The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-16 00:00:00

SUICIDE BY LEAPING PROM A EOUSE•TOP IN

Till CITY.

Mr. W. Payne, City coroner, held an inquiry
at St. Bartholomew's Hospital !set night, relative to
the death of lbs. Louisa Elisabeth Childs, who com-
mitted saki& by leaping from a house-top.
Mrs. Louisa Hill said that the deceased washer daughter,
and was the wife of Mr. Thomas Childs, machinist, car-
rying on business at No. 5, King-street, Smithfield. She
was 34 years of age. Latterly she complained of pains
in her heed, and was strange in her manner. Oa Friday
&hereon she left the sitting-room on the first floor and
ran upstairs. Witness, thinking something wee wrong,
ran after her. She turned round and pushed witness down
the stairs and ran away again. Witness's screams alarmed
Mr. Childs, who rushed up and tried to overtake her.
Witness maw no man. There was no domestic unhappiness
ho account for the act, as the deceased end her husband
had lived on the best of terms.
Mr. Thomas Childs said that on Friday last be heard
screams, and upon going to see what was the matter he
saw his wife rushing up the stairs three steps at a time. He
rushed after her entreating her to come back. She said
nothing but ran past the third floor, gad into the attics.
She slammed the attic door in his face, and in his agitation he
could net pt it open again quickly. When he entered the
mom he found that she had got out of the window, sod was
in the act of jumping on to the coping stove. He tried to
catch hold of her dress through the open window but just
mined it, and she ran along the coping stone. He jumped
out on the roof and ran as quick as be could after her. But
before be could overtake her she bounded off the roof and
fell into the street below.
Henry Heresy, 12, Clarenoe-street, St. Luke's, said that he
was coming down Long-lane, when he saw a woman and a
man on the top of the high houses in King-street. The
woman leapt out into the street ; her clothes rose in the air
and she fell to the ground with fearful force. Witness
said to a man in the street, " Good God, look at the woman
falling from the house top !" bet he only laughed.
Coroner—Do you know the name of that man ?
The witness said that he did not, The deceased was car-
ried to the hospital in a cab.
Dr. Them a Stone said that the decreased bad rewired a
compound fracture of both thighs, both arms were broken
shove the elbow, and her head and her foot were damaged.
Strange to say she lived until Wednesday evesieg, when she
died from the injuries. Before she expired she said, " I
thought there was no harm in doing it." She was evidently
in as unsound state of mind.
The Coroner having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide while in a state
of temporary insanity."

ARMY EXAMINATIONB.—The Midsummer exa-
mlnaUms at Chelsea Hospital for admission to the
weal Military Colleges will this year oommenee nixie
the following dates :—For admission to the Royal Military
Collets. filadhinst, Monday, lath of Jens ; for admission
to the Royal Military Aofdemy Wooled* Monday. 2nd
of July; for admission to the Staff CAlage, Monday, 23rd
of Jaly.

ARE WEATHER rs THE MITROPOLIL—The rain
fell steadily throughout last night and has cautioned to fall
the whole of to-day. The Amite are rune* with water.
DEM nT BunniNo.—A. shocking death occurred
es Tuesday sight, the 13th lost., to • person named
Benieenin Nesters, aged 74. mad residing in Well-yard,
Bamford, who was accidentally buret to death. It appears
he has been for a number of years io the employment of
Mum Coop., sad Co., sad °wise to hie mat age
was superannuated. & short while ago his bree died.
and as %may be went to Lond9a to arrange his affairs ;
be retuned at 7 o'clock, amonspesied by his greed-
dime:ter, who was the oelv Monte with him, sad site
went out sad left him alone for an boor; on returning sit 9
abe wile horrified to Gad deceased lying under the grate
is bunt, se mare that life was site ended. It
'un " posed that he must have bees seised with • fit and
fallen ea the flew The their on whisk desemed had bees
mated was eottaidembly bank and his bray promoted •
spectacle. An inquiet was held a$ tie New Midi
t`u" bens., oe Weilsealay evesieg, bedew T.
q.. deputy ccermer for the liberty, while • ve=l.l
" Amideetal death" was reterned.—Obefemforsi Ckressiski.