The National Register.
London, England, 1812-07-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

JULY 26.

31R. TIPPI E'S EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

SIR—A variety of spurious reports respecting this Gentleman's
singular accident having been circulated, I embrace this opportu-
nity of setting this matter in a proper light, being well acqua:nted
with all the circumstances of the case. On the 13th of last June,
Mr. Tipple drove the single-horse chaise of his friend John Over-
ton, Esq. to the Forest-gate, West Ham, where he arrived about
nine o'clock in the evening. He then proceeded to unharness the
horse, by taking the bridle off before be had liberated the horse
from the chaise, incautiously placing himself between the off
sliaft and an angle of the chaise-house, at which instant the horse
moved towards the stable door opposite, and the shaft of the
chaise struck Mr. T. under the left arm, and the horse continuing
to advance, the shaft was forced through his body. It came out
immediately under his right arm and entered the chaise-house
about six inches, passing through an exterior feather-edged board
and carrying assay the interior lining. In this situation Mr. T.
rartaiued two or three minutes pinned to the chaise-house, till his
cries attracted the, attention of two gentlemen, one of whom seized
the horse by the nose, 'backed him, and with care and promptitude
drew the shaft from the body, which it had entered from the end,
to the first tug ot inches. Mr. T. then walked into the house,
and up two pair of stairs into his chamber. Medical assistance
was procured in eight minutes, and he was bled. Sir Win. Bliz-
zard was with him, in somewhat less than two hours alter the
liccident, who, on understanding the nature of the accident,
recommended it to Mr. Tipple to settle his affairs, and gave it
PS his opinion, to the friends of Mr. T. that it was impossible for
him to survive. Contrary, however, to all expectation and expe-
rience, Mr. T. through the unremitting assist:thee of Sir W Bliz-
zard, and the judicious means resorted to in Cie first instance by
1)r. Maidens has within the space of four weeks from the time of
the accident, so far recovered ns to be able to walk about.
A case So extraordinary and unprecedented could not nt the
first be received by the faculty as that which was entitled to cre-
dit. To remove every doubt on the subject Sir W. Blizzard called
a meeting of eighteen of the principal medical men in London to
see the wounds before they quite healed, who hive all been satis-
fied that the shaft went through the cavity of the chest from side
to side. Mr. Thomas, the anatomist; Sir James Earl, Ashley
Cooper, Thomas Blizzard, Drs. Parkinson (senior and junior),
Drs. Scott, Norris, Abernethy, Dallaway, Wilson, and Arkness,
are among those who attended on this occasion. On Saturday,
Jely lA, five Magistrates attended to see the wounds, and take the
depositiens of the two gentlemen, on oath, who extricated Mr. T.
from his perilous situation (who eras also sworn himself PS to the
fart of the shaft having gone completely through him). Mr. I'.
is now capable of returning to town without inconvenience, ex-
cept fatigue, and appears in a state of perfect convalescence, to
the joy of his family and an extensive circle of friends.
The extraordinary nature of this case will, I trust, be an apt,-
Joey for the length of this letter. An aeciel•nt of the kind was
Lever known to take place before which was not followed by almost
immediate death. On this account I have thought it necess.iry
to be more partieslar than I otherwise should have been in giving
the names, &c. of persons who can speak to the truth I.f this state.
Ilea. It ought, perhaps, to be observed that though his medical
a-sistanto have done much for Mr. Tipple, yet nature has done
"'ore, and his rapid recovery is in a great degree ascribed to the
fortitude and serenity which h:ive nutiked his deportment ever
since the accident. I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant,
T. PA XTO S.

4GI

Countess being at the door, and the Count coming down stairs, whoa
the report of a pistol was heard in the passage, which it has since ap-
peared took no effect, nor was it then ascertained by whom it was
fired. Lawrence was at this time in the passap, and on the m ke
subsiding, was seen torush past the Count, and proceed with ~reat speed
up stairs. lk almost instantly returned with a dirk his hand and
plunged it up to the hilt in the Count's left slionh:er ; he continued his
course, and made for the street door, where sto,,d Colin cas, whout
he instantly dispatched by I;lunging Cie same dirk into her left breast.
This last act had scarcely been completed, when the Count appeared
also at the door, bleeding and Ulowing the assassin, who made for the
house, end ran up stairs. The Count, though extreine:y weak and
faint, continued to follow him, but so creat was the terror uccasioned•
that no one else had the same resolution. The assassin and the Count
had hot been up stiirs to re than a minut:., when t report of another
pistol was heard, which satisfied those below that Lawrence had tiaalle
put an end to the existence of his master. The al ,rm was now given,
and the cry of murder I murder ! resounded fr eveiy mouth. The
Countess was sti'l lying at the front door [lv which the turnpike road
runs, and at length men of sufficient resolution were found to venture
up stairs, and, horrible to relate, they found the Count lying across his
own bed, groaning heavily and nearly dead, mid the Lload t!:lrtty vil-
lain l) ins; by his side, a corpse. lie bad put a period to his owls ex-
istence, by placing a pistol, that he found in thy room, his mouth,
and discharging its contents through his head. The Giunt only sure
vieed about twenty-five minutes after the fatal blow, and died •,itliout
being able to utter a Morel. _

The Countess had by this time been brought into the house ; the
wound was directly oh her left breast, extremely large, and she died
about live minutes beldre her husband, a:so without uttering a single
word. The servants of the house were all collected on the night of
the murder, but no cause for so horrid an act was at that time known :
all was but conjecture.

The following circumstances, in so extraordinary a care, may be,
however, worth relalinty. The Count, it appears, always kept a brace
of pistols hanging loaded in his bed-room, and a small dirk. About a
month ago the Countess and the servants heard the report of a pistol
up stairs, and were in consequence greatly alarmed ; when one of the
latter, a female, went up stairs, and looked into her master's r .om : it
was full of smoke, and she screamed out; on its clearing away she saw
Lawrence standing, uho told her nothing was the metter, lie had only
fired off one of his master's pistols. It afterwards apreared he had
fired it into the wainstcoat; it was loaded with ball, and the bullet
Irons the pistol is yet to he seen. There is xo rests la whatever to le-
lieve that Lawrence was insane. 010 about ten minutes tvevroth to
his committing this deed of blood, he went over t = an adjoining politic-
housr, and took a gl.tss of gin ; he had lived only three to ntl.4 ill thy
family, and teport says, was to be discharued in a few
The Count anti Countess had resided in :heir I oust. at flames far
four or live dears, and 111% e left an only Kat, w c, anle;Staild, if
at result in this countty stodving the law.
Besides his house on liar,.es-terrace, Cony t had a town cstah-
llshment, No. 7, Queen Ann -strie', IVes*. 11: was 56, i:ml
Countess 53 Years of ii!=e The Gunn had c untently
hiraielt in the troubles ‘11.1•!1 hate conv..l,eft I. for the last
years. In 1739 be was at ti-elv vtLuret! in fav,:ur of the Revolution;
but during the tyranny of Itolicsperry, he eattgr.ted rmany, mid
was employ ed in the !,c:vice of Ras.i:t. nt Vehice, i.t 17)7. he %%as
arrested by Bernadotte, at the older of Iltuutuporte, who pit t-nded to
have discovered in his portfolio, all the pail a-altos 4 f the , lot ta:arit
which the lath Frio:tido:- was founded. T:re Count made 11•1 esc:.l
ft ant Milao, where he 'vii ;toil was artelw.trd4 ettp!o:,cd ire
the diplirnatic tuision of Itas;ut, ti.t• Cott!! of l)•e..lett. Its ItIOCi
he was sent to Engl'ot I with credentiA. trout the Emperor of
who ha I granted I ;In a pei.t..4).t, and p!acc,! great de;ns..detLe upon I it
services. lie rcc. irtit here letters oil, and t.a% out a crtt-
p!oyed by Goveratne,:l. ';lie Colt:lt:6s was th otlee Cl..a.britcd Made.
m S'. lluhwrt. tir,t ops•ta swger Site ILA amassed a
very large fortune by her ptutsfona a' eats.

COTTON LW.; l \ RUES r.
An inquest was held on Thursd,,v, at tn:L...V::i!e ITa-t, 117.rnes ter-
race, factor..? C. jonmwt, E-q. Ct;ron,...r I,r co..:nty, a, ter a vit-w,
of the ho ,ties of the Count atm Couhtebs LvAnt;a4ues, aud . I Law-
rence who murdered them.

Susannah Black, the iir6t witness, de,•c•ed, that on t he 22 I of
instant, she was ordeved by the Cen.iteAs, about vt),,,!;t o't:lc.At iu t
morning, to tale some books, &c. to the ca.riage at the door; that
she followe4 the Countess to the door, and saw Lawrence mar thist
carriage with his face to the door ; and unicre,l him th oven Ow car.:
riage door for her mistress, instead of which he walked into the house.'
and as he passed tier mistress a pistol was fired, hut shed's! nor
who bed discharged it. That site saw the Count cn the stairs, and
Lawrence going 4tp the stairs ; did n.'t se, a..y thingin his hand. 111,;