The National Register. — London, England, 1823-05-11 00:00:00

1 EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE. (From the Berg Gessette.) On Saturday wonting (the *I instant) this town was thrown into a state of *limn and agitation, from a report that a murder and suicide had been conisnitted its the night, at a house in the School - hall lane. We Wend, on lowary. that a man named John Spring, who had. for some Neonate bees eoltabitiag with a girl of-the toon r one Mary Gooch, bed procured poison fur their outset des . structiou l that they had taken it at the same time but that poly tke girl had fallen a victim, as, front limiest swallowed leo large a rectum, his stomach bad ejected the draught, and Ise bad subsequently cut Isis throat, but was still alive. Tea proper authorities,. Isavinseeceived notice of the dreadful occorsestee,. the body of deo de. ceased was removed to the Bridevsell, its the market, add, a coruesse• inquest immediately summoned. -It the ale moire of the coroner, the chief magistrate, J. P.Caseyi Esq. presided; and Use Jary having been swine, pro ceeded to view the body, after which theyeetaroed to the Guildliall,aed received the following evidence : Mr. Dalton, surgeon, had hems fur souse time atteadiug Miley Gooch, the &crassest, who was subjects to fits; — was employed to do so by Jubo Spring—sae called in by, the brother of the deceased about half-past ten on Ride, night ; saw Spring lying en the bed, end observed the body of the deceased es the ether side of .the bed, partly dressed, mid colic deattand DISE Mr. Moulage knew John Spring; knew be lived with Mary Gooch, bet did slot know her. About half past seven o Friday morning, Spring came to winteas and said " the girl had been very ill all night with fits." Spring looked very unwell he said, "be had- been up all ni g ht " -assaw Spring ballots hoer altar, when be mak " 'rise ell Is dead, and 1 shall stow go to hard work." • Asses Webb live* In Sclossof-hall-lare,oud lets lodgings kiefessetrestos was occupied by Mary Gooch, the d e s vowed—lives up stairs himself—lobo SpliagJived sad slept *lib deceitied--tbey had the apartments entirely to thessweleee—saw the deceased ou Thursday might lost, shout let, then alive.-else appeared-well, hut said,. • she was ass mattes;" she went to bid with Spring—the motbee of deceased was in the room at Ike time, and-kft Use boom; dllirtg witness to come down mud luck the door after hen; witness went to week at half.put 541 go Friday asornieig--eame back at eight—Spoils( then stood at the door, wad reviewed whams to lesail.bita crown—witness feat his two shilliugs--Spitiag then went out and returned in twenty 'einem% after, cemplaining of alums, and asked for a cup of tea—Spring said nodding about Miry Gooch about ten same morning witness asked Spring how Mary dish—(knowing she was subject to fit.—Spring said " Ole had been ill during the nights bat was then asleep ;" witness worked in the yard till 3 o'cluck, but did not see Spring, who had fastened the door by placing t •chair between the bed and door--wit mess tried several tissues to get in, but could uot—at nine et slight Use suollter of deceased cause to Ilse. door and knocked--Spring said," Who is there?' Spring let the mother is—soott after which Ise had heard some person cry ; heAlseis went its, mod saw the mother of the deceased anti her youngest daughter crying—saw the deceased quite dead, lying wills her Mood ou Spring's arm; whams beard in Use morning that she was dead, blot Spring told hien that she bad only some of her fainting fits—told /spring daring the day he heard she was dead—Spring re plied," Nonsense, she is only fainted, and is now asleep". witesess asked Spring if she wanted any • gestel--ke•said "Dio r she it mods better; at four o'clock witness left home, and was absent three or foar hours. Mr. Lreltou re-examined—Observed appearan ce on the skin which induced him to think the death of the de ceased was occasioned by narcotic poison. Mr. Sabine proved the purchase of fear ounces of lan dau" at his shop by Spring. At five o'clock the business. was adjourned. Monday morning Use Jary again amentbled, and the Coroner, 0. It. Oakes, Eel. having renamed, the inquest was taken before bins, and all the former witnesses repeated their testimotry. Anu Iktywprd lives is Garland-street ; saw Mary Gooch oe Thursday last ; was .eat for by deceased tropledge a gown at Mr. Weston's, abut four or flee o'clock ; the de ceased said, To-morrow two years my father was killed. Witness pledged the gown for as. WI., and gave deceased the roomy; appeared in bad spirits, and talked about her father; witness did not see Spring; the deceased was alone; did not see any alteration io her manner; knew deceased was subject to Its. The evidence of Spring being deemed admissible, the Jury went to his house, where he still liee,and he deposed as follows : John Spring said. that he knew Mary Gooelt, the de ceased ; that he was present in bed with her when she died; that she stied about seven o'clock on Friday MOM. log ; that she did not die in agony ; that on Wednesday evening the deceased and witness came to an agreement to buy sour landannot to take together, that they might boils be found dead together in the same bed; that tat she '/Isstrsolay morning he went to the chymist's Red bought some laudanum, he thinks four minces; that after he hull bought the poison, he went with Mr. Martin in his break to the tollgate, and then to Fondant and back; and Mountain sat him doves at his gate; that he gave Moun tain his stick, and said he shoot/shave inmate use for It; that when lie came In.. Mary (Loath said, " Your heart has failed yms, yon have not boaght it for me." that she gat up and felt the witness's pocket. 'l'he deceased said, You have got something .here."' Witness replied," Oh, that will moon do our business, if we take it." She said, " Have you any money left of what I gave you to buy it with?" Witness said, " Yes, there are some halfpence." The deceased said she would purchase some oranges wills. them, to take otter It, and wools' send for them. That plae scut a buy of Webb's, who relented with two oranges ; . that she took two wins-glasses on the shelf, and placed bet's on the bes,and said,'` Now let us take it;" that she peered.lsalf our glass, and half into another; cum glass she kept herself , and the other she ga ve to witness. 'She deceased said, " Let ns take hold of melt 011110.'0 bands." Witness said, " No, my dear, if we do, we shall not take, it; let us turn back to back and take it." The deeeasest tied winces' turned their backs to one another, anal drank the contents of the glassesu after they had drank the lquelannsW, the deceased said, " What Shell we de with the bottle?" witness said be would go and throw ' ft away 1. ibie said site would in the mean time wipe np the glasses. He threw the bottle into the privy,and the des •••••d bad wiped the glasses by the time he cause back Ikons the privy.. The deceased said," Let ns go to bed ;" that they both went to bed together; the deceased after. tr*., : - NATIONAL' STER wards got out of bid and placed • chair against the doer' to fasten it, and drew the window blinds; the deceased then said, " Now we shall die happy together ;" this was between two asidthree o'clock ; he asked the deceased how she value by the notary she had given loins, she said, " That is of nu consequence, and dims not signify-;" that the deceased and the witness conversed together about different thing., till about eight o'clock ; she said she bad sent her gown to her aunt's, and that the money came from her; the laudations did not take soy effect till about Iwo, she then began to sleep ; the witoess i was sick about titer, and the deceased was awake et that tines-she was not sick at all, and fell into a mend sleep at ail) the witness awoke bee between six end sem% the deceased Mee said, " How large your eyes look witness sail to her,. " Mary, I em afraid , my laudawaum will take no effect ;" the deceased said, " Oh, dear, if I die without you, and you eremites% before a coast of justice, I Ault not die easy;" witness told tier she might he quite Kappy, rov if4t-did not take effect, be wield get up and buy some that 'could, as be would die *Weiser; ilsedecessed said, " My dear, pray give me that blue meld" handkerchief, that I may ham it in my hand when I die, pray del i you take any4king,int Wine die, and yen will get over it). she then laid her head on the ikhoulder of' the witness, and died Miami inmetrdlately; the body began to grow cold by the time he came in from the town, about half--Oast eight. The Jury milted seniewharmore thaw ball an boor,' and on their retnru,deliveted theit-ierdiet Med.." Mary Gooch, being of sontel mind, took laudanum to her death, procures' at her request by John Spriag, and that she died—Fain di is." About midnight, the remade. of the Wretched woman were interred in the cross read, et Inc (di! ef DREADFUL 8111GIDR, On Wednesday morning. Capt. Elliott. whorandereil himself very eolispicuoas its the sporting world, in con sequence of betting largely, and backing Various pugilists, pot an end to his existence, at his residence, No. 39, H ttttt er-street, Burunncreaceni. liruaellick-sqoue. A person who was u p stairs was attracted by the sound of a pistol, and he instantly made an alma', and ou pro crafting to the dressing-roosts disarvereil that the deceased had shot himself throughstlie hem with a pistol . ball, and he lay prostrate in the apartment covered with ttood. Medical aid was ;smelted insiviesliately can the discovery eI the cirratiesumee, but of ntvavail.. he being quite dead. He was a young {Hill. V/110 had aivunfor. iunaie propensity for betting, and bad backed the Gas • Light Man, Martin, &c. Tit latter pOzt 'fighter tram constantly with him. betted exietralfely on the fight between Acton and Crawley on Me preceding day, and attended the fight, on which it is said. he had lest. An inquisituni was take.. in the eseinng. before Mr. Stirling, the Middlesex Coroner. on the body ulthe above gentleman. at the house of the deqeastd. Thomas litrencer, footman to the ilecraleth stated thil his master went to bed between one andstwo o'clock alb I Wednesday morn ing. and about eight o'clock a person ' called, asked if Mr. Elliott was within, awl seas crvemestie followed up stairs into the gentleman's bed-room. and he was soot% followed by another. These were a sheriff's 'offieer and his aitl-ile.cainp.—Miey foist after retired below, and-Mr. Elliott gave witness ilire.ions to procure a pen and ink tot them to give a &whirr to a writ of 33t. In a short time after, witness braid the report of a pistol, and he found his master hail shut I • self on the left side of the abdinuen with a horse pistol. which,from excessive charge, had nearly forced the lock off. • John Titans, surgeon, stated, that he was called in soon slue eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, and he found The deceased dead, but warm, tee • gin debris, with his shirt on only. 'There was a considerable wound and laceration on the lower part of tit+ stomach, the effect of a discharge of shot. • Elsecharge passed throagh the heart and the lungs, and must have painted instanta neous death. The pistol laid three or foot yards front the body,.aml there was a shot lash and a powder &As upon the bud. ... Mary Wt-stern had lived a year and a half in the • ser vice of the deceased. He was subject to pains in the bead, and did not stein to know what he did or said. He used leeches upon his temples, and fie.heroes agree able to his l/Wll fancy. lie had been wide since a recent shock at the death of his mother, after' which he kept his bed-room. and said every thing seemed to• be going round. lye had lately been at Brighton,. but got worse. He drank freely,and was irritable, anal WIIIICIS had often put razors. and other instruments of destruction out of has way, fearing he would kill himself. His skull was fractured when a youth. The executers as the weft of the father of the deceased proved, that drowsed was not of sine, mind; lie had been coerced formerly by a strait waistcoat when young, and had been twice under the care of a keeper. The Jury expeemesLthemselves satifiarl, and returned a verdict of.--insarsity. issmoww_g_u.i"..!!!""---""—. • Rata Ciminero tar Aratc.—A fevidals ago a gen tleman who was riding near [Afield obstrved a man with a couple of eherries, (the produce of a neighbouring , hot-linuse,) tied der a stick. The gentlemarson Tossing, . inquired the price of these early specimens of summer fruit, and was informed that they smite only a guinea Iliell 1 Checking.his.hosse for a moistest, lie drew from has pocket an embroidered purse, and placed in the hands of the man who hail she cherries, twis'sr.vereigns and two shillings; at the saute moment inking the unit, lie with the greatest taencheleneo ate it, ung aloud, it was very tuts anti lull flavoured. pl u g replaced his purse in his pocket, put his heausis ntes, and lett •the man, of whom he hail poichased She cherries, star ing after hun with amazement, undecided whether to account for his conduct on the score of liberality, fully, or a mixture of both. . A.cororter's inquest waa.hsld yesterda/ at the Giltspor street Compter, on the body of George bchweiszer, who diction Thursday. The surgeon hash% stated inflam mation on the brain thecause of his decease, and nothing appearing to the contrary, the Jury returned a.vealict of " Died a natural death, by the visitation of God." _-• ALARMING ACCIDENT. Monday last being the day appointed for laying the first stone of the new building Mend tir be erected by-the London Orphan Asylum at Claptoti, a vast concourse of , respectable persons, who were provided with admission. tickets, proceeded to the pound at an early hour, for the purpose of witnessing .the ceremony. A considerable space of ground having been enclosed in au ' theatrical film, seven or eight rows of benches were erected nearly all round it. which were appropriated to • the exclusive convenience of ladies; and, although ap parently calculated to hold upwards of two thousand, it - - did tint afford accommodation for above two-thirds of the number that attended. Within these benches was railed in a further space. to allow stanoliteg mom to the • *. male spectators ; and within this, again, Wai formed the arena on which the ceremony was to be performed., Ton consisted partly of solid ground, and partly of a temporary flooring, or platform, composed of planks laid across that part of it which had been ezcavated fur the• basement apartments of the intended building. The' • plaid's rested on a beam, which was supported by props of thick timber underne ath... 14 the - centre of the arena was slung the stone. About three o'clock the Duke of York, accompanied by Prince Leopold, arrived at the, Mermaid tavern, Hackney; where, after partaking of a collation, their Royal Highnesses joined the precession, which then proceeded in the prescribed oilier to the ; ground. •As soon as it entered the arena, the Lord Mayor pronounced a short address, which was Ina:cede& • . by en appropriate prayer by the Lord Bishop of London. :the members of tile procession then formed a wide eir- - ale round the stone, and the stewards placed the children; to front of them. arranging the boys en the right, ant/ ' the girls on the kit. *1 he band struck up, the children " commenced singing some verses comp:Pied for the mea -1 sion„.and the process of lowering the stone was begun. Before, however, it had descended many inches, or the 'children had sting through their first stanza, the platform on the left of i.jte stone, on which the Duke and the Print*, tagedter with the Bishop, several clergymen,the Mayor, 2 0 4 e. anti the greater part of the female chil-• deeiveserelesnding, gave way with a loud crash, which .vas echoed by a universal screens of horror front the • benches, and followed by a scene of the greatest confu. Sou foe sontarMittates. Dm principal prop, it appeared ; haettig beien,vvvertonied,. in consequence of the rope which the persons held ivho were lowering the stone being twisted mond is. the beam Which it had supported yielded to the pressure of the weight overhead, the planks resting mt the beam of course sunk with it, and the individuals who stood upon the planks shared in the fall. except such or them as had the address and oppor- • tunity to spring off the boards when they felt thent giving way. Amongst them was the Duke of York, who, at the first alariii,leaped forward with considerable agility, and reached theardid-groond in safety. Prince Leopold, also, and sevensl other individuals near him. • escaped falling, they having fortunately been standing on that part of the scaffolding most minute from the centre, where it first gave way. A number of the girls, how. ever, and oilier individuals, fell in, -but all these went' liapp:ry extricated from their slat situation without any serious injury. lit one instance alone the accidents - was fatal. One of the labouring men, who was tinder- - 'math the scaffolding, and holding the rope above men.- noised, happened unfortunately to be at that inontent;-‘ ediately under the beam. la crushed him to death The wretched victim was borne away its a theadlntly • mangled state. The ceremony was then hastily cella eluded, and the parties returned to town. At six *chicle the institution celebrated their anitirersary festival, by a - dinner at the City of I.ondonTarerti..at which the Lord ' Mayor (in the room of the Duke of York.-wito was prevented by order of his physician from attending) pre sided, motioned by Prince Leopold knit the Bishop of ',tuition. The meeting was crowded, and*, collection - ' considerable. DEATH' , NY •FICIIITING.--411U inquisition erralhelff on Friday, in the Cross-keys, Iheobald a-road, before Thtia.. Sutiluig. Esq..on•rhe body of Norman ap- - peered from the evidence, that a society of bakers, (of • winch thellecease.l was o ne,) met at the Bedford-head, • Upper ffing-strert.—On Saturday evening last a person named Lake, who, was acting as Chairman, gave an in decorous to at, which was reprobated by another person; this gave rise to a quarrel, and some ahallenging. but there was no figliting then ; however. on "katenlas events,' Mg, meeting at die sinneliouse, the 114etied challenged ' Lake-to fight for two sovereigns, which was agreed-to, and a documentin w g signed to the effect that they wire to meet in Copenitagen.fieldeon Thursday evening, • at me o'clock, and.fight at half minute time —They ac cordingly melon the spotat the appointed time, and • having shaken bandit, commenced fighting ; in the first three•romuls the deceased had the advantage, but inake last mond he received a bitew on the ear which knocked him down, and he never spoke after; he was put inter's. a coach and conveyed to the Cross-keys, when Mr. '• White, a sturgeon, was sent for, but he died in a few " minutes after his arrival. On opening Ilse heal four ounces of extravasated blood were f don the brain. which was produced by Itsainjuries he had received, and was the cause of his tiratli —Verdict, Manslaughter against Lake, Butler, and Brown, the seconds.—War- • were immediately issued for their apprehension. . SINGULAR CI RC OUSTA N C 15.01.1 • Standardise two • gentlemen, who were travelling in different directions, stopped at the Bell, Hounslow, where theJ host, while attending them and other guests, remarked a great similarity of countenance between these strangers, which produced a conversation in which they rectigissed each other as brothers. A gentleman present, many year, resident in that town, named Stebles, who is use- . fortunately blind, appeared deeply interested in the eis planation, and claimed the same affinity. The recog nition was a acetic difficult to describe. The son/rant. brother is in his fiftieth year, and ihointassinetting was its Ins infancy., .MI. WM S'~ ~ i~