Suicide Of Dr. Bond

TRAGIC DEATH OF A DOCTOR.

A FAMOUS LONDON SURGEON COMMITS SUICIDE AT WESTMINSTER.

Dr. Bond, the famous medical coadjutor of the British Criminal Investigation Department, the man whose name has been professionally associated with practically every sensational London murder mystery for the past quarter of a century, has himself become the central figure of a tragedy. He committed suicide on June 6 by throwing himself from the third floor window of his residence, 7, the Sanctuary, Westminster. He was carried across the road to Westminster Hospital, on whose staff he had been for twenty-six years when he retired in 1899. He had been suffering from melancholy and was confined to his bed.
In was in the De Tourville case in 1875 that Dr. Thomas Bond's name first came prominently before the public as that of a medico-legist. De Tourville was a waiter in a French restaurant, who was taken into service by a travelling Englishman, with whom he visited a number of places. The Englishman mysteriously disappeared, and De Tourville came to London, entered the Temple, was called to the Bar, cut a great dash at Scarborough as a French count, married a young woman of fortune, and killed her mother. But no suspicion was aroused at first. The body was buried after a brief inquest, and it was not until both the first and second wives of De Tourville died strange deaths, leaving their large fortunes in his hands, that the body of the first wife's mother was exhumed. De Tourville had declared she had accidentally shot herself while looking down the barrel of a pistol. Dr. Bond's examination of the skull proved that she had been murdered from behind.
Then came the Wainwright case, when Dr. Bond discovered three bullets embedded in the brain of the victim, Harriet Lane - bullets which had been overlooked in the first post-mortem examination. His researches also led to the establishment of identification conclusively.
In after years Dr. Bond's knowledge and skill were employed in the Richmond (Kate Webster) case, the Lefroy and Lamson murders, the Whitechapel series, and the Camp train crime, to detail a few of the many occasions in which Scotland Yard called him as an expert.

Source: Star, Issue 7149, 13 July 1901, Page 4

Mr. Thomas Bond, F.R.C.S., the well-known divisional surgeon of the A Division of Metropolitan Police, has committed suicide by throwing himself from his bedroom window on the third floor of No. 7, The Sanctuary, Westminster. He had been ill for some time.

Source: The Westminster Budget, June 14, 1901, Page 3


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GENERAL ITEMS

The directors of the Great Eastern Railway Company have appointed Mr. William Rose, M.B., F.R.C.S., senior surgeon of King's College Hospital, &c., consulting surgeon to the company, in the place of the late Mr. Thomas Bond.

Source: The Hackney Express and Shoreditch Observer, June 22, 1901, Page 4

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Dr. Thomas Bond, the well-known surgeon and eminent analyst, committed suicide on June 6 by jumping from the third-floor window of his house at Broad Sanctuary, Westminster. Dr. Bond, who was an F.R.C.S. and an M.B., and formerly attached to Westminster Hospital, held a high reputation in his profession. He was extremely popular. The Doctor was aged fifty-eight. For a long time Dr. Bond has not been well, and had not always been able to attend regularly to his practice. On the night of June 5, however, he appeared somewhat better. Shortly before seven next morning the nurse attending the doctor left the apartment for a moment. No sooner was the attendant's back turned than the doctor got out of bed, and, wearing only his night clothing, threw himself out of the window. He fell a distance of fifty feet, alighting upon his head in the area. It is thought that when help first arrived the unfortunate gentleman was not dead, but he died on the way to Westminster Hospital, just opposite to the Sanctuary. Dr. Bond leaves a widow and five children.

The inquest was held by Mr. Troutbeck at the Westminster Coroner's Court last Saturday, when it was proved that for some time past the deceased had been in indifferent health, and had suffered great pain, and there could be no doubt that the morphia which he had taken to alleviate his sufferings had had an influence on the brain which had resulted in this most unfortunate occurrence. The jury found that the deceased committed suicide while temporarily insane.

Source: Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times, Saturday June 15, 1901, Page 388; Issue 2090

EMINENT SURGEON'S DEATH.

KILLED BY FALLING FROM HIS WINDOW AT WESTMINSTER.

In most painful circumstances, Mr. Thomas Bond, M.B., F.R.C.S., the well-known consulting surgeon, met his death yesterday morning.
He had been confined to bed for months, suffering from a painful malady, and during the momentary absence of his nurse he rose and either threw himself or fell out of the window at 7, The Sanctuary, Westminster.
Several people hastened to his aid, and had him taken to Westminster Hospital, where for many years he acted as chief surgeon. But he was found to be dead.
It is stated that he was to have undergone an operation today, and had long despaired of his health.
On various occasions the name of Dr. Bond came prominently before the public in connection with notable murder trials. He gave evidence in the case of Lefroy, the murderer of Mr. Gold on the Brighton Railway, and he made the autopsy on Miss Camp, who was murdered on the South-Western Railway.
The deceased surgeon was in his fifty-ninth year, and leaves a widow and five children.

Source: The Daily Express, London, Friday June 7, 1901, Page 5

IN A NUTSHELL.

The funeral of Dr. Thomas Bond, F.R.C.S., who died last week under sad circumstances, took place at Orchard Portman yesterday afternoon.

Source: The Daily Express, London, Tuesday June 11, 1901, Page 5

Dr. Thomas Bond, of Westminster Hospital, the celebrated Metropolitan police surgeon, whose death occurred under such sad circumstances last week, was buried at Orchard Portman on Monday.

Source: Chard and Ilminster News, Saturday 15 June, 1901