TOPIC:

Charles James Cox (31), of East Buildings, Chapel-street, Holborn, who had fought in the Boer War, was seen last Thursday to fall over the parapet of the viaduct carrying Rosebery-avenue across Warner-street, Clerkenwell. He alighted on his head on the pavement 30 feet below, and was taken to the Royal Free Hospital, where he died.
The mother of the deceased said he had two medals. Lately he had suffered considerably with his head, and had ague and pains in his knees.
The Coroner read a letter left by the deceased for his mother. It ran: -
"You know, dear mother, what a sleepless night I had. The war has done something for me. What with my knees and my ankles, I feel I cannot stand it any longer......Dear mother, you must bear up. I shall be happy. In the drawers you will find my two war medals. Give them to little Willie. God bless him. I hope to be a dead man to-night...…."
The mother added that her son had been strange in his mind lately.
The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind."

Derby Daily Telegraph, Thursday 26th January 1905

Possibly the Charles James Cox, whose birth was registered at Islington, in the third quarter of 1873.

"he alighted" the hack's appear not to write like that, these days!

Frank, reading and transcribing all these old newspaper reports has really helped me understand when its should be used, although I find I do overuse commas now.

Ague - "a malarial fever characterized by regularly returning paroxysms, marked by successive cold, hot, and sweating fits."

I've attached a modern-day photo of the Warner Street bridge/viaduct.

A great photograph and I would think a view that has changed little over the years, I dare say certainly still recognisable to many anyway, what attracted you to visit?

Sadly, not my photo, but it looks to be a part of London I'd enjoy wandering around. In the photograph there's a pub called The Apple Tree, along on the left.

Chapel Street, Holborn, is now called Rugby Street (because Rugby School owned the estate that Chapel Street was on), and is a 5-10 minutes' walk from the Warner Street bridge.
www.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury-project/streets/chapel_street.htm

I found this in British History Online - "in April 1894, an Italian anarchist was arrested with a bomb on his way to his lodgings in Warner Street." Must have been an interesting area to live in.

Okay, I thought it was and just wondered why you might have gone down there, but, it is a very interesting area absolutely full of history, if you like London.