There was an echo of the Titanic disaster at a St Pancras inquest to-day on William Arthur Lucas, a seaman.

Lucas was on the Leeds to London corridor express on Wednesday night, and on the arrival of the train at King's Cross was removed to hospital with a bullet wound in the right temple.

Walter Lucas stated that his brother had been peculiar in his behaviour ever since he was shipwrecked on the Titanic. A sister said he had often declared himself to be fed up with the life at sea, and wished for a shore job.

W. Harvey Lawson, an engine-driver, who was a passenger on the train, said he heard a sound when the train was near Hitchin, which he took for a fog signal. Later he heard that a man had been shot, and found the deceased sitting in the corner of a first-class compartment with a wound in his temple and a revolver lying in the middle of the compartment.

Dy Sylk said the man died four hours after admission to the hospital without recovering consciousness, death being due to injuries from a gunshot wound in the head. The revolver must have been held close to the head, and it was the opinion that the wound was self-inflicted.

On the body was found a message saying that his property was to go to his sister, that he had made a fool of himself, and that he was "fed up." It was also stated that he had been worried about a girl.

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide while insane.