pint pot produced was the one he saw ; there was a quarter of a pound of bluestone in it.- W. Swift said, at the request of the previous witness he went and sat with deceased ; he spoke to him, but could get no answer for some time ; he afterwards rallied a little and requested to be raised ; upon asking him if he knew what he had taken, he replied, "Well;" upon hearing that a doctor was sent for, he said, "He could do no good, as he was too far gone," he added he had £50 or £60 coming to him, but did not mention when or how.-A.T.P. Cutting said he was a duly qualified medical practitioner, and was of opinion that deceased had come to his death by having swallowed a considerable portion of sulphate of copper.  The jury returned a verdict that the said Henry O'Brien came to his death from the effect of bluestone, taken by himself while labouring under temporary insanity, produced by excessive drinking.

Henry O'Brien married Anne Smith on 31st March 1845 in Maitland, New South Wales.  They had the following known children:

Alice (1846 - ?)

John Thomas (1847 - ?)

Henry (1849 - 1915)

Elizabeth Lambert nee O'Brien (1851-1925 )

George (1853 - ?)

Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950 about Henry O Brien

Name: Henry O Brien

Spouse Name: Anne Smith

Marriage Date: 1845

Marriage Place: New South Wales

Registration Place: East Maitland, Maitland, West Maitland, New South Wales

Registration Year: 1845

Volume Number: V

Source: Ancestry.com. Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.

Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 about Henry Obrien

Name: Henry Obrien

Death Date: 1863

Death Place: New South Wales

Father's Name: Henry

Registration Year: 1863

Registration Place: Mudgee, New South Wales

Registration number: 4696

Source: Ancestry.com. Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 about Alice O Brien

Name: Alice O Brien

Birth Date: 1846

Father's Name: Henry O Brien

Mother's Name: Anne

Birth Place: New South Wales

Registration Year: 1846

Registration Place: East Maitland, Maitland, West Maitland, New South Wales

Volume Number: V1846998 63

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 about John T O Brien

Name: John T O Brien

Birth Date: 1847

Father's Name: Henry O Brien

Mother's Name: Hannah

Birth Place: New South Wales

Registration Year: 1847

Registration Place: East Maitland, Maitland, West Maitland, New South Wales

Volume Number: V18473767 64

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 about Henry O'brion

Name: Henry O'brion

Birth Date: 1849

Father's Name: Henry O'brion

Mother's Name: Ann

Birth Place: New South Wales

Registration Year: 1849

Registration Place: East Maitland, Maitland, West Maitland, New South Wales

Volume Number: V1849372 67

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 about Elizabeth O Brien

Name: Elizabeth O Brien

Birth Date: 1851

Father's Name: Henry O Brien

Mother's Name: Anne

Birth Place: New South Wales

Registration Year: 1851

Registration Place: East Maitland, Maitland, West Maitland, New South Wales

Volume Number: V18511995 68

Source: Ancestry.com. Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.