The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-09 00:00:00

DEATH OF AN. HUNGARIAN REFUGEE.
Yesterday an inquest wes held before Mr. T. Wakley,
M.P., and a reEpectaSle jury, at the Yorkshire Gri y
Tavern, Foley-pi:co, Mary lehone, on view of the body
of the Baron Farkas Kemeny, aged 63, formerly a colonel
in the Hungarian service, whose death occurred under
the awful and melancholy circumstances subjoined. The
deceased, who had distinguished himself as a soldier,
had :ought under General Bern, and once, while defend-
ing the bridge of Piske, in Transylvania, with 2,000
men and seven guns, is said to have defeated 14,000
Austrians and 30 guns.
Mr. John Prohetzki, proprietor of the Hungarian fur
dep6c, No. 12, Foley-place, stated that the deceased
Baron had for about twelve months occupied apartments
in his house, in the general enjoyment of good health
and spirits. Between ten and eleven o'clock on Monday
morning last deceased returned home from posting
a letter, and joining witness in his counting-
house, conversed with him, but not in his usual
manner, there seeming to be something on his mind.
Shortly afterwards deceased's secretary entered the
passage, and deceased followed him up stairs, but
scarcely had five minutes elap...ed before the secretary
came running to witness saying, "The baron has
fainted." Witness returned with him, and found the de-
*eased lying on the drawing-room floor insensible.
Having procured some water to bathe his face and tem-
ples, he sent his wife for Mr. Geldarel, a surgeon in the
neighbourhood, who immediately after his arrival pro-
nounced him to be dead. The deceased had lately ap-
peared very dull.
Sigismund Vekey stated that he was secretary to the
late baron, who had latterly been much excited by
letters appearing in the public newspapers, which he
considered personal to himself, and injurious to the Hun-
garian cause. signed " Toulmin Smith." On Sunday
afternoon last he went to Highgate, with the baron's
knowledge and approval, to see Mr. Smith, and point
out the mischief of such communications, when that gen-
tleman said that he should pursue the theme, bat not so
much against the baron as against the Hungarians, and
on his return to town in the evening he visited the de-
ceased, and repeated the conversation. On Monday
morning about ten o'clock he went to the deceased's,
and on first seeing him sew that ho was more excited
than he had ever before noticed. The baron quickly asked
him if any articles appeared against him in that day's
papers, to which he replied, " Yes, but no so strongly;"
and the deceased, who stood before him, rejoined, " Bead
it." Having the Daly News with him, in which a letter
from Mr. Smith was inserted as an advertisement, and
addressed to the editor, be commenced reading, but had
not proceeded tar before the deceased fell forward on his
(witness's) breast, and from thence on the floor, exclaim-
ing, " Oh, call for assistance." Being greatly alarmed,
ho immediately fetched the last witness, by whom what
further transpired has been explained.
Mr. John Geldard, surgeon, No. 34, Great Portland-
street, said that be was called to attend the deceased,
who seemed in a fainting state. He endeavoured to ad-
minister some stimulants, when deceased gasped once
and expired. He had since made a post mortem exami-
nation of the body, and found the brain sound, but
slightly congested. There was no effusion in the mem-
branes or ventricles, and no disease whatever existed.
The lungs were healthy, and there was no extravasation
or effusion of the pleura. In the pericardium he found
lioz. of coagulated blood, which had escaped from the
heart through a rupture in that organ, both ventricles
and the valves of which, however, were in a perfectly
healthy state. Death had resulted from the ruptura of
the heart.
The CORONER remarked that to him there never ap-
peared a clearer case in which a poor creature had died
of a broken heart than that, and which verdict, had he
been one of the jury, he should have felt bound to re-
turn. The deceased was anxiously listening to what was
being read to him by his secretary, fearing and expect-
ing what might be ;presently raid applying to himself,
his heart all the time beating violently, and making
powerful efforts to get through its bonds, till at length
it swelled and burst. He wished Mr. Smith had been
present, although he could not be blamed for deceased's
death, for thank God, the press of England was free,
and he hoped never to see it otherwise; yet, although
persons could write what they thought proper, they
were liable if they violated the law.
The jury, after some consultation, having unanimously
expressed an opinion that the primary cause of deceased's
death was a broken heart, returned the following ver-
diet :—" That the deceased died from the mortal effects
of a rapture of the heart, end the jurors further say
that the said rupture was caused by the sudden emotion
of his mind by the reading of part of a letter which ap-
peared in the Daily News of the sth inst.