Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter – Saturday 17 February 1877

The Distressing Case of Suicide.
—Press on our space prevented our giving in our last particulars of the melancholy suicide of Mr. Charles Alvericks Tradgell. We, therefore, now give a brief outline.

On Wednesday, the 7th inst., the wife of the unfortunate man heard the report of a pistol in the house, situate at Fair Green, Mitcham. She immediately gave alarm and man named Simpson and P.-c. Adams soon made their appearance, end discovered that the deceased had shot himself. A doctor was sent for but before he arrived life was extinct. It was found that the man had shot himself with a six barrelled revolver, the bullet entering brain through the ear.

From information given at the inquest held on Thursday last, at the Nag’s Head, it appears that the deceased had just returned from China, and unpleasant rumours with regard to family matters had since prayed an his mind, and that to such an extent that he committed the rash act we have mentioned.

A great deal of excitement has prevailed in Mitcham with regard to the affair, and manifestations have, we hear, been made against the wife of the deceased and another person. This was shown especially at the funeral, which took place Monday. A large crowd of persons followed the coffin to Mitcham Old Church, end assembled in the churchyard, the police not thinking it desirable that they should be allowed to enter the church in their excited state, as a disturbance might very probably have taken place. After the funeral was over the police were obliged to conduct the wife of deceased home, and then to watch the home, as many of the inhabitants had openly expressed their determination to duck her in the pond, and all kinds unpleasant rumours were circulated with regard to Mrs. Tradgell’s conduct.