The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-01 00:00:00

PAINFUL SUIrIDE 01 A SHAREHOLDER IN

THE BANK OF LONDON.

An inquiry was held by Mr. W. J. Payne, the
coroner for the Duchy of Lancaster, last night, at the
Bowyer Hotel, Manor-street, Clapham, touching the death
of Mr. James Christie, aged 16 years, a gentleman who
was alleged to have committed suicide in consequence of
losses incurred through the City panic.
Mr. Thomas Christie said that the deceased was his
father. He resided at 141, Manor-street, Clapham. Up
to within the last three weeks he was in good health
and spirits. Since that time he bee me very de-
pressed in consequence of having lost a great deal
of money through the panic in the City. lie held a
number of shares in the Bank of London. He was always
talking about his loss, and as he was a shareholder
in the bank, he did not know the full extent
of his loss, and that preyed upon his mind. He
used to go daily to the bank for the purpose of seeing
whether the doors of it were going to be closed. He did
that in consequence of finding the shares depreciating.
He had a great many shares in the bank, and he was afraid
of a further call, and he did not know how to meet it.
William Oakey, 3, Ship-street, said that on last Wed-
nesday morning, about 10 o'clock, he was passing No.
141, Manor-street, when a servant ran out of the house
and called him in. Upon proceeding upstairs he found
the deceased lying on his back on the floor of his bed-
room. He was dressed in his drawers and night dress,
and he was quite dead. A piece of broken bell-rope was
hanging from the pole of a French bedstead. W.tnesa saw
a lady standing near the deceased.
Matilda Comber said that she had been in the deceased's
service 12 months. He lived with his wife and three
children. Everything wag happy and comfortable at
home until within the last fortnight. He then be-
came very low-spirited, as if he had something
preying upon his mind. Mrs. Christie told wit-
ness that be had had a heavy loss, and that he was
always thinking of it. Witness heard him say, " How
unfortunate it is, everything I do seems to turn
out for the worse. This is a heavy loss."
On last Tuesday morning he was very low
and desponding. He left the house at half past 10 o'clock
to go to the bank, and he returned at 5 o'clock in the
evening. He was then very sad. Witness did not see
him alive after. In the morning in order to try and
keep his spirits up, Mrs. Christie took breakfast
with him in the bedroom. It was his usual
habit to take a walk before breakfast, but
that day he did not do so. After the deceased had
taken breakfast Mrs. Christie went into the gar-
den, and witness hearing a noise in the deceased's
room informed her mistress of it. Mrs. Christie
then went to the door, but finding it locked,
called "Christie, Christie! I know he is dead."
Witness then got a large stick, and Mrs. Christie covered
the end of it with a piece of carpet, and burst the lower
panel of the door in. She then knelt down, and looked
! through the opening in the door, and called out, " Oh,
my God, be has hanged himself."
Mrs. Clara Christie, widow of the deceased, said that
her husband had removed the bell-rope, and fastened it to
one of the curtain rings of the French bedstead. After
witness unlocked the door from the inside, after bursting
the paella in, the bell-rope broke, and her husband fell
dead at her feet. He had never threatened to commit
suicide.

Sergeant H. Beaumont, 23 W, said that he found some
pieces of torn paper in the deceased's bed. Upon potting
the pieces together, the words "J. Christie. Issue of
1212. Chatham ahotment," could be read.

Henry 8.. Sdrester:elapham-common, said that he
was called in to see the deceased on Wednesday. He we.
finite dead and the cause of his death was strangulation
by hanging.
The Coroner having summed up the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity."

A sea wall is about to be built at Bognor, in
Sussex, at a cost of 6,0001.
PROPOSED VISIT OF THE PRINCE OP WALES TO
Cotclicsree.—The Prince of Wales, it is announced, will
visit Colchester on Tuesday next to review the 11th
Hussars, and it is understood that he will be accompanied
by the Princess, Prince Teck, the Duke of Cambridge, and
a number of the nobility. A large marquee, capable
of aeoomwodating 50, is to be erected near the Cavalry
Barracks, in which luncheon will served up to the royal
and other guests. Late last evening we learned that Col-
chester is making great preparations to receive Eta royal
visitors in a becoming manner, and uphold its ancient
character for loyalty. The Hussars and Rifle Volunteers
will form a guard of honour to the Prince and his party
from the railway station to the camp. An address will be
presented to his royal highness by the mayor and corpora-
tion, at the Town Hall ; and the day will be observed as
a general holiday in the town. There is also to be a ball
in the evening. It is stated the Prince is likely to proceed
to Wivenhon to see his yacht, the Diagram, built by
Mesas. Harvey and Son.—Chelmilord Chronicle.