THE SUICIDE OF FREDERICK ARCHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1832, 31 December 1886, Page 20

THE SUICIDE OF FREDERICK ARCHER.

The following particulars concerning the death of Archer, the famous jockey, are given in the Australasian :—

A great sensation was caused throughout England on November 8 by the news of the sudden death of Frederick Archer, which was intensified when it became known that the "famous jockey had died by his own hand. Archer had returned from Lewes a few days previously, suffering from a severe chill, and had taken to bed, calling in two doctors, who found him in a high state of fever. On the morning of the Bbh he was very ill, and showed signs of wandering in his mind. About 2in the afternoon his nurse left him alone with his sister, Mrs Column, in order that the latter might have a private talk with him. At a moment when Mrs Colman was looking out of the window, Archer suddenly got out of bed and possessed himself of a rei volver he had in the room. Mrs Colman turned at the moment of his rising, and sprang towards him, but he was too quick for her. As she caught hold of him, he put the barrel of the revolver to his mouth and fired; then sank bleeding and dying in his sister's arms. Mrs Colman was overwhelmed with the fearful sight, but was able to tug the bell and ring for assistance. This was quickly at hand, but was soon found to be unavailing. The bullet had passed out at the back of the neck, severing the spinal column, and blood was flowing profusely from tire mouth and ears. When the doctor arrived he pronounced Archer dead. An inquest was subsequently held. The doctor testified that Archer's mind seemed unhinged during his illness, and the jury returned a verdict of " Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity." In the course of the inquiry, the fact came out that Archer had been undergoing serious privation in order to reduce his weight sufficiently to ride in the Cambridgeshire Stakes a fortnight before. When he commenced to train for this race he weighed 9st, and he wished to reduce himself to Bst 61b, in order to ride Saint Mirin. He succeeded in lowering his weight to Bst 71b, but this entailed tremendous exertions. Archer took large doses of wasting medicine, spent many hours for several days in a Turkish bath at his house at Newmarket, and for three days touched no food except two glasses of sherry and a few biscuits. By these efforts he Buceeeded in lowering his weight, but only at the cost of his ■brength. He rode St. Mirin for the Cambridgeshire, and only lost by a head. Archer was greatly annoyed at this defeat, which

he attributed to carrying a pound more than his proper weight. After the Cambridgeshire Archer went to Brighton and Lewes, where he rode in several races in cold, rainy weather, getting frequently soaked to the skin. In his weakened condition, following his severe training, he was unable to stand these shocks. He caught a severe chill, which developed pneumonia, also symptoms of typhoid, and ultimately delirium, in which state Archer caused his own death. At the inquest Archer's man-servant explained how the revolver had got into his hands. Some time ago burglaries were frequently committed in the neigbourhood of Newmarket, and Archer bought a revolver for the purpose of protection. This weapon he instructed his servant always to place on a pedestal at his bedside, and Archer found it there when he reached from the bed. His family received numerous letters of sympathy from people of all classes, including the Prince of Wales. Archer left a large fortune, which is variously estimated at from £170,000 to a quarter of a million, all of which goes to his only daughter, who is now two years old.