The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-09 00:00:00

THE SUN,

EXTRAORDINARY AND DETERMINED
SUICIDE.,---" THE GAMBLER'S FATE."
On Saturday night an inquest was held by Mr. W.
Payne, at the Barley Mow, Upper Thames-street, on the
body of William Mimmaek, aged 59, who committed
suicide on Saturday morning last, under rather extra-
ordinary circumstances, at a coffee-house in Upper
Thames-street, at which place he engaged a lodging on
Friday night.
The jury having been sworn proceeded to view the
body, and it appeared that the deceased bad effected
strangulation by partly suspending himself by a cord
from the post of a French bedstead that was little more
than three feet from the floor. On their return the fol-
lowing evidence was taken:—
Mr. Henry Griffiths said that ho was a coffee-house-
keeper, and lived at 209, Upper Thames-street. Abeat
seven o'clock on the evening of Friday, a man whom
he had never seen before came into the house, and
inquired if he :could be accommodated with a bed
for the night? He was answered in the affirmative,
and at about a quarter-past seven be was at his re-
quest shown to his room, and nothing was heard of
him until ten o'clock on Saturday morning, when a
lodger in the adjoining room had looked through a
pane of glass in the door of the room occupied by the
decewed, and then saw him lying on the side of the bed.
He came down stairs to the shop, and told witness that
he thought there was something wrong up-stairs. and
they went back to the room together. They then found
the deceased hanging by a rope round his neck tied to
the post of the bedstead. He was lying fist on his belly,
and his head was not suspended more than from seven
to eight inches from the ground. Witness went up to
him and put his hand on his chest, which he fancied
was still warm. He cat the cord and let him down, and
sent for a doctor, who, on his arrival, declared that life
was extinct, and had been so for some time. When he
engaged the bed he observed nothing peculiar in his
manner. The bed appeared to have been lain on, but
not inside. At about three o'clock on Friday afternoon
a person called at the house, and inquired if any person,
having the appearance of a butcher, had been there
writing a letter, as a letter, posted at Knight Rider-
street, had been received by his wife, in which it was
said that when it came to hand he should be no more.
Before the deceased went to bed witness's wife suggested
to him as to whether he (the deceased) was the butcher.
He accordingly went and looked at him while he was
reading the paper, and then remarked to his wife that ho
thought he looked more like an engineer than a butcher,
and took no further notice of him. _ _

By a juror—He must have ,brought the cord into the
house with him, as he did not see it till he saw it round
his neck. He did not appear in liquor. He had tied up
his coat, shoes, &c., in a bundle, and had described the
exact amount of money that would be found about him.
The letter being posted in Knight Rider-street, his
friends, when they got it, concluded he must be some-
where near to that place.
Mr. W. Gardener, who occupied the next room, cor-
roborated this evidence, and added that, although fre-
quently awake during the night, he never heard any
groan or struggle in the adjoining room. The door was
kept shut by a chair being placed against it.
William Joshua Mimmack said that he lived at No.
12, Derby-street, Gray's Inn-road. The deceased was
his father. He left home at six o'clock on Friday morn-
ing, to go to his occupation in Newgate-market, and
heard no more of him until about half-past two o'clock
in the afternoon, when a letter was received from him,
which stated that in consequence of his great misfortune
through investing his money in horse-racing, he had
come to the determination of making away with him-
self. This letter was posted in Knight Rider-street, and
although ovary inquiry had been made nothing had been
ascertained until Saturday, when they were made ac-
quainted with his end through the means of a book that
had been found in his possession. He had lately been
much depressed in spirits through misfortunes in losing
large sums of money in his business, as he understood.
A juryman remarked that the deceased's mind might
have been affected thereby.
The CORONER said he had no doubt of it, from certain
remarks that were written in different leaves of the
book that had been found in his possession. The first
was :

"Thames-street, Six o'clock.

" I now fly in the face of my friend and Maker. Horse.
racing has killed me. It would be a good thing if it
was made felony to bet on any of them."
Another was dated—

" March 5, 1852.
" Another miserable day, and yours has been the
same. God's will be done. lam a poor wretch. This
punishment I deserve."
The last was a wrap of paper, on which was written the
following:—
" My poor brothers appear so happy, and I am so mi-
serable, that I must join them. The little money is left
in my bureau at home, if I have any. . The Lord have
mercy on me. It is a rash act. Everything is against
me—even the elements."

After hearing these statements, he (the Coroner)
thought the jury would have no doubt that the mind of
the deceased was affected.
It was incidentally mentioned that two brothers of
the deceased had committed suicide.
The jury, after a short consultation, returned a Ter-
diet of " Temporary Insanity,"

THE WEST OF IRELAND LAND IN-
VESTMENT COMPANY.

An association has recently been incorporated by
Royal charter under the above title, which, if properly
worked, will be very likely to confer important benefi a
upon the country selected as the field of its labours.
'rho object of the directors is to purchase estates in the
province of Connaught, and having reclaimed and im-
proved them, to let cr sell the land in conveniently small
holdings, of not less than fifty acres, to persons tho-
roughly acquainted with agriculture, and possessing
capital to work the farms effectively. Connaught heti
bean chosen for several reasons; principally on account
of its peculiar adaptability for the purposes of the asso-
ciation, and because of the uniformly peaceable, tract-
able, and loyal chartacer of its inhabitants. The com-
pany does not, however, purpose merely to confine itself
to the purchase of land, but intends also to encourage
the formation of commercial establishments, so as to
create a market for agricultural produce within its own
property ; and it will further direct attention to the cul-
ture of those roots and plants which may be profitably
employed in sowing the seeds of a system of manufac-
tures. For instance, the cultivation of sugar-beet, flax,
and chicory, with other plants suited to the climate of
the west of Ireland, will be carefully promoted. The
points on which the directors rely for proof of the feasi-
bility of their plan are the present cheapness of land in Ire-
land; the ready means of transfer afforded by the Encum-
bered Estates Court; the natural advantages of the district
they have selected as the scene of their purchases, greatly
assisted by the recent improvements in the navigation of
the River Shannon and the western lakes; the proba-
bility of the establishment of a steam communication
between Galway and the United States; and the Impor-
tant fact that of many projected companies of this na-
ture submitted for the approval of the Government, the
present is the only one deemed worthy of incorporation.
As a proof that the directors of the undertaking intend
to carry on their work on sound principles, it may be
remarked that a clause in the charter provides for the
allocation of one-fourth of the subscribed capital as an
" Improvement Fund," which is to be employed in
thoroughly draining, improving, and rendering market-
able the estates purchased by the company. In prose-
cuting its object, the Investment Company will possess
many advantages beyond the reach of private indi-
viduals; it will be uninfluenced by local sectarianism,
either political or religious: it will have the command
of as ample capital, and may therefore establish mar-
kets and even towns; it will be able to attract to Ire-
land English and Scotch farmers, whose industry and
capital will give a powerful impetus to the cultivation of
the soil; it may check emigration, and nearly extinguish
poor-rates, by affording steady and remunerative em-
ployment to the labouring population; and, finally, it
may be the means of conferring an inestimable benefit
upon the empire generally by rendering fertile and
valuable vast tracts of territory now lying waste and un-
preduetive.—Aris's Birmingham Gazette, March 1.

VENTILATION and BEAM G of the TIOUSE of
LORDS, 6.r.
As to those parts of the building which have been
warmed and ventilated under the architect's direction
(by Mr. Jeakes), some of our readers will perhaps like
to know the mode which has been adopted. In the first
place, then, wo find a set of steam-boilers, erected in a
central position, which keep up the temperature of a
aeries of heating surfaces placed at intervals beneath
the entire area to be warmed. A supply of fresh air is
takenth from the Victoria Tower, and a current through li
woerhyacrious channels is produced by an enormous fan,
_ay,
3do by steam power, and capable of propelling, they
receiving
Lildinoooo cubic feet of air per minute through the
from other
g, The air thus brought in, is tempered in a
large
Pipes, centralfrom which
air-chamber, filled with upright heated
in. it passes to all parts through channels
heits. progress such additional temperature,
apartment, or portion of the building to which
parlieeier atleg surfaces, as may be required for that
Pa
is being conveyed.
are also made for euleme
4 u for
erre.d reducing n
control, both la volume
and temperature: arrangements
Each supply is under seporato
atnhseing the air of any impurities in
ueed
fchannels, and a cooling appa-
its progress through
ratus is to be introd
gt
the elltoeurns epeortatLuroerdosf
the admitted air in
specially, in order to render the
possible, under all the changes to which • • •
means are provided for admittinthe it is subject,
trading the vitiated, both at theg pure air and ex-
of the apartmen., and a sufficient Power and lower part
to change, the entire atmosphere of the Hisosaid to exist
minutes. either by admitting and extractingu" in a few
lower part, or at both. the air at
the upper or The object sought
is to maintain a pknum, in order to
Prey -
without, by Prevent currents
into the House from making all n •
-penings
owlets for air instead of inlets. Two im_horse engines
-,
i
are employed. The answers to our inquiries ,'
the
libraries and other parts ss to the results were satin_
fActory. The fan, of which we have spoken, is made
of
thin sheet•iron, and is .22 feet in diameter. Its effect is
such when at work, making nearly 100 revolutions in a
minute, that wo expected when exposed to it to find our
Own disjointed members whitdied against their will to
join the mernb:rs of the Upper House. The amount of
heating surface provided by the boilers may be judged
of when we say there are six mil's of pipes proceeding
from them. The smoking-room (whereof the walls are
covered with coloured tiles to a certain height), is
cleared by an exhausting shaft with a separate small
furnace.—Builder.

UNIVERSITY INTEL E.--OXFORD, MARCIE 5.
—Mr. Hichens, from King's College, was this day elected a
scholar of Exeter College. Adam Storey Farrar, 8.A., of
St. Mary's Hall (Arnold's Historical Prize, 1851),
terlay elected a Michel Fellow of Queen's College.
Anthony Babington, Esq., of Creevagh, is appointed
A pasgtitrate for the minty of Loudoadsrq. was yes-