The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-16 00:00:00

THE sumps AT ALBANY BARRACKS.

CORONER'S INQUEST.—(THLS DAY.)
Dr. Lankester held au inquest this morning at
the Canteen, Albany Barracks, Regent's-park, on the body
of William Gamble. a private in the god Life Guards, and
servant to Colonel Yyse, who committed suicide under
circumstances given in the following evidence.
The jury proceeded to view the body and the place
where the tumble deed wu committed. In the women's
water-closet, attached to the officers' quarters, on the seat
lay a portion of the jaw of a man with three teeth entire,
the wall and sides of the closet being bespattered with
blood and brains. In the deadhowie at the Barrack Noe-
pita, to which the body itself had been taken, a fearful
spectable presented itself, the entire front of the head
being blown away with the exception of the right eye,
that organ being the only means of recognition by his
features. He appeared to be about 35 years of age, and •
remarkably well-proportioned man.
William Colbourn, of 36, Edward-street, Regent's Park.
shoemaker to the 2nd Life Guards, said just before II o'clock
on Saturday morning last he was at the barracks, and on
his going into Colonel Vyse's stables to see deceased for
payment of • little bill, he &mid he was not there, and
then went to the officers' quarters. He then heard* report
of a pistol, and on looking round he and Captain Ewart's
servant, observed smoke coming from the water-closet at the
back of the mesa-b 00.,. They went that, and Stamp, the
servant looked in, and said to witness, " Oh, Bill, there's a
man dead!" He was sitting upright. His face was shat-
tered, and a portion of his jaw, containing teeth, was upon
the floor of the closet. Dr. Kerin, the surgeon of the
regiment, was then called. Witness, who had been in the
regiment, had known deceased for eighteen years, the whole
time he bad been in the service. Witness knew nothing of
the circumstances of the deceased, and knew nothing of his
habits that would cause him to commit an act of this kind.

Rebecca Ba 'lentils., of 75, Mornington-road, wife of a
policeoonstable, said deceased had lodged with her since the
beginning of April last. His wife had lived with him until
nine weeks sines. She left to take charge of Colonel Wyse's
hones daring the colonel's absence. Deceased often com-
plained of he wiles sbsence, and gave way to habits of in-
temperance, and latterly was invariably intoxicated. Oa
Friday night last, about half-pest 10, he came home and
left the street door open. He woke witness through hie
talking, and she heard him afterwards come down stairs
and shut the door. He got up at half-past 5 the next
morning and went out. The corporal-major afterwards
came and told her he was dead. He appeared at timer to
be wandering during the last three months.
Frederick Geo. Boris, surgeon to the regiment, deposed
that he had known amble for two years as • man
of intemperate habits, and had cautioned him more than
once. About six weeks ago, during his master's absence,
he saw him intoxicated and reproved him. He had no I
doubt that this suicidal act was the result of intemperate
habits producing an unsound state of mind. He was called
about 12 o'clock on Saturday last tosee dooremed. He pushed
the door open with his foot, and saw the deceased, who was
dead. (Witness produced • double-barrelled pastel, which
was in the closet by the right hand side of the deceased ;
also a flattened bullet.) Witness said that Colonel Vyse
bought the pistol during the Chartist riota, both barrels
being of the UMW bore as the regimental carbines. His
opinion was that deceased placed the pistol in his mouth
and discharged the right barrel. The pistol was covered is
blood. There was no cap on the second barrel, which was
rusty.
. . . . . . -

John Webster, a jprivate in the 2nd Life Guards and
servant to Captain Woodgate, maid he saw Gamble on Sa-
turday morning about 11 o'clock. who asked him for some
caps, then having the pistol in his hand. Witness told him
be bad none. The cap used by deceased was a regimental
carbine cap.
The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide while in an un-
sound state of mind."

Colonel Vyse was present during the latter part of the
proceedings, and stated his impression that for some time
past deceased had been in a deranged state of mind.