The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-25 00:00:00

(CORONER'S INQUEST.

DIST 1E331 SUICI DE.—An inquisition was held on Saturday
evening at the Talkie Arms, St. Clement's-lane, Strand, before
Mr. !boos, Deputy Coroner for IVestminster, on the body of
Ueorge 11'ayte, aged about 4.5, law-writer.
Edward Jones, shell-fishmonger, deposed, that he lodges at No.
6, Yates s.onurt ; the deceased occupies a room (Al the Moor above;
he was so intimate as to go in and out of witness's room at plea-
sure. On Thursday evening, about six o'clock, he returned home,
and appeared rather fresh from drink, and offered to pay him half-
a-crown in paymeut of some silver which he had borrowed, but he
refused to take it, in consequence of the situation he was in. 11e
appeared to have plenty of money. Witness went to Lis business
after tea, and on his return his wife told him that .he deceased had
come home very late, excessively intoxicated, without hishat and
his dress very ;Mich disordered, and told her he had been robbedi of
all his money. from 12 to la sovereigns. The following morning
witness took him up his breakfast, and told him to partake of it,
when he replied, " 'Why, you foolish nun, why did you bring that
for and then pointed to a small rope attached to the head of the
bedstead, which is used to prevent it from felling when turned up,
and said, " I have got it ready ;" but he did not feel alarmed, as
be had often threatened to destroy himself. Witness asked him if
he knew who had has money? he answered he did not know—Toni
the Devil, he supposed. lie appeared very dejected, and was on
the bed with all his clothes, excepting his coat ; had no doubt he
remained in that state all the night. \l'hen he came to dinner, be-
tween outs and two o'clock, ne went up to take him some broth, and
on opening the door, he found him hanging to the tester of the bed-
steed. Ile gave immediate alarm, when he was cut crown.
James Tilbury said, he had known the deceased ever sir.f.: he
lodged in the house where he also resides, which was nearly twelve
years. On the alarm being given he hurried up stairs and cut him
down ; he was quite deed. Mr. (lift, a surgeon, was sent fur, who
was of opinion be had been dead two hours. From his general
behaviour he did not think him right in his mind; he had heard
him repeatedly talk to himself most strangely. The deceased's
father died about two months ago, who left considerable property,.
and lie has frequently iomplained of the difficult, he experienced
in coming to an arrangement of his portion of the property, and
when he got any money he used to dnnk to excess On Thursday
morning last he went into the city to receive some money, which,
he understood, the next morning he hail been robbed of, and came
borne exceedingly inebriated. AVitness lieu no doubt he was de-
ranged in his mind at times.
Win. Fortis, St. Clement's Inn-pssaage, stated, that he knew
the deceased 13 years ago, when he was a clerk for three years on
board a ship, of which witness was purser; his conduct on board
was often very inexplicable ; he could relate many acts which no
one in his senses would have committed ; he was obliged to limit
his allowance of grog by the Captain's order. \Chen in his senses
he considered him a well-informed man. Within the last three
weeks he accidentalty met with him. and ore has ever since been in
the habit of visiting him two or three times a day, and he would
repeat one circumstance half-a.dozen times, without bet aware
he had mentioned it before. De called at his house on Thursday
evening, about half-past seven o'clock, and paid him sixpence
which he had borrowed of witness's wife; lie gave a shilling, and
desired her to keep the remainder for old acquaintance sake ; he
afterwards returned to pay it over again; he was then very tipsy,
and a quantity of sovereigns and sane silver fell from his pockets
on the tioor, which were picked up and returned to him, rolled up
together in two pieces of paper.
The Jury, being satisfied that the deceased was not of sound
mind when he committed the dreadful act, returned a verdict of
" Lunacy."
The deceased was very respectably connected, and has left a
widow, from whom he has been many years separated.