The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-16 00:00:00

THE RECENT SUICIDE IN THE SERPENTINE.

Last evening Mr. Chas. St. Clare Bedford held
an inquest in the board-room of Mount-street workhouse,
to investigate the circumstances relating to the suicide of
• well-dressed man, unknown, who was seen to throw
himself from the Serpentine-bridge into the water
on Monday evening last. The body was iden-
tified by a brother, who said the deceased was I
a gentleman's servant, and that his name was Arthur
Taylor, 24 years of age. He was in service at 6, Han-
over-terrace, Regent-park. The brother saw him on the
preview; Friday to his death, when he looked depredated,
and said, " Well, I think I am getting like a woman." The
brother advised him not to take strong medicine. A paper
was found in one of deceased's drawers. It was undated,
and as follows :—" At any time should anything bad come
of me, it's my wish that all my things at 6, Hanover-ter-
race, should be delivered up to my mother, Mrs. Philip
Taylor.-ARTHUR TAYLOR.
" What shall I wish, then, that honour, fame,
And earthly treasures may be thine—
That history may enroll thy name
And bear thee an immortal shrine?
Not so ; but ma 'at thou rather coins
To wealth and fame beyond the tomb."
Evidence having been given showing that deceased had
been thirteen mouths in Mr. Griflith's service, and that he
went out at half-past three on Monday afternoon,
George F. Perry said he saw the prisoner on the Ser-
pentine-bridge, walking composedly, as though taking an
evening walk. He then saw him sitting on the parapet
of the bridge. He next got over the parapet, and witness
suddenly missed him. When on the water side of the
parapet the deceased stopped, as though he was looking
at something. Witness ran for the drags, but the gate wax
closed. He then called for a boat, which was a very long
time coming. Deceased hat's was floating. Witness saw
the body taken out ; it had been in the water 20 minutes.
Edward Davis, of 76, Denbighotreet, Pimlico, saw the
park-keeper at one side of the bridge and a boat at the
other, trying to get through, but the boat could not do so,
owing to a chain being across the bridge. Witness told
them as the boat could not get through he could dive, and
accordingly stripped off his clothes and plunged in, but he
had to make several dives before he could get hold of the
deceased. He at length got his foot and brought him up ;
the water was G or 7 feet deep.
Other evidence having been taken,
A verdict was returned of " Suicide by drowning, while
in an unsound state of mind;" the jury adding that the
conduct of Edward Davis' in endeavouring to save the
life of the deceased, was extremely praiseworthy.

To relieve the distress consequent upon the war,
half a dozen charitable societies have been lately founded
at Berlin. Some will assist the hospital service in tending
and healing the wounded ; others intend looking after the
wives and children of the reserves called out ; and others
will alleviate the wants of the widows and orphans, whose
number will be legion before long. A special society will
provide such refreshments for the soldiers as are not in-
cluded in the ordinary rations, but highly acceptable to
the sorely tried mortal when fighting the battles of his
country. A number of ladies, who it is to be hoped will
continue their benevolent activity after the restoration of
peace, are going to open eating-rooms for the poor, where
dinners can be had at a much lower price than they could
prepare them for at home.
BANK CLERKS.—WO hear that as many ES 500
gentlemen in bank offices—for clerks in banks are for the
most part gentlemen—have been thrown out of employ-
ment by the several recent bank failures. In addition to
di' this extensive suffering and distress there is the loss the
poor shareholders sustain, which in some cases is so severe
that it amounts to absolute ruin.—Hcrepatii.
THE FORTHCOMING ELECTION COMMISSIONS.—
(". Her Majesty having ordered commissions to issue, on the
joint address of both Houses of Parliament, to make in-
quiry into corrupt practices at the late elections for
Higate, Great Yarmouth, Lanmster, and Totnes, the
proceedings will forthwith commence It is, however,
understood in the legal profession that it will be only pro
forma, the actual inquiries being postponed till after
the assizes.
COMING NORTHERN REVIEW IN YORK.—IN-
TENDED VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES.
—An official intimation has within the last few days
been received in York, to the effect that the Prince and
Princess of Wales will be present at the approaching
grand review at York of the North of England volunteers
by the Duke of Cambridge. It has not yet been decided
whether the review will take place on Friday the 10th or
Saturday the 11th of August ; but this question will be
settled next week at a meeting of volunteer commanding
officers. At a former meeting held by them Saturday was
agreed upon as being the only desirable day for the Lanca-
shire volunteers; but there seems to be some difficulty in
carrying this out, not the least being that the railway au-
thorities are unable to accommodate such a number of vo-
lunteers as would be present on that day. The royal party,
it may be added, have left the matter entirely in the hands
of the volunteers.--Itaochester Guardian.
xd THE COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT DrKINFIELD.—
xd The number of widows and orphans left destitute through
xd the loss of their bread-winners by this deplorable catastro-
phe has naturally aroused the sympathy of the benevolent,
and Mr. J. B. Kynder, at the instance of several influential
gentlemen, had intended to call a meeting to con-
sider the best means of rendering assistance to the poor
people ; but Mr. Astley, with princely liberality, has ex-
pressed hie intention of taking the entire responsibility
upon himself. Yesterday Mr. Little, the deputy chief
constable, Hyde, caused a visit to be made, with a view
to ascertain the exact condition of the families. About
forty children have lost their fathers by the explosion, and
, some eighteen women are left to mourn the loss of their
. xj husbands. One of these unfortunate widows lost a child
id within an hour after her husband was brought home dead.
• Mr. Foulkes, the surgeon to the pit, states that all the
men under his care are fast recovering, except Patrick
5CCue and Joseph Wild, who are in a dangerous iffate.—
Manehester Guardian.
DEATH FROM THE BITE OF A HORSE.—Ott Thurs-
day last Mr. T. Sworder held an inquest atston the
on the body
Fox and
Duck public-house, Thertield, near Roy, •
of James Brand, of that place, who died under the follow.
ing circumstances :—The deceased worked for Mr. Phillip,
brewer and farmer, of Royston ; and on Tuesday, the sth
instant, he was out with a van and two horses. In de-
scending a hill, the deceased took hold of one of the
horses in order to guide it, when the animal seized his
right arm and bit it with sufficient force to cause a com-
pound fracture. The horse wax an entire one, but was
stated to be generally quiet. Medical assistance.was soon
procured, and the fractured limb set, but th
the de inflamma-
tion extended beyond the injured part, and eceased
expired on the 11th inst. The jury returned a verdict of
" Accidental death."—Hertford Mercury.
A WALK OF 82,000 !Amts.—A wonderful old
man, named Thomas Bertram, resides at the villa of
m Haroe, in the North Riding. He has for 24 years been
a woodman on Lord Feversham's estate, and during the
whole of that period has walked to and from his work, an
average of ten miles per day, in addition to his full work
as woodman. He still wields the axe, and continuee his
double march (night and morning), and is somewhat proud
of his nearing the distance of three times round the earth.
—Yorkshire Gazette.