[Nell]

Originally Posted by Merry

It is bothersome to me that the wound was on the right side of his neck from a right handed person with an apparently large weapon. Wouldn't it be more likely the wound would at least begin on the left-hand-side?

A lot of hearsay from the witnesses too.....

I don't think it odd to be wearing two pairs of trousers in February. They don't mention whether he had any other tools etc with him. It would seem odd to have the scissors and nothing else. Made me wonder if anything had been stolen from the scene? I suppose having two days food with him is strange - though it does suggest things were not normal, they don't question that he perhaps was not contemplating suicide when he left home.

I realise now i didn't say the date and place of the article!:

Barnet Press 09 March 1901

I guess I have probably read/watched too many murder mysteries.

Thanks for the date and place of article. I think that my experience of family history (and history in general) is that I'm inclined, like you, to question everything!

I can only conjecture that between leaving home with his food for a normal working day and ending up miles away in a field with his throat cut, something extraordinary happened. I have come across a few suicides (including my gt x 3 grandfather John Mealing) who cut their throats with razors, but never with scissors. Possible if you are deranged, I suppose.