Death & burial
Death registered
Charles Newman, aged 64, June Quarter 1897, Basford.
According to the death certificate, Charles Newman, aged 64, Army Pensioner, died on the 6th April 1897 in Ruddington. The cause of death was given as "Cut his throat whilst in a state of unsound mind." An Inquest was held on 7th April 1897.
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[PB, May 2014:]
The day after his death, brief reports — similarly worded and almost telegrammatic in form, presumably based on a single news agency report — appeared in numerous newspapers around the country. These included the Hull Daily Mail, Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Dundee Courier, Hampshire Advertiser, Irish Times, and the Gloucester Citizen. All highlighted his participation in the Charge (in at least one case as a "hero"), and some referred to his regiment. Reynolds's Newspaper quoted Tennyson's poem in a rather ghoulish way. None that I've come across refer to the fact that she was "Deaf and Dumb".
Here is a sample:
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DOMESTIC TRAGEDY NEAR NOTTINGHAM.
Charles Newman, who took part the Charge of the Light Brigade, murderously attacked his wife with pair of tongs at Ruddington, near Nottingham, last night, and committed suicide by catting his throat. The wife is in a precarious condition. The parties frequently quarrelled, and Newman drank. (Lincolnshire Echo, 7th April 1897)
ATTEMPTED WIFE MURDER AND SUICIDE.
A CRIMEAN VETERAN'S CRIME.
Charles Newman (62), ex-sergeant of the 11th Hussars, attempted to murder his wife at Ruddington, near Nottingham, late on Tuesday night, and afterwards committed suicide by cutting his throat. The parties had frequently quarrelled, and Newman, who had been drinking heavily of late, attacked his wife with a pair of tongs, inflicting dreadful injuries. She now lies at the hospital in a very precarious condition. Newman fought in the Crimea, and took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade. (Gloucester Citizen, 7th April 1897)
ATTEMPTED WIFE MURDER AND SUICIDE.
A desperate case of attempted murder and suicide occurred Ruddington, near Nottingham, last night. recover, and he afterwards cut his throat with a razor. The parties had had frequent quarrels, and be had been drinking heavily. Newman took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade. (Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 8th April 1897)
CRIMEAN HERO'S SUICIDE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF HIS WIFE
Charles Newman, aged 62, ex-sergeant of the 11th Hussars, attempted to murder his wife at Ruddington, near Nottingham, late last night, and afterwards committed suicide by cutting his throat. The parties had frequently quarrelled, and Newman, who had been drinking heavily late, attacked her with pair of tongs, inflicting dreadful injuries. She now lies the hospital in a very precarious condition. Newman fought in the Crimea, and took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade.
"INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH"
Charles Newman, aged sixty-two, an ex-sergeant of the 11th Hussars, attempted to murder his wife at Ruddington, near Nottingham and afterwards committed suicide by catting his throat. The parties had frequently ouar- relied, and Newman, who had been drinking heavily of late, attacked his wife with a pair of tongs, inflicting dreadfully injuries. She now lies at the hospital in a very precarious condition. Newman fought in the Crimea and took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade. (Reynolds's Newspaper, 11th April 1897)
There is a report of the inquest in the Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday April 8th 1897. I have not located this yet. [PB, December 2016: still not digitised.]/p>
Some reports written after the inquest were slightly more detailed:
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SHOCKING TRAGEDY NEAR NOTTINGHAM
At Ruddington, near Nottinghom, on Tuesday night, Charles Newman, aged sixty-two, framework knitter, ex-sergent the Eleventh Hussars, attempted to murder his wife, and afterwards committed suicide by cutting his throat. The parties had frequently quarrelled, and Newman, who had been drinking heavily of late, attacked the woman with pair of tongs, inflicting dreadful injuries. Newman fought in the Crimea, and took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade. The inquest was held Ruddington on on Wednesday, when a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind" was returned. Mrs. Newman lies at the Nottingham General Hospital in a serious condition. (Grantham Journal, 10th April 1897)