"Suicide when demented" was the jury's finding at an inquest at Marylebone on Friday on Edwin Coxon, a carpenter, aged sixty-three, who was found drowned in the Regent's Canal on Tuesday.
The police had been searching for him in connection with a murderous assault with a chopper on his wife at Judd-street, Euston road. Mrs. Coxon still lies in the Royal Free Hospital in a very critical condition.
Edith Foley, who lived with her sister (Mrs. Coxon) and the latter's husband, said they were happy together, and the husband was not particularly jealous. Last March, however, the couple had words, and Coxon struck her sister in a sudden fit of passion or madness. He had been strange since he had a fit of epilepsy, and the doctor said he might lose his reason. For the assault he was sent to prison for six months, and on his release there was. said the witness, a strange look in his eyes. He expressed his regret at the assault, however, and said he would not hurt her again.
Last Thursday he got into a passion, and began smashing up the home. He threatened to poison himself and said, "Well, we will have a glass of stout together. and it will be the last drink either of us will have." The witness had begged her sister never to be alone with him, as all their friends thought he would kill her. He was to come into "a lot of money" next week through the death of his brother on the Titanic.
Other witnesses stated that the man was very jealous of his wife, and used to follow her about. The coroner's officer produced a book found in Coxon's pocket at the house. There were references to Mrs. Coxon, showing on page after page that he was jealous. Among the extracts, were : "I hope we both will be quiet when you get possession of this. book." . . "When we are no more I wish the home to be sold." You will not blame me for what I have done. Good-bye, and may God forgive us both for our sins."
[Mrs Coxon died the following day]
St. Pancras Guardian and Camden and Kentish Towns Reporter - Friday 18 October 1912
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
JUDD STREET TRAGEDY.
At the Marylebone Coroner’s Court on Friday afternoon, Mr. C. Luxmoore Drew enquired into the death of Edwin Coxon, 63, a carpenter, who drowned himself in the Regents Canal after making a murderous assault on his wife with a hatchet.—Miss Edith Foley, 115, Judd-street, King's Cross, sister-in-law of the deceased, and who lived with her sister, said Mr. and Mrs. Coxon had been married for 12 or 13 years, and they had one adopted boy and a nephew. They lived happily together, and he had made no complaints of his wife, and certainly there was no cause for anything of the kind.
In March last he went mad for a time and kept crying like a child, saying that he was likely to lose his reason. He was in the Infirmary in Cleveland-street for six weeks for Bright's disease and blood on the brain, but she could not say whether they treated him like an insane person. His wife went to a women’s meeting and he followed her home. She told him about it and they had a few words, and then, in a mad passion he struck her, but, as a rule, a better man one could not wish for.
A fortnight after his discharge, which he took himself, he severely assaulted his [her?] sister, was convicted and sent to prison for six months. Since coming out, he had spent the day with them, but slept in a house “round the corner.” He used to look at his wife very strangely, and witness told her that she must be careful of him and not be alone with him, if possible, He said that he was sorry for what he had done and would never strike her again. On the previous Thursday he lost his temper again and began smashing the home up. He had done no work. He had threatened to take poison and said that he and “ Nell (his wife) will have a glass of stout together and that will be the last drink that either one of us will have.”
WIFE WARNED.
She had warned her to be careful, for they | all thought that he would “do her in" before he finished. Deceased was coming into a lot of money, having lost a brother on the “Titanic,” but he was not upset over the death. The night before the assault he said to her, “ Old girl. I have had some luck, I am going to Guildford to work,””and they were on the best of terms. Witness went to work on Tuesday morning and later heard of the assanlt and found her sister was in the hospital. He used a hatchet which belonged to him, and which was kept in his tool box. He was passionately fond of his wife.—
Other evidence asserted that deceased was a teetotaller and was jealous of his wife without any reason for it. His body was found in the canal near North Gate, Regent’s Park.
P.C. James, coroner’s officer, said he searched the room and found a book in deceased's coat pocket, beneath some articles, spattered with blood. He had made a few extracts, which included : “I hope we shall both be quiet when you get possession of this book. Taking it all round, I had great provocation. When we are both no more, I wish the home to be sold. You will not blame me for what I have done. Goodbye, and may God forgive us both for our sins.” There were pages of writing, all showing extreme jealousy, and much of it was incoherent and difficult to read.
Dr. Batten, of the Central London Sick Asylum, said Coxon was admitted on January 18 for chronic Bright's disease, which often affected patients’ minds and caused them to become morose. He was very passionate and would lose complete control over himself. He could not certify him as insane, but he was suffering from a state which might lead to insanity.—Dr. Greenwood, divisional surgeon of police, said the man had been dead for an hour when he saw him. He had since examined the body and found all the organs healthy and there was no Bright’s disease. Death was due to asphyxia, from drowning.
The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind at the time.”
DEATH OF MRS. COXON.
The death took place at the Royal Free Hospital on Monday morning of Mrs. Coxon.