The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-20 00:00:00

COROYER'S IXQUEST.

Dar/awl:1. Stlcrns.—Tromilay evening an inquest was held
at the gutting House, Horse Geode, bell= T. Higgs. Esq. m
Co.iael rose*, on the body of Peter Lee, 49. a private in the second
battalion of the first regiment of ashler Guards, who put a pe-
riod. to his existence under the fall g dreadful circumstances:—
Luke Hardy, a sergeant in the same reginient as the deceased,
deposed tharyesterday morniug about four o'clock, he was in bed
mmAi
at his Majeety's store-house in d-yard, when he was *woke
out of his sleep by the report of nor pistol ;he immediately
called to the deceased. wiles i t a sentinel on duty. .but.bs
received no answer. lie i got out of bed,
ceeded clown stairs, and mi deceased ; he to
the watchman, who hash also heard the report, and they searched
after the deceased, and ultimately found his body in a dung-
hole,
_quite dead. The mouth of the barrel of his gun was
placed under his chin, and the piece had been discharged, the
ball having passed through the deceased's head, carrying away with
it pan of the skull. 'l'he bayonet was found across the trigger, and
the feet of the deceased were at each end; and, in consequence of
their pressure, the piece wart oft: The deceased had beta in the
army for the last :X) years, and was a quiet, honest man, but given
to shrinking.
Samuel Charlesworth, watchman to his Majesty's Office of
Works, corroborated the teatinistny of last witness, and had no
doubt but the deceased shot hints*.
Servant Lilly, of the same regiment, deposed that he knew the
deceased, who was addicted to drinking; was informed yesterday
morning, about halbput five o'clock, that a centinel was missing
from his post ; and, proceeding to Scotland-yard, he missed the
deceased, who, the watchman told him, had committed suicide.
Thomas Nightingale, corporal of the second battalion, deposed
to having left the deceased at his post on Sunday morning, in his
tumid state of mind. and pettily sober.
John trialslons, a private in the same regiment, deposed, that
during the last week, the deceased had coosiderabl, changed in
his mind, and was observed by witness to ery on Friday morning
in the guard-room. (ho Wednesday morning last, he saw him
reading a book, on the parade, St. James's-pink, for about an
hour and a-half, and on witness inquiring of him what book it
was, be said he could not sell, the title
_page was tern of 1"; the book
was the Memoirs q'iloli Flood! cr. This witness mentiened other
circumstances, tending to prove the unsound state of the deceased's
intellect. The deceased hail very recently been punished for
intoxication, and had been drilled. and shortly he was to undergo
similar punishment for the same offence, which might have i ?crated
on his nand.

Other w•itnevses gave evidence to satisfy the Jury, who returned
a verslict--" That the deceased shot himself, being at the time in
a state of temporary derangement."

( 'onus ca's !Not:EST.—An inquisition was taken yester-
day, before Mr. Unwin, the Coroner. at the HMOS. near Shoreditch
Church, on view of the hotly of Frances Thornton..., aged 22 wbo
was found drowned in the Regent's Canal.—Vcrellet accordingly.