The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-10-19 00:00:00

DREADFUL SUICIDR AT CA KERIDGE.

Os Friday the 11th iiestaut s• iagrnt was held st Cam-
bridge, before Messrs. A. Chelan and .1. Brown, Coronets
for that bo►ough, s•d a highly respectable-N.7,0s she body
of Edwin Greoadield (an apprrrtice to Mr. Hebbleame,
draper, in the Market place), who had put • period to his
existene e on the preceding missing by shooting himself with
a pistol.
Mr. Hebblewhiteettemined-s-Deeeased was my apprentice,
sued had been bowed about four s•,.nshs, but had been in my
envier for seventeen Martha. About eight u'eleselt on Thais-
day sight, Mr. Frederick Hebbleutrite, my brother, sent up
stairs and found • kuife,aa expensive one, oa the table i■
the bed•soum or the deceased; be gave it to me. When de-
ceased came onto the shop, I asked him if it was hies knife?
he eutewerrel, that it was; seemed rather confused, and
Offered to take bold of is. 1 naked hies where he bought is;
be answered, at Mr. Pt lea's, and that be had bad it absent
three weeks. 1 observ. d is was al's. knife, and sleet the
price was rather a long ps ire for him to be the porelte.er of
it. He replied, he did out give 17e., be only gave ss. Ito it,
as three w■s one blade broken out of is. I observed that 1 ?.e.
was • great reduction, as only oar blade was brakes oat, lost
that 1 world gel to Sir. Peters and inquire it he had sold such
■ knife at that price. I ■reosdingly weul to Mr. Peters, who
informed me that it was ■ 17s. knife, and that he was nut
awase that is bad been sold fur less; he did not sell it him-
self, as he is not much in the shop, sad Mrs. Peteas was nut
at home. On my return, Greetifield tame up mad said,
w Well, Sir, what does he say ?w I answered, " Pierer mind
what Mr. Peters says; what do you say'" He made no re•
ply. I then asked, whether be bought t►e knife of Mr. or
Mrs. P eeeee ? He hesitated some time, and then said Ise
did nut know. I replied, " that it was but three weeks are,
and he west recollect it." He then said be bought it of Mr.
Pete... 1 questioned him twice or tinier ; he gave the
same answer, sud •aid he would swear to it. 1 etplieel, then
that I would ascertain tit the morning whom be did buy it of.
Deceased then assisted in putting up the Shutters, after
which lie weal up stairs with the other young men into the
keeping-room, as usual ; be did not spe■k a weed to any one,
bat took a book, and appeared to be reading; he seinaineel
•hunt a quarter of an hour or rule► tuO-e in the room; be
Ora took hie bed•osdle as west op stairs; be remained
these, sled we heard no more of him, aged I was rather am.
prised that he did sot come down to •upper. After supper
(at might then be • quitter to leo), !observed, that I would
go up mot see what he was about, 'Woking, if be w■s nut iu
bell, I would ask him some few questions between ourselves,
as One rust had transpired in the presents of the young
men In the shop. Whets 1 gut to Ids mom, I (maid ill.
door fastened; I rapped, and called Edo in." He an-
swered, " Yea, So," the first time 1 called. I thought he
was io bed. I called • seemed time, and by his answer I found
be sea not is bed, but he did not open the door. 1 rapped
soil called a. third time, and desired hint to open she door ;
immedimely after which I heard the report of • pistol. 1
inmeotly put my rout to the doo► and buret it open; when I
gut into the some be was tit the act of seelsug back and fall.
tog frum she chair; he did nut speak a word. 1 noticed that
the ball had tutelad Lb right lamest, as his coat was bunion!:
at the time. I thee ran so she lop of she stairs soil called
out, "Edwin has shot himself; suit for Mr. Headly, she sur-
Krim." Sume of she young men Willi fur him, and so a few
minutes Mr. Resell came. Deceased bad fallen upon the
pistol. Immediately Mr. Headly s.sw the wound he said it
WAS all over. On the table were fru lettere in she deceased's
hand-writing ; one was addressed to Lis mother, the other to
his father. He must love had the pistol by tom; but 1 be-
lieve it was not known to any body in Ilse house. To • goes.
tom from WOO of the Jury. • IN.'S. observed that a circum-
stance had emigre.] to his observation abort twelve moods
ago that iuditeed 1ei.... on to suspect Isis integrity. He weal
out with some gouda to Batsmen, said brought home a gold
chain, width be emd he had fused. Is was as old cite, sad
out very valuable, and I thought it very probable that it
night be OW. Abend • anooth or two after that, however,
after he bad gone out with another parcel, he resurued with
two gold seals anal • key, sod raid hr had found them also ;
1 was it consequence father sospecious that all was not right,
and refused to bare dim bonnet, and wrote W bin needier ac-

cOrulitigly ; she cams seer, tiri:l fried, by every Minor in her
power, to **certain bo. be became possesseel of the that n aad
seals; be solemnly affirmed Ow he found them; and his
mother saying that she thought it impossible that any yowl
man really guilty could ass. rt his innocence in curb a puei.
lare'erisimer' 1 coosented to take him ; Le was bound, sod I
haul no forth. r Location to eloodino lit hominy till yesterday.
The letters found on his dr:estate-table are in the baud-
oY the deceased. The hand-writing was much
the same as he usually wrote; it was an indifferent oils;
be had out haul a very liberal education. The fist letter was
as follows; it was not folded up or directed:—

" OenLer 9, 1822.

" Dear Mother—My last kind lore and sffectiut to you
the latest hone of ay life. 1 took the opportiiiiity of giviog
you charge not lu weep Tor me, is I think you kind aud
af-
f lout I have sinned against God and against thee;
but I never tame •ball have the Fillicity of embracing your
sweet lips again, hut I hope you will 1101 thiuk me alTec.
tollgate to you, o► I bluish' have acted otherwise; you elver•
told me to I.e aired, and Industrious, Lind and honest to all,
but I have broken thy 110111; when I was told of stealing, I
e.aied it, but I hope God will forgive me, so therefore Adue
to yes, my dear mother:
_

. .
" Your dear Son,
t• E GREENFIELD."
The seeped was not fisilArd ; it ran thus:—
" October 9,1522.
" Dear Father—This is the last opportnuily I have of
'writing to roe, sod the tithe I was sdiing to you I hail She
pistol or the table by ety side. 1 taupe you will sot think
use afftetiunate--

Here the letter broke off; awl it is pub ible the nativity,
youth .as iiiterrupted by Mr. Hebblrishite, arid put 3 yes wit
to his rxisteuer..

Mr. Hebbiewbites examination -nu restimed—Since the
first circumstance occurred I reser thought hint dempondint
I never observed him aMorhpd in nuttiest, nor any uhf-
terrace its his mantser until the lass month, when be did not
appear so attentive to business as usual. Even last sight he
Jul nut appear much affected.
The oilier evidence iti every respect confirmed the testi-
mony of Mr. Hebbleahitc.
After Mr. Coroner Chrvall had summed up, the Joey re.
turn►d a verdict—" Thal Ike deceased had destroyed himself
is a Al of desposdeney."