The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-17 00:00:00

SUICIDE OF THE EARL OF
SHAFTESBURY.

The Earl of Shaftesbury. committed suicide in
London on Tuesday afternoon by shooting himself
with a revolver whilst riding in a cab in Regent-
street. It appears that his lordship engaged a cab
in the upper part of Regent-street shortly after four
o'clock and directed the cabman to drive down the
street. The driver did so, ,and on reaching the
lower end of the street was told by the noble
earl to return. This the man did, and when
the upper end of the street was reached his lord-
ship again directed the cab. to be turned round.
This was done several times, and when the hansom
was near Oxford-street, about half-past four o'clock,
the driver heard a shot: He jumped down, and the
earl who was unknown to him, said. "Its all right,
cabman; drive on." The man replied, "Yes, I know
it's all right; but what is this ? " pointing to a bullet-.
hole in the front part of the cab, near the glass panel
of the door-ledge on the left side, and adding, But
I vain() my life too much to drive on." He was, how-
ever, about to mount the box again, when a second
report was heard, and this time the unfortunate noble-
man shot himself in the left temple. At this moment a
policeman, who had heard the first report, came up and
told the cabman to drive to the Middlesex Hospital.
A crowd .gathered round the vehicle, but the
earl was not recognised by anyone until the hospital
was reached, a few minutes afterwards. Then the
policeman and the driver of the cab carried his lord-
ship, who was still alive, into the in-patients' ward
and summoned the assistance of the house-surgeon,
Dr. Bartlett, but Lord Shaftesbury was lust breathing
his last, and was beyond all surgical aid when the
doctor reached him, the bullet having penetrated the
brain. Meanwhile an intimation of the sad occur-
rence had been sent to the friends of the earl, and in
a short time the Countess of Shaftesbury arrived,
followed by his lordship's brother, but only to learn
that the worst had happened.
The weapon used by the hapless nobleman was a
six-barrelled revolver, and it was evident from the
position of the first shot that it had been fired acci-
dentally, but the situation of the fatal wound showed
that the second shot was fired with only too deliberate
an aim. After examination and identification, the
body was removed to the mortuary of the hospital,
where it will await the inquest, unless in the mean-
time the coroner should issue a warrant authorising
the removal of the remains to his lordship's late resi-
dence. The news of the tragedy soon spread, and
caused a painful impression throughout the West-
end.
The deceased earl, who succeeded to the title last
year, was born in 1831, and sat as member (Liberal-
Conservative) for Hull, 1857 to 1859, and for Crick-
lade, 1859 to 1865. He leaves an only son (Lord
Ashley) and five daughters. It is stated that he had
for some time been unwell, and had complained of
mental depression. His lordship took an active in-
terest in the Naval Volunteer movement, and was for
several years connected with the London Brigade of
that force as Honorary Lieutenant Commanding, and
he was most popular among the members of the
brigade, frequently accompanying them in their
cruises.