The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-31 00:00:00

SUICIDE IN A POLICE STATION.

Yesterday evening an inquest wax taken by Mr.
Bedford on view of the body of Edward Beck, aged 37, an
enanibus conductor, who committed suicide in a cell of the
Vine-street Station of the C division of police, within' iron
tip of a boot heel.
It appeared that the deceased was addicted to excessive
drinking, and that he left his situation as a conductor about
a fortnight ago. He frequently suffered from severe pains
in his head, the effects of his Intemperate habits, and of a
sunstroke he received when in India. Last Saturday even-
ing he exhibited great strangeness of manner, and left hie
home at No. 9, Bell street, Edgware-road, between 1 and
2 o'clock on Sunday morning. About half-past 3 o'clock
he was observed by Policeman Joy, C 187, in Jennyn-street,
and who took him into custody as a suspected person, on
which charge he was locked up at the station-house, Vine-
street, Piccadilly. lie was visited throughout the Sun-
day, and manifested no symptoms of a deranged intellect.
About half-put 5 o'clock he asked Fox, C 117, who was
pro tem. gaoler, on visiting his cell, fur some water, which
he received. In a few minutes atter Fox went to his cell,
when, on not seeing him and on his not replying whi n
spoken to, he opened the cell door, and he then tonna de-
ceased in a sitting posture, having his arm in the pan of
the watercloset. He called Inspector Mahoney, who pro-
ceeded to the cell, upon which deceased was discovered to
have cut a vein in the left arm, which had been done by
the sharp edge of au iron tip he had wrenched from the
heel of his boot. Deceased was attended by a surgeon,
who advised his removal to St. Deorge's Hospital, but he
died before his edmission into that institution. Mr.
Hastings, house surgeon, said that deceased died from lass
of blood, having cut an artery. Verdict, "Temporary

CHARING-CROSS BRIDGE COMPANY.

The half-yearly meeting of this compan♦ took
place yesterday at Ins °dices Villiers-street, Siren ,•Mr. It.
New in the chair.

A report was read, which stated that the income during 1,
the Nth months ending the 31st July last amounted to
3,3551 153. Ild., inclad.ng 1681. 81. 6d. for rent, and other
items et miscellaneous revenue, and that the expenditure
fur the same period, exclusive of payments for dividend=,
imterest and j allowance to directors and auditors, was
lON. Os. 7d. The painting and necessary repairs of the
bridge having been completed the directors had caused ad.
yertisements to be inserted in the newsmen for a loan of
15,00/., hoping to be able to liquidate the remainder of the
present loan capital of 21.8651. 41. 58. (or 6,8651.45. 5d.) by
the produce of the sale of the wharf on the Surrey side ;
and as there was an income of upwards of 4,0001. per
annum, after deducting all coats of maintenance, to provide
the interest upon the required loan, the directors expected
to raise the amount at 4.. per cent, per annum. Tne direc-
tors had entered into • satisfactory arrangement with
Messrs. Tillet far the purchase of their interest
in land required from them for the new :Surrey
approach; but they had purposely delayed far
the present active proceedings towards the for-
mation of such approaches. The delay had been
caused by the inerem G public attention now turned to
the necessity of obtaining direct means of transit for earn-.
uee sod general traffic across the Thames at or in the im-
mediate neighbourhood of Charing-cross, and the I. or-
pending notice of a motion in parliament by Mr. Oliseira,
which had obtained from her Majesty's uovernment the
promise of a committee next seetion, to consider the general
question of the metropolitan bridges. The directors, being
telly alive to the importance of this question, had consulted
the Chief Commissioner of Public ‘l, orlte and the chairman
of the South Walden Railway Company upon the subject ;
and they had also %used returns to be furnished of the entire
truffle passing daily over Westminster-bridge, whilst plans
and estimates had been prepared with lull information a.
to the proper mode and probable cost of extending the
present structure, fur the accommodation of carriage and
general traffic. The directors had not been able to give to
this important question the full consideration it demanded ;
hut they hoped that her Majesty's government and the
South Western Railway Company would give them such
assistance as would enable them to lay before the share-
holders a plan for enlarging the bridge, with improved ap•
preaches on either side. The accounts showed a balance to
credit of revenue of 1,9191.125. 9d.,which would b.: -nereaeeil
by 1231. for rent due to this company on the 31st July, and
diminished by 1,5131. liabilities for Int eeeee , &e. In the
amount of liabilities was included • portion of the cost of
the painting and repairs recently executed, which it was
proposed to spread over a period of three years. This would
allow of the declaration of a dividend of 3s. per share.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
alluded to the great benefits which it was expected that the
company would derive from the extension of the present
structure for the accommodation of carriage traffic ; and he
assured the shareholders that the directors would give this
important subject their attentive consideration. He re-
gritted that the dividend declared on this occasion was not
larger, but ho hoped that the improvements which were in
contemplation would soon afford the directors an opportu-
nity of announcing a more satisfactory state of things. The
continuance of wet weather lately had greatly intrefered
with the traffic, and the receipts had been diminished, as
' might naturally be expected, from this unavoidable cruse.
The report was adoeted and the dividend declared, and
the retiring directors and one of the auditors having been
re-elected, the business terminated.

BRITISH AND COLONIAL SMELTING AND
REDUCTION COMPANY.

The first ordinary half-yearly meeting of this com-
pany was held yestarnity at the London Tavern, W. Una-
ItARD in the chair.

The usual preliminaries having been gone through, the
Secretary read a report which stated that the directors had
satisfaction in being able to congratulate the proprietors on
the state and prospects of the undertaking. The Tamar
works were in full operation, and the profits thereon
enabled the directors to declare—subject to the approval of
the shareholders—a dividend fir the half-year at the rate

of 7} per cent. per annum, free from income tax, on the
whole paid up capital, and to leave a small rest. From
circurn.tdnees incidental to a new buaineu, and from the

alterations and additions which it bad been found necessary
to make, the works at Mill Wall had not been productive
of much return during the past half-year, but the director.
fully relied on being able, at the next meeting, to lay before
them a satiefiatory result for the current half-year. The
directors had made arrangements on favourable terms for
takitai leases for 21 years from Lady-day last of the Tamar
and Mill is all Smelting Works. When these leas.s were
completed a proper deed would be executed by the direc-
tors, acknowledging that they held them in trust far the
benefit of the company. The capital account for the ball-
year ending June 30th, 1853, showed that the receipts had
amounted to 51,8131. 4s. 6d., and the payments to 48,8891.
Bs. Id., leaving a balance of 2,9231. 16s. sd.
The report, together with the statement of accounts,
was then adopted, and a dividend declared, as recommended
therein.

Some formal business baring been disposed of, the meet-
ing separated.