After a tiff with his fiancee on Coronation Day, a young motor driver left the room, took poison, and returned to fall dying before the girl.
The story was unfolded when at the inquest on William Edward Treadwell, 22, of St. Andrew's-road, Birmingham, a verdict of "Suicide" was returned. Marjorie Pritchett, of St. Andrew's-road, whose father employed Treadwell, told a dramatic story of the "tiff" and her fiance's suicide.
Treadwell, she explained had promised to call for her at 3.40 p.m., and he did not arrive until 4.15. He could not keep still, and was excited. She told him that he should not have gone "down the road," and he replied, "There you go again. You are on again about beer."
He then asked, "Have you finished with me?" and when she answered "No." he said, "I bet you have," and went out of the room.
When he returned she asked him what he had done. He did not answer, but fell on the floor. She could smell poison, and a bottle was afterwards found in the sink.
Miss Pritchett added that she had been going out with Treadwell since Christmas. His behaviour had never been eccentric, and he was a decent, good-tempered fellow.
His mother, in evidence, declared that her son had never threatened to take his life. "He was too happy," she added.
It was stated that Treadwell died at the General Hospital within an hour and a half of admission.
Recording a verdict of "Suicide," as stated, the coroner, Dr. W. H. Davison, described the young man's action as a sudden impulse.
(Published in the "News of the World" in May 1937)