The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-25 00:00:00

SUICIDE.

A most melancholy act of suicide was committed by Mr. Wee!
Gibson, head gardener to Henry Peters, Esq. of Betchwoeth Castle
near Dorking, on Thursday, the 20th instant, the particulars oo
which, as related in evidence before Henry Woods, Esq. Coroner
for Surrey,and a Jury composed of some of the principal inhabitant*
of Doting, on the 22d instant, are in substance as follows :
Mr. Edward Arnold, Mr. Peter's bailiff, deposed, that the de.
ceased had been in the situation of head gardener at Betchworth
Castle, for many ♦errs, and possessed the fulldst confidence of hi*
master : that on Wednesday, the 19th instant, the deceased desired
him to come into hN cottage in the Castle gardens, where he eon.
stantly resided and slept, when he for the first time told the witness
that he was in a great deal of trouble, by reason of a connexion 1.0
had formed in the coal trade, and that he had list all that he wise
possessed of ; that the witness endeavoured to console him tinder
his misfortune, hut his grief appeared to be increased while r'.
marking that he hid not only involved himself but some of has
friends, and that his mind was so much hurt and his spirits brakes
down, that he could not remain in his service, which latter eh.
cumetance he requested the witness would immediately corn.
munitmte to his muter in town, and 'chief) he accordingly did
on the following morning, viz. Thursday last ;on the evening id
which day tie returned with a letter addresssi to the deceased. and
about a quarter past six o'clock proceeded to the cottage to
deliver It, at the dour of which he rapped repeatedly, and then
called out the deceased's name; but receiving no answer, he
ass preparing to leave the spot, when he heard a report se
of a pistol, within the cottage, and at the same time some.
thing falling on the ground ; that being much terrified, he,
without ascertaining whether the door was unlocked, hurried to
the Castle to call Philip Bridger, the carpenter, who, with the
witness, immediately went to the cottage i and on Bridget's look.
nog in at the window from whieh.the report proceeded, he thought

he saw the ear of a person as well as a coat lying on the floor ; that
still, without attempting to enter, and wishing to have other per.
sons present, they called Philip Aria, another servant at the farm.
house, as well as Benjamin Budd, the shepherd, whom they net
on the road thither ; when, on their all arriving together at tne
cottage, the door was found to be unlocked; they then repaired to
the deceased's chamber, where they d•acovered him lying prostrate
on the floor, at the toot of his bed, quite dead, with a pistol in his
hand, the room being covered with blood. The witness then went
fur a surgeon. The feelings of the Jury were strongly excited by
the production of I,lr. Peters's letter, which contained expressions,
not only in every way calculated to soothe the mind of the deceased
under his calamity, but tu assure him, in ternit of marked kind-
ness, of his master's future assistance and protection.
Evidence was then gone into confirmatory of the above testimony,
as well as evidence of the conduct and actions of toe deceased on
the day preceding his death, affording ample proof of the diseased
state of his mind.
Mr. Hart, surgeon, of Dorking, on his examination, state/ that,
being sent for, he went to the deceased's cottage on Thursday even.
ing, and bound him lying at the foot of his bed, his head being
deluged in bleed ; that upon examination he discovered a jagged
sort of opening on the right side of his head, as if a bullet had perfo-
rated his ear; and that he held in his right hand the pistol produced
to the Jury, with his forefinger on the trigger. He afterwards dis-
covered a flattened bullet on the floor, opposite the orifice oldie
wound. la a corner of an adjoining room he found another
pistol unloaded, corresponding with that produced to the Jury.
The Coroner bovine briefly addressed the Jury, they instantly
pronounced a verdiet—•' That the deceased shot himself while
labouring under temporary mental derangement."

Thursday evening a widow woman, living at Ashton
Clinton, of the name of Boarder, expired sutklenly. She dwelt in
a cottage with her daughter, and it is said that a married man,
who had paid attentions to her daughter that were disagreeable t,
both, entered her cottage it, a state of intoxication. The daughter.
to avoid him, ran out of the house : and the poor woman, having
pushed the intruder out, and lokced her door, went to the house
of a neighbour, where she expired soon after her arrival, having
previously declared that the man had used no violence towards her.
She is supposed to have died from the bursting of a blood vessel.—.
Bucks Gue,tte,

Saturday last, a greyhound dog, in a highly rabid state,
war seen to bite several of its own species in the village of Ryton,
Durham; after which it took its way towards the adjacent village
of Crowerook, evincing on the road indisputable symptoms of by.
drophobia. Two gentlemen (a Mr. Atkinson and a Mr. Jilartito
having noticed its peculiar behaviour, followed it till it entered tha
house of a weaver in Crawerook. where, after displaying a good deal
of activity and courage, the above gentlemen destroyed it. One of
the gentlemen had a favourite dog bitten by it, which was imme-
diately shot.
AFFLICTING OCCIIKRENCE.—A most distressing score
took place a few days since, on board his Majesty's ship Windsor
Castle, lying in Ilamoaze. On Tuesday, a seaman belonging to
the ship, while aloft on duty, missed his hold, and fell from the
yard-arm upon the deck, by which accident his spine was broken,
and he received other severe bullets. Two slays after, being
ordered to be removed to the Hospital, he was placed in a cot, for
the purpose of being lowered into a boat alongside, but while they
were hoisting him over the bulwark, one of the ropes gave way.
and he was precipitated head foremost, on the ladder. A cry of•
horror instantly burst from all present, and the poor fellow's situa.
tion excited the deepest sympathy. Amongst other injuries hie
skull was fractured by the violence of the fall, but there is even yet
a probability that he may recover. He has a wife and child on
board the Windsor Castle. Not the slightest blame is attributed to
any one on board.

STAGE. COACH AIWE N TURE.-011 Saturday morning,
Mr. Tomlinson, of Hackney, took a seat in one of the Norwich
coaches, to go as fat as Chelmsford, and was pleased to find him.
self in the neighbourhood of a pretty-looking interesting young
lagy. who, like himself, preferred travellimr outside. After they
AP ridden a few miles. the lady complained of the chilling effect
produced on het delicate frame by the morning air, and this. hint
gave a spur to Mr. Toinlinaon'a gallantry ; being provided with a
camblett cloak, lie politely tendered it to his fair companion, and
the offer was as graciously accepted. On arriving at litigate...one,
where the passengers usually breakfast, Mr. Tomlinson alighted,
expecting his la belle sumpag,non would shortly follow, and preside
at the dejewee, but on the coachman's giving the signal for depar-
, ture, he discovered that the lady and the cloak had both vantawk,
1 and the pursued Itiaiourney without either.
It