The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-02 00:00:00

CORONER'S INfiCE ST.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT EXETER 'CIIANGt ME
NAGERIE.

Last evening, at eight o'clock, an inquisition was taken by This.
Higgs Esq., the Deputy Coroner for the Duchy of Lancaster, at
the Milne Horse, in the Strand, touching the death of John Tin.
jets, a German servant to Mr. Cross, at the Itoyal Menagerie, Exc.
*tee 'Chine who was killed by the elephant there, yesterday
morning. the following evidence was adduced :
Mr. Win. Tyler.—ln the early part of the morning I was in the
large beast room. The deceased cause down stairs and fondled
with the elephant in front of his den• He nes the usual attendant
on the elephant, having more control over it than any other person.
The deceased called me to• observe how familiarly the elephart
was playing with him. He showed the beast his foot, and he
torched it with his trunk most tenderly, and the deceased amines
proud of his superiority in the control. He had been lame for
three weeks, and did not attend Isis usual business. After bretitss:
I saw deceased and the other keeper go to the den to clean it out : it
is usual to have two, one to keep him. in subjection, whilst the
other cleaned out the cage. My attention was called to the other
end of the room, and nay back was towards them, when I heard
Mr. Edward Cross, the proprietor, say " now, John, don't go, you
may get your lame foot hurt." I'he next moment I heard a sound,
and an exclamation, and on turning round I saw the deceased fall.
ing from the den. I rushed forward immediately and pulled Ilia
away ; the animal did not seems inclined to repeat the blow. I
turned the deceased on his side, and I saw he had a contusion on
his breast, the blood gushed from his mouth and nese eery co.
piously. Ile never spoke of groaned, he was carried up sums,
and a doctor came In five minutes after, but he was declared to be
quite dead.
John Cateel sworn.—l am one of the keepers of the beasts at
Exeter 'Change, aril yesterday morning we want to the eh.
chant's den to clean it out as usual ; I took the spear with me to
keep him in subjection, but the deceased told me to put the spear
down as the animal knew him well ; I put it down, and the host
after playing with it under his feet, took It up in his trunk, and
waved it about several times. The deceased then struck him with
the broom, and said " conic round." The beast turned quickly,
and brushed the deceased with Iris right tusk on the tenet, and
pressed him against the bar of the den, and the deceased fell
immediately, and the elephant stood trembling, as if conscious he
had done wrong. lam quite certain that the occurrence was purely
accidental.

Juror.—Are there any periods in the year that the elephant is
more savage than others?
Witness—lf there is any thing the matter with it, it is about
the months of May or June, but never at this season of the year.
Witnessed continued—The elephant was remarkably tame, and
was particularly fond of the deceased. I have been in hinder,
and cleaned it out, since the accident, and the animal was pertectly
kind.
Mr. Thomas Hurst, surgeon, of No. 390, Strand, stated that he
found the deceased in his chamber, a corpse. The breast-bore led
some of the ribs were completely crushed in, not merely fractured.
The injuries were apparently caused by the pressure from the tusk
of the animal.
Cateel, the keeper, was asked the weight of the beast, and he in.
plied, by the admeasurement he weighed four tons and a half, sad
consumed from seven to nine cwt. a day, and about 36 palls of
water.

The Jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased was killedhi
the elephant accidentally." Deodand la. on the beast.

3IELANCITOLY SUlClDE.—Yesterday afternoon Richard Cu.
ter, Esq. the Coroner tor Surrey, and a respectable Jury were 41.
panelled at the Marlborough Head, Greetee.-walk, John-street.
Blacktriars-road, to investigate the cause of the death of Ml 4
Susannah Collett, a young lady, aged 24 years.
slrs. Ann Wilkinson being sworn, stated that she resided at
No. 51, John-street, and was the wifa of Latancelot Wilkinson,
one of the elders in the East India Company's warehouses. On
Sunday afternoon Mrs. Collett, the mother of tha deceased, gene
for her, and informed her that her daughter had taken some hits
proper stuff, saying that, she behoved she was of unsound minds
and that she greatly feared she should lose her. A medical matt
had been called in before she saw the decesved, and the remed,es
sent by hint were administered, which the deceased took, and some
warm gruel. ‘l'itnens stayed with her from four in the after:tool
till eleven at night, when she died. She had known the deceased
about five years, and during the last twelvemonth she had ob.
served het to be in a low desponding way, occasioned by a young
friend having unfortunately been drowned, of whom she was
passionately fond. The deceased generally wished to be left alone,
hnd would not mix with her friends. She had frequently said
to witness. on hearing the church bell toll for the dud, the
wished it tolled for her, that she might go to see her dear Henry.
Witness considered her to be insane, and the poisonous drag that
had caused her death was taken by herself.
Mr. Wm. Jameson, of No. 147, Great Surrey-street, surgeon.
deposed, that at about ten o'clock on Sunday morning he was set
for to attend the deceased, who had taken oxalic acid. He found
her in both, and in dreadffil agony, the effects of the poison. Oa
questioning her, she said she had taken about an ounce of U.,:
drug. The usual remedies were applied, but all failed to prole;
life, and she expired the same night, about eleven o'clock. W
nese had opened the body since death, and rewind the s'o^ ads
completely destroyed, and the intestines much inflamed. The nub
of death was taking the oxalic acid.
The parents and relations of the deceased were in attendance.
speak as to the state of the deceased's mind; but the Jury heir
quite satisfied with the above evidence, and to spare their teefirso.
they returned a verdict, „That the deceased destroyed herself hy
taking oxalic acid, being at the time of unsound mind."

SUICIDE.—Mr. Reatiogero, of lirandsworth Grove,
respectable retired tradesman, was found drowned close tot he centre
arch of Battersea-bridge yesterday morning, by Simeon, a bargenun.
The deceased had been often delirious lately at irrervals, arislog
from the death of his wife, and he had before made the rash U.
tempt. In his pockets there were two sovereigns, some silver. amd
a oncket.book containing cards and memoranda. The deceased
had been from home since friday last.