The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-10 00:00:00

SUICIDE AT MANCHESTER.

An inquest was held at Manchester on Monday,
before Mr. O. 0. Rutter, deputy county coroner, on the
, body of Thomas Topbam, a shoemaker, aged 30, unmarried,
and who lived with his mother in Bell's-gates, Green-gate,
Salford. Sometime ago the deceased, whilst at work,
pricked one of his fingers with an awl, and this slight
wound never became entirely healed. Deceased complained
continually of the pain which he suffered from his finger,
and went to several medical men, none of whom could
afford him relief, as nothing could be ascertained as to the
immediate cause of his suffering. The unfortunate man
became quite deranged; and he would frequently, after
galling vacantly into the fire for some time, rise suddenly
and rush into the street, crying like a child, and shrieking,
" Oh, my finger." For several weeks lately, he had refused
to go up stairs to bed, and a bed had to be made up for
him in the kitchen. He was often found looking at his
finger in a very despairing way. On Sunday morning,
when some members of the family went into the kitchen,
the deceased was found hanging by his neckerchief from a
beam in the ceiling quite dead. The jury found a verdict
to the effect, that the deceased had hung himself while
labouring under insanity.

A VOICE FROM CORFU—We have received the
following letter, dated Corfu, July 24: " By the arrival of
Her Majesty's ship Triton, on the 17th, from Malta,we have
all heard with regret that the government at home have
given orders that the steamers which run, and have run for
the put twenty years between Corfu and Malta, in con-
junction with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company, twice a month, are discontinued without any pre
vious notice. Now all the letter, newspaper., and perio-
dicals for Corfu will have to remain at Malta, until some
sailing vessel should be coming this way. The worthy
der, commissary recommends all letters to be sent vid
Trieste, which is all very good for our private ones, but
how are soldiers' letters which amount to upwards of three
thousand e month, the regimental reports, paymasters' ac-
counts, engineers' plane, and commissariat and ordnance
accounts, to be sent home ? It is rather disgusting to a gar-
rison stationed at such a distance from their home and
friends to be cut off from the only means they had to com-
municate with their relatives, and which the government
is in duty bound to provide the moldier with. Letters now
for Malta must be sent by way of Molfatte and Naples, and
then for Gibraltar by way of England. A general order
was issued to-day by the general commanding, stating that
a courier wouldlbe despatched from this on 7th August,
via Trieste, by the Lord High Commissioner, and that the
heads of departments might send any letters of emergency
by that opportunity. The idea of sending public dispatches
through Austria is one of the greatest absurdities ever
heard of. No mention is made of our worthy soldiers' let-
ters. This step, if fur economy, is a di grace to our
country."
PRICE OF NEGROES.—The Anderson Ga-
zette says, under this beading—" We know not to what
cause to attribute it, but better prices have been offered by
traders for this description of property, than we have ever
before known. Negro fellows of very ordinary appearance,
are bringing 1,000 dole. very readily. Women are selling for
very large priers, varying from 700 dole. to 1,000 dole. Boys
weighing aoouty fifty pounds can be sold for about 600 doll.
This is the time for selling, if any one is so disposed." The
Wilmington (North Carolina) Journal, quoting the above
remarks—" We would also remark that about the same
state of things exist in this town, and the prospect is, that
negroes are going still higher. We know of one broker
(Mr. M. Cooly), who sold a number of negroes last week,
men and women, at prices ranging from 525 d de. to 1,200
dole. ; and we learn, that lie has also sold men, without
; any trade, as high as high as 1,300 dole. It really menu
that there is to be no stop to the rise. This species of pro-
-1 perty is at least 30 per cent. higher now (in the dull mama
of the year) than it was last January, when everybody
seemed to be in the market making. preparations for the
present year. What negroes will bring next January, it
is impossible for mortal man to say. An intimate act:insult-
ance of ours had occasion on Saturday last to buy a house
girl, and the price was only the small sum of 1,000 dole."