The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL BROKER.

On Thursday morning, Mr. William Tatham, of the firm
of Hill, Tatham, and Co., tallow-brokers, Exchange-cham-
bers, went into the vault under the bar of the Exchange
Newsroom, access to which is obtained only through a trap-
door, for the ostensible purpose of going to a water-closet
there. Not returning in a reasonable time, a porter went
below, when he found the closet-door locked inside, and
blood flowing from beneath. He rushed up stairs, and another
porter then went down, but immediately returned, when Mr.
Warburton descended, and, seeing at once that some dread-
ful calamity had occurred, returned to the room for the pur-
pose of sending for medical aid. In the meantime, Mr. Smith
having descended, broke the door open with a hatchet, and
discovered Mr. Tatham in a sitting posture, with a deep gash
in his throat, and a razor in his hand. With the aid of Mr.
Finlay he endeavoured to staunch the blood, removed him into
the cellar, and laid him on his back. By his side were found
a second razor, and an open Bible, on which a pocket hand-
kerchief was laid. He exhibited signs of life, though the wind-
pipe was severed, and the jugular vein injured. No time was lost
in sending for surgical aid. Mr. W.T. Callon, of Islington, Mr.
Osborne, of Earl-street, and Mr. Fitzpatrick, of Litherland, were
quickly in attendance. Owing to the peculiar nature of the
place, Mr. Tatham could not be removed. It was feared that he
could not survive many hours. He seemed to rally towards
evening, and was able, by signs, and by making notes in a book,
communicate with the Rev. Henry Brooks and other clergy-
men, who, with his friends, had lost no time in visiting him.
Being able to use and understand the signs for the deaf and
dumb alphabet, he was frequently in communication with Mr.
Warburton, and he expressed sorrow for what he had done,
being anxious to live, in order that he might obtain pardon
for his great offence. He also shook hands with all the parties
who were assiduous in their attentions to him, and he pressed
to his lips the hand of Mr. Smith, who, with Mr. Warburton,
was the first to render him assistance and remove him from
the closet. In the course of the afternoon he fell asleep; and
on Friday he continued to improve. On Saturday morning
he was sufficiently strong to be removed to the Northern Hos-
pital. Mr. Tatham was married about ten months ago, and
Mrs. Tatham was confined a few weeks since. She was not
made aware of the cause of his absence, having been
informed that he was taken suddenly unwell. The cause of
the rash attempt is said to have been of a pecuniary nature,
several firms, in connection with which he had undertaken
.large liabilities, having been reported as bankrupt.
Though the unfortunate gentleman had continued to show
symptoms of improving health up to Sunday evening, and was
in such a condition as to excite hopes of his ultimate recovery, at
a late hour indications less favourable to convalescence super-
vened, and be became gradually worse. At an early hour
yesterday morning his pulse gave indications of sinking, and
about noon he expired.
INQUEST ON THE BODY.

An inquest was held on the body yesterday, in the Board-
room of the Northern Hospital, before J. P. Curry, Esq.,
Borough Coroner.
The first witness called was Christopher Foster, porter to
the Exchange News-rooms. He said—On Thursday morning
last, about 20 minutes to 10 o'clock, I had occasion to go to
the vaults underneath the newsroom. There are two water-
closets there. I observed blood flowing beneath one of the
water-closet doors. I informed Griffiths, another porter, and,
on trying the door, he found that it was bolted inside. The
key was in the lock outside of the door. Mr. Griffiths in-
formed Mr. Warburton, the master of the room, who imme-
diately came down, accompanied by Mr. Smith, an assistant in
the room, who forced open the door. I saw the deceased sit-
ting on the seat of the water-closet' with blood flowing from a
large and apparently deep gash in the throat. I was sent to
give information to Mr. Hill, one of the partners of the de-
ceased, and, on my return, I helped to carry the deceased
from the closet in which he was lying to an adjoining cellar.
I came back and found a razor on the flooi', amongst the
blood, and another in a case on the seat, and a Bible on the
seat, lying on a necktie.
John Griffiths (porter) was next examined, and corroborated
the evidence of Foster.
Mr. Warburton, master of the News-room, said he saw Mr.
Tatham' and he appeared to be in a great hurry, but notmore
excited than usual, The witness described the position of
Mr. Tatham when discovered, and also the means which were
taken to procure medical aid, and to administer to his comfort.
Mr. Tatham remained in the cellar until Friday night, when
he was conveyed to the Northern Hospital.
Mr. William B. Wall said,—l am house-surgeon at the
Northern Hospital ; on Friday night last, the deceased was
brought to the hospital, greatly exhausted from loss of blood.
He had a wound extending along the front of the throat for
about five inches. As the deceased had been examined by
other medical gentlemen before he was brought to the
hospital, I did not make any examination of the extent
of the wound depth. Mr. Callon, Mr. Osborne,
and afterwards Mr. Fitzpatrick, saw the deceased at
the hospital. On Saturday morning, about four o'clock,
I observed that some of the sponges introduced into
the wounds to staunch the bleeding were becoming
offensive. I went for Mr.,Osborne, who came, and, with the
approbation of Mr. Callon,the sponges were removed. Every-
thing was done for his relief, but he gradually sank, and died
this day at noon. The oesophagus and windpipe were divided,
and from these causes, and loss of blood, death ensued. The
deceased was not able to speak after he was brought to the
hospital.
Mr.'Robert Smith, assistant-master of the Exchange News-
room, said he received information of the blood flowing from
under the water-closet door ; he went down and broke it open.
He produced the razors, Bible, and neck-tie found by the
witness Foster.
The razor and Bible were smeared with blood.
Mr. Henry Forshaw, solicitor to the firm of Hill, Tatham,
and Co., said :—On Wednesday morning, Mr. Hill and the
deceased came to my office on professional business. The firm
consulted me on matters connectedwith their partnership, and
during this conversation I advised them about extensive trans-
actions with a mercantile firm. The deceased appeared to be
labouring under very great, and what appeared to me to be
unnecessary excitement. I went out of my path as a lawyer,
and advised Mr. Hill as a friend to subdue Mr. Tatham's feel-
ings. I subsequently saw the deceased twice on the same
day, and at the last interview, about four o'clock, he
appeared to be even more excited than he had been
in the morning. The deceased then promised to be
at my office at ten o'clock to meet me next morning.
The excitement in which the deceased was made so
great an impression upon my mind, that I could not
help mentioning it to my wife during the day. It is a
very rare occurrence for me to talk of business matters at
home. On Thursday morning, as he did not keep his ap-
pointment, I wrote a letter to the firm, feeling anxious about
the deceased, in which I stated that I had received cheering
information (underlining ".cheering," which I was induced
to do to keep up the spirits of Mr. Tatham) about the
subject I had conversed with them the previous
morning. In the letter I requested them to come to
my office. In about 15 minutes after I dispatched my letter,
I heard of the discovery in the water-closet. I was shocked
but not surprised at what had happened. The state of excite-
ment in which the deceased was the day previously was very
great.
By a Juryman.—lt appeared to be purely business excite-
ment. It did not seem from his speech that the excitement
was caused by stimulating liquors.
The Coroner here asked the jury if it was necessary to call
before them the deceased's grandfather, or Mr. Hill, one of
Mr. Tatham's partners, to show the cause of his excitement.
The jury thought it was not necessary, as Mr. Forshaw's
evidence quite satisfied them on that point.
After a brief consultation the jury returned a verdict of
Temporary insanity."

DEATII.—On the 19th inst., John Hesketh Franklin, aged
six months, youngest son of Mr. William Franklin, of the
Mersey Hotel.
STABBING CASE.—Ann M'Combuskie was yesterday
charged by Catherine Fillows with having assaulted her ,
and stabbed her in the eye, on Saturday night, in Queen-
street. The prisoner was committed for trial.
LORD'S DAY DESECRATION--A meeting of the Liverpool
Working Men's Protestant Association was held last night,
at the Teutonic Hall, Lime-street, in order to decide upon
a petition to parliament against opening places of public
amusement on the Lord's Day. R. Radcliffe, Esq., was in
the chair, and the meeting was numerously attended. The
several resolutions were agreed to, and after a vote of thanks
to the chairman the meeting broke up.
CHURCH OP THE HOLY INNOCENTS.—This church, which
has been built in connection with the Orphan Asylum, has
just been decorated in the chancel with a very fine stained
glass window, at the expense of Mr. Harmood Banner, who
built the church. The subject of the window is " Christ
blessing little children," and it is elaborated with great artistic
skill. It is rich in colouring, and as a whole is a highly ap-
propriate decoration. It was executed at Tours, and cost about
£250.
LIVERPOOL APOLLO GLEE CLUB.—The fifty-ninth anni-
versary of this club was celebrated by the annual dinner,
which took place, as usual, in the Adelphi Hotel. In the una-
voidable absence of the mayor, the chair was occupied by
James Holme, Esq. The meeting was a numerous and
happy one, and every attention was paid to the comfort and
convenience of the company by the host and his assistants.
Many favourite glees, quartetts, and other concerted pieces
were sung in course of the evening, and all present departed,
greatly delighted with the meeting and the entertainment.
LECTURE ON SYRIA.—Last night, a lecture on the present
state of Syria, its religious condition, and the manners and
customs of the inhabitants, was delivered in Hope-hall, by Mr.
E. G. Saleebey, a native of Mount Lebanon. The lecturer, who
spoke English very imperfectly, described the difficulties
which he encountered in acquiring any knowledge of letters.
He also narrated several incidents, showing how much the
ordinary difficulties were augmented by obstacles thrown in
the way of procuring education from the want of books and
teachers. The lecture was concluded by a collection in aid of
the Scripture Schools in Lebanon. The attendance was far
from numerous—a circumstance which the lecturer alluded to
complainingly at the opening of the lecture.
DRUGGING AND ROBBING A. SOLDIER.—Three women,
named Alice Paterson, Mary Ann Brown, and Margaret Tier-
ney, were charged yesterday before the magistrates with hav-
ing robbed James Hoey of thirty-nine pounds in gold, in a
house kept by Brown, in Albion-street, on Sunday morning.
From the evidence it appeared that the prosecutor, who is a
sergeant in the 87th Regiment, has just returned to this
country after an absence of thirteen years in India, and was
on his way to the town of Galway. He arrived in Liverpool
late on Saturday, and was met by the prisoner Paterson, who
induced him to accompany her to the house kept by Brown.
Here he had a little ale, which had evidently been drugged,
and after partaking of which he became very sleepy. On
awaking in the morning he found that his purse, containing
thirty-nine sovereigns, had been taken out of his pocket. On
making complaint, he was assaulted by a man, who made his
escape in the dark. The police being called in, ten and a-half
sovereigns were recovered, having been dropped by the pri-
, soners on the floor, and on one of them nine shillings in silver
were also found. The prisoners were all removed to Bride-
well, and on being brought before the magistrates they were
all committed for trial.

PRODUCE.—During the latter part of the week
there has been a better demand for Sugar, especially
for export, and prices have been maintained. Coffee
is quiet, without material change in price. Of Tea a
demand exists for better grades, but common Congous
move off slowly. Rice neglected. Rum without
animation. More inquiry for Palm Oil, which has
realised from £3B to £4O per ton. A very limited
business in Tallow.—To-DAY, the improved feeling
noticed in our Sugar market on Friday still continues,
and a greater extent of business would have been
done, if holders had been disposed to proceed at the
current rates ; including Saturday's transactions, the
sales comprise 250 hhds. Demerara at 35s 6d to 365,
with grainy at 40s 6d to 42s 6d, 130 hhds. Surinam
at 35s to 35s 6d, and 700 bags Benares at 41s, also
1200 bags Madras. price not reported, 1150 boxes
1 Havana from 225. 6d. to 275„ and 2000 Per-
nams at 21s 9d per cwt. in bond. 50 puncheons
Demerara Rum are reported at about previous
rates, and 40 bags Brazil Coffee at 44s per cwt.
The Tea market is quiet, and prices remain as
last noted. No inclination was shown to purchase
the Bengal Rice offered by auction, and the whole
was withdrawn. 150 bags Saltpetre have been sold
at 33s for 34 per cent. refraction, 40 chests Orange
Shell Lac at 51s to 51s 3d per cwt., and 20 tons
Ceara Fustic at £5 15s to £6 5s per ton.

WooL.—During the past week there has been more
activity in the wool market. The rise at the London
sales has caused a material improvement in this
market, especially for all descriptions of fine wool.
Fine washed and unwashed Peruvian wool is in good
request, but there are no stocks. Bosnia, &c., of a good
long staple, is much inquired after, but we are with-
out any stocks. In Egyptian, Smyrna, &c., there has
not been so much doing, but prices remain firm.
There have been a few sales of Donskoi, but without
change in price. Imports for the week :-6 bales
South American, 50 Irish, and 10 coastwise; total,
66 bales.