The following is a report of the inquest into William LINTOTT's death. 

The Brighton Examiner  Tuesday 18th June 1867

SUICIDE OF A SAWYER

Yesterday afternoon, Mr Black held an inquest at the Hospital, on the body of William Lintott, a sawyer, aged 33, who committed suicide by cutting his throat. 

Ellen Lintott, the wife of deceased, who lived in Crescent cottages, stated that her husband was at work on Tuesday, although he was very strange in his manner.  He had been raving on the previous Saturday, and when he came home from work on Tuesday night he seemed better, but after they had been in bed some time he jumped out, saying, “There he is – don’t you see him?” and his actions then were those of a madman.  Witness obtained the assistance of his brother, who remained with him until about half-past four on Wednesday morning, when he came downstairs, thinking he was quiet.  Witness made some tea, and she and deceased's brother were about to partake of it, when they heard a cry like the whine of a dog.  Both of them went upstairs and saw the deceased standing before the looking glass with his throat cut, and he had a razor in his hand.  Witness sent him to the hospital.  Deceased had not drunk much for the last twelve months, although he had before then been a hard drinker.

Charles Lintott, a labourer, brother of the deceased, gave corroborative evidence.  When he heard deceased cry out he went upstairs, and deceased was then tearing the wound he had made in his throat open with his fingers.  When witness entered the room deceased fixed hold of him, and he had a dreadful struggle to get the razor from deceased.

John Rowland, a sawyer, who had worked with deceased “off and on for twenty years,” stated that on Monday and Tuesday he was working with him, and his demeanour appeared then to be that of a madman.  He had never before noticed anything peculiar in his manner.  He was not the worse for liquor on Monday or Tuesday. 

Police-constable Stoffel having given evidence as to the removal of the deceased to the Hospital, Mr N. P. Blaker, house-surgeon at the Hospital, stated that deceased when admitted had a large wound in the upper part of the throat, and was in a state of delirium.  He died on Saturday from the effect of the wound, combined with constitutional disturbance.  The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.”