The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-28 00:00:00

THE SUICIDE IN THE WORKHOUSE

An inquest was held yesterday, before the Borough
Coroner, to inquire into the circumstances of the suicide
of Margaret Conner, in the Liverpool Workhouse, briefly
mentioned in our last issue. It appeared that the de-
ceased was brought into the female department of the
lunatic asylum on the 7th inst., from the ship " New
World ;" she was then in a very desponding state. On
Wednesday she got up at the usual hour, and was dressed
by Catherine Dennan, a pauper nurse in the establishment,
who gave her her breakfast. At this meal the nurse used a
knife, and when taking the deceased into the day-room, she
put this knife at the top of a press. Upon her return sne
found the deceased lying on the floor, and at first she supposed
she was in a fit, but upon examining her she found that she
had cut her throat, and was quite dead. The knife she had
used lay by her side, and it was the same knife which the
nurse had employed at breakfast, and which she afterwards
placed on the top of a press.
Ann Assender, the head nurse of the lunatic department,
gave evidence to finding the body in the state described
above.

The coroner cross-examined both these witnesses, but little
more was elicited from beyond the fact, that the nurse Dren-
nan said she thought she was acting for the best when putting
the knife out of the way, and considered she was taking care
of the lunatics in so doing, as she had often placed a knife in
the same place before, without its leading to any bad results.
The nurse Assender, in answer to the coroner, said, the fact of
iron bars being placed inside the windows of the cells, presented
facilities to suicide, as holdfasts to which the lunatics might
attach portions of their clothes, and thus hang themselves.
She also stated that from her experience of the
.treatment of
lunatics, she considered the cells in the old asylum were much
I etter than those in the present one, because they were
lighted from the top, and the latter received light from win-
dows placed in the sides.
Mr. George Carr, the governor of the asylum, was the next
witness examined. He stated that an order had been given,
some days ago, to remove the bars from the inside to the ex-
terior of the cell windows, at his suggestion.

The coroner having summed up the evidence,

The Jury returned a verdict of suicide, whilst labouring
under insanity, declaring their opinion of tho unfitness of the
lunatic asylum of the Workhouse for such a use, and recom-

Zlttsw olitnail va cu azicrea as w arrora s'arety, cheer-
fulness, and proper ventilation to the inmates.

IRELAND.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
• DUBLIN, THURSDAY,

DEATH OF SILL WILLIAM BETHAM.—This '
gentleman died
yesterday at his residence, Stradbrooke, Blackrock. He filled
the position of Ulster's King-at-arms, an office corresponding
to that of Garter; King in England. It was rather a lucra-
tive berth ; but it is doubtful whether it will be continued,
as its duties are more expensive than necessary.

THE MAYNOOTH COH-MlSSlON.—Saunders' s News Letter
of to-day says : —The Commissioners are pursuing their
inquiry with Indefatigable zeal. In addition to the profes-
sors, deans, and heads of the College, several students from
each class are taken in succession, and subjected to a rigid
examination, not only upon certain points of Roman Catholic
theology, but upon the more vexed question of the nature
of the allegience to the Queen as indoctrinated at Maynooth,
as well as to the extent of obedience Roman Catholics are
bound to give to the Iloly See. The question of education,
generally, forms, of course, a leading feature of the investi-
gation, and some of the more advanced students' acquirements
have been severely tested by what might be deemed a regular
academic examination on the part of the Commissioners.
ABDUCTION OF A CHILD.—At the Commission Court,
yesterday, Lucy Fay was indicted for having enticed and
taken away a girl under ten years of age, namely, four years
old, called Maryanne White, with intent to deprive Mrs.
Selina Alicia Doyne and Sarah Martin, in whose lawful
keeping she was, of the care and custody of the child. It
appeared from the evidence that the relatives of the child
were persons'in humble life, her father, James White, having
been a gardener, and the occupation of her aunt, the pri-
soner at the bar, was that of a washerwoman; James White
married a • Roman Catholic, who died some time after
their marriage, leaving an only child, Maryanne White, to
her husband's care. Immediately after the death of his wife,
White brought in the sister of his wife, who was alsO a
Roman Catholic, to live with him, but after remaining in his
house for a year or two, she left him, and a niece of White's
then came and lived with him up to, the period of his death.
White was a Protestaut, and had brought up his child in that
faith. As regarded the abduction of the child the facts were as
follow :—On the 7th of June the father became unwell, and
perceiving that his end was near approaching, he became
anxious to make a provision for the child, and accordingly
executed a deed in the most solemn manner, whereby a
certain person named Mrs. Selina Alicia Doyne, became the
lawful guardian, and at the same time made a will disposing,
of his property. Mrs. Doyne was the proprietress of an in-
fant school at Newton Park, and she, with the approbation
of its father before his decease, gave the child in charge to
the schoolmistress, Sarah Martin. After the death of White,
Mrs. Martin went to the house with the child, and while it
was there playing about, the prisoner at the bar who had
come there also, took it up and carried it away, and neither
Mrs. Doyne nor Miss Martin had ever seen it since. That
ottence was Dy me torn iteo. t v zeta sec., cap. dz, maae a
felony, and most justly so, for it was an offence involving
most serious consequences both to private families and society
at large. The case excited a great deal of interest, and
occupied the whole day in its trial. Ultimately the jury
did not agree to a verdict, and were locked up for the
night.
THE WEATHER.—Torrents of rain continued to fall all
last night in the metropolis and neighbourhood, The accounts
from the provinces represent similar severity, and several
floods have taken place from the swollen state of the rivers.
FACTION FIGHT.—One of those affrays took place a few
days ago, at Dunamoner fair, county Mayo. Through the
interference of the police, much bloodshed was prevented, and
seven men were arrested.

ASSAULT BY A ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN.—At tho
Kniss county quarter sessions yesterday, the Rev. P. 0. Keepe,
P.P., of St. Kyran's, pleaded guilty to an assault on a Scrip-
ture-reader named Edghile, and expressed his regret for having
so acted whilst labouring under excitement. Under these cir-
cumstances, only a fine of one shilling was inflicted.
OLD BURIAL GROUNDS IN IRELAND.—From a corres-
pondence which appears in to-day's Freeman, we are informed
that Lord Palmerston has promised to introduce a bill for the
reparation of those ancient cemeteries, early next Session.
A NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOT.—The ceremony of
choosing candidates for the co-adjutor bishoprick of Dromore,
took place the other day at Newry. The following is the
result :—The Rev. D. Shockey, of Ballinahinch, dignissimus,
the Rev. Dr. O'Brien, of Turgan, di gnior, and the Rev. Dr.
Morgan, of Drumgeoland, dignrs. These three names will
b e transmitted to the Vatican for his Holiness' selection.
BALLYMENA AND PORTRUSH RAtr.wmr.--The Ulsterman
says: There are now between 700 and 800 labourers engaged
on the Ballymena and Portrush line of railway, and as every
facility is being given to the possession of the land along the
prescribed route, the impression is strong that Mr. Dargan
will complete his contract in even a shorter period than that
agreed upon.

THR AamY.—Her Majesty's paddle wheel steam-frigate
Leopard, 18 guns, 560 horse power, Captain George Giffard,
left_ Spithead on, Thursday, at 6 p.m., and arrived in Cork
harbour at 10 a.m., on Sunday. She leaves for the Mediter-
ranean with drafts of several regiments, which have received
orders to embark as soon as possible.