The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-04-08 00:00:00

SrotLinb.

SimonNo MUTH Mr A New- ePArea PHOPRIETuIt.—A
communication from Morpeth contains a melancholy
story of Charles Birnie. lately the proprietor of a
newspaper published at Falkirk, an important town in
the county of Stirling, who died in the Morpeth work-
house under truly deplorable circumstances. A fort-
night ago he was found lying in a straw stark, at Stab
Hill Brick Works, near this town, in a most miserable
condition, he stating that lie had lain there nearly a
fortni:.,ht, destitute of food and alniost every other
comfort. He was removed to the hospital of the work-
house where he had food, fie., administered to him by
the medical men ; but mortification having set in in his
feet, which were so much swollen when he was brought
into the workhouse, that his Wellington boots had to be
cut off, he has just died. The last employment
followed by Birnie, who was a man of some talent, was
the starting of a paper called the Falkirk Adrertioer.
Finding his newspaper an unprofitable one he
relinquished it, and wended his way to Edinburgh, in
the hope of finding employment. Here be was %inane-
censful, and he resolved on committing suicide. At a
druggist's shop in George Street be purchased • lance
quantity of laudanum, which he shortly afterwards
swallowed, committing a not uncommon mistake of
'wallowing too large a dote which caused him to vomit
the whole of it. He started on fest southward, New-
castle being his intended destination. He bad some
entries in his journal, which was composed of scraps of
newspaper, contributions from his own pen, and in
which was the entry relating to his taking laudanum.
On reaching Morpeth it was late in the evening, when
lie spent his lest penny on a roll, and, mistaking the
road leading past the railway station for the Newcastle
road, fatigue overpowered him, and he crept into the
stack, and covered himself over with straw, with the
intention of likening or starving to death, as is evinced
by the last entries in his diary, as follow :—Thursday,
13t1i.--I have now lain under some straw, by a hay-
stack, near Morpeth last night and all day; God knows
if ever I shall be able to proceed any further. I would
like to hare got to Chester-le-Street, to be buried there,
that iny poor wife, when she look on Illy grave,
might forgive and weep.—Friday, 4th. Still
ling here bat very weak. Just a week
since I left: Falkirk Manse. I could only raise £3
18.1 to pay my printer's account. What a time of suff-
ering it has been, but I trust it has been for my good.
Speak kindly of me to my children. I am not able to
walk, but I still have strength in the ordinary sense. I
I do not feel but • painful drawing of breath every
time I breathe. ?rids,' afternoon, Feb. 14t1i.—Life
isus torment. I have misspent it. No man had ever
better opportunities or mide won* um of Qum. Send

word to Falkirk. Say the " Cock of the Steeple" is
dead. I forsook God, and He has forsaken me. Let
my wretched fete be a wanking to all, ei.pecia ly that
they may never drink strong drink. 0 God, have
mercy upon me, for the sake of Jesus, KV° or six days
and nights alone, with a consciounstiess of any limit life
and of God, have a welitlciful effect upon the mind.
If I die now I die not without hope. I believe, but
with trembling. Saturday. 15th.—One week my
punishment has lasted. I still lie here, but very conk,
anal much pained in the bowel.. Sabbath, 16.--Another
day without food or drink. Cold. When will the trial
be over ? Monday, 17tIL-0 God, grant me patience !
Monday, 24G.—Oh lam weary. One part of any body
appears to be deal. I cannot go for a drink now.
February NO.—Seventeen days' suffering ; during that
that time had twice as piece of blond. Twelve days
without a 'florae]. Tuesday, 25G.—Death cornea on, I
wait, I meet Him without fear. Jesus is nil. Oh, He
has saved me. yet saved as lay fire, these thirteen days.
I bless Him for them ;.to Him I commit my soul, any
memory, my family, my all. Amen.—ALEXANDER
_ _

In • case tried • few days ego, in the Sheriff's Court
of Glasgow, Sir A. Alison, who presided, hit upon a
novel mode of determining a knaty point of precedence,
which threatened to be troublesome. We extract from
the Edinburgh Currant :—A competition arose between
Mr. Galbraith ard Mr. Gordon Smith as to who should
have precedence in examining the bankrupt, and the
sheriff was appealed to on the subject. Air. Galbraith,
after stating the nature of the question, was proceed-
ing to state his claim. The Sheriff : I think you had
bottel: toss up • shilling for it! many questions of more
importance have been determined on worse grounds.
Mr. Galbraith : I think I sin entitb:d to proceed. Mr.
Smith : I submit that I--The Sheriff: Ali ! I see how
it is; we had better just tom for it. 11l throw up this
shilling. Heade for you, Mr. Galbraith. TMIs for you,
Mr. Smith. Heads it is. Mr. Galbraith thereupon
claimed the right to proceed. Mr. Smith acquiesced,
at the mine lime muttering it should have been the best
of five. lThis is somewhat like • Dorsetshire jury abont
two years ago, the principal portion of whom came from
Weymouth, when they drew lots to determine whether
en
old woman, charged with pnrehasMg some candles of
• child knowing them to be stolendshould be pronounced
guilty or acquitted.—ED. D. C. E.]