The Sun.
London, England, 1837-11-01 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

SUICIDE OF A MEDICAL STUDENT BY PRUSSIC ACID.—
Last night an inquest was held at the Pavilion Tavern,
Vauxhall Bridge-road, on the body of Mr. Michael Bruns-
hill, aged 20, a medical student, who committed suicide by
taking Prussic acid. The evidence was as follows :
Elizabeth Pickett, servant to Mr. Brunshill, surgeon, of
No. 17, Pembroke-place, Vauxhall Bridge-road, deposed
that the deceased was her master's brother, and assisted
him in his profession. For some weeks past he had been in
a dejected state. Witness saw him in the shop on the
forenoon of the previous day, when he was very different in
his manner from what he formerly was. About half-past
twelve o'clock witness found that he was stretched oa his
back, apparently quite lifeless. Mr. Wilson, a surgeon,
who arr►ved in a short time, pronounced him quite dead.

By the Jury—l am not aware of any circumstance that
preyed upon the mind of the deceased. He lived upon the
most affectionate terms with his brother and family.
Mr. David Wilson, surgeon, of No. 1, Eccleston-square,
Pimlico, stated that on his arrival he found the deceased
laying on the floor of the parlour of his brother's house.
He was quite dead. The death of the unfortunate young
gentleman was caused by Prussic acid.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Temporary Mental
Derangement."

INCREASE OF CHRISTIANS.—The following table
exhibits the progressive increase of Christians from the first
age to the present time :-
Ist age .
2d do.
3d do.
4th do.
sth do. ... ...... 15,000,000 15th do.
6th do.
7th do.
Bth do.
9th do.
10th d 0......... 50,000,000 —Statistical Journal.

On Monday afternoon the son of a widow, named
Clark, living in Amelia-street, Old Kent-road, brought
home half a pound of powder, for the purpose of making
fireworks. Between five and six o'clock Mrs. Clark came
home, and was informed of the above circumstance by her.
eldest daughter. She insisted that no fireworks should be
made on the premises. The youth (sixteen years of age)
went up stairs and returned with the powder in a flask, and
exclaimed, " Mother, in order to show you that there is no
danger, I will hold it over the fire." He did so, but, in con-
sequence of the top of the flask not being properly covered,
part of the powder fell into the fire, and, dreadful to relate,
the whole instantly exploded. The report brought several
hundred persons to the spot, and, on the smoke clearing off,
the unfortunate youth was found lying under the window
(the whole of which was blown out), his right hand and
cheek being dreadfully lacerated, the eyelashes and eye-
brows also burnt off. The ceiling fell on Mrs. Clark and
four children, who were sitting at tea, but all of them, with
the exception of the eldest daughter (who has also lost her
eyebrows and lashes), escaped without the slightest injury ;
but the table, tea-cups, &c., were broken into a thousand
pieces. It is a miracle that no lives were lost. It is re-
markable that a canary-bird, hanging over the fire-place,
also escaped the shock.

In consequence of her Most Gracious Majesty's in-
tended visit to the city on Lord Mayor's day next, the
Society of College Youths, the Junior Society of College
Youths, and the Society of Cumberland-Youths, have each
agreed to ring a peal of caters on Stedman's principle, to
contain 7,000 changes. The College Youths will ring their
peal at St. Bride's, Fleet-street, which will be conducted
by the celebrated Mr. 'William Dunn ; the Junior Society
will ring their peal at St. Magnus, by London-bridge
(where the civic procession will take water), which will be
conducted by their active and intelligent secretary, Mr.
Daniel Jenson ; and the Cumberland Youths will attempt
their peal on the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside,
which will be conducted by Mr. Zachariah Frost, who is
considered to be the most competent man in all England to
ring a tenor bell, and whichever Society succeeds will be
allowed to have achieved the greateet performance ever
rung. Bets to a considerable amount are pending between
the three Societies, and six to one are offered by the con-
noisseurs of the art in favour of the Junior College Youths.

SUI CI D E.—Yesterday afternoon ;lames Godfrey,
aged about 50, was found suspended by the neck and
quite dead in his bed-room at the Black Swan, Broad-
street, in this city. The line by which he hung was a
mere twine, such as is used in packing, and by no means,
to all appearance, capable of bearing such a weight. The
deceased was a coachman and well known as the driver
of the Birmingham coach from the White Hart, and the
Gloucester from the York House. At the inquest held
last night, before A. 11. English, Esq., coroner, it appeared
from the evidence of Mr. C. Rudge the landlord, that the
deceased bad received every possible attention there, not-
withstanding he had never paid a single penny for his
board and lodging since he had entered the house ---now
upwards of three months. Distress is supposed to have
brought about this melancholy catastrophe, as the deceased
had only 2d. in his pocket.—Verdict ---" Temporary Insa-
nity."—Balls Herald.

THE LATE MR. MA LT H us.—The following testi-
monial, engraved on a marble tablet, has been erected in our
Abbey Church to the memory of the eminent author of the
" Ess iy on Population," whose remains are interred within
that venerable building :—" Sacred to the memory of the
Rev. Thomas Robert Malthus, long known to the lettered
world by his admirable writings on the social branches of
political economy, particularly by his Essay on Population.'
One of the best men and truest philosophers of any age or
country. Raised by native dignity of mind above the mis-
representations of the ignorant and the neglect of the great,
he lived a serene and happy life, devoted to the pursuit and
communication of truth, supported by a calm but firm con-
viction of the usefulness of his labours, content with the
approbation of the wise and good. - His Writings will be a
Listing monument of the extent and correctness of his under-
standing. The spotless integrity of his principles, the equity
and candour of his nature, his sweetness of temper and ur-
banity of manners, and tenderness of heart ; his benevolence
and his piety, arc the still dearer recollections of his family
and friends. Born Feb. 14, 1766, died Dec. 29, 183-I."
Bath Herald.

FIRE AT THE RESIDENCE OF JOHN LOCK, ESQ.,
HERNE HlLL—About half-past eight o'clock on Saturday
night flames were perceived to issue from the roof of a range
of stabling built up against one end of the villa residence
at Herne-hill, Camberwell, of John Lock, Esq., a Common
Councilman for the Ward of Bridge. Fortunately the dis-
covery was early made and an alarm given. There was at
the time a large dinner party assembled within the mansion,
consisting of the fellow-citizens and friends of the wealthy
owner, among whom was Mr. Alderman Cowan, the Lord
Mayor elect. The dessert had just been introduced when
the unpleasant news that the stable was on fire put an
abrupt stop to the festivities of the day. The host and his
guests hastily quitting the social board, hurried out to as-
certain the nature of the danger and to assist in quelling it.
Messengers were sent off in various directions, while the
visitors, their servants, those of the establishment and the
neighbours, busied themselves in different ways in rendering
assistance. The fire received a decided check within the
residence, but still raged fiercely in the stables, in the lofts
of which the stock of hay and corn had generally caught
the flames. By ten o'clock at night all danger of the
spread of the flames had ceased. The cause of the fire is
not certainly ascertained but there appears good ground
for believing that it is attributable to something deloctive
either in the construction or in the condition of a flue in
the kitchen, which is supposed to have been overheated.
The damage by fire to the mansion is confined to one bed-
room and a corner of the roof, but there is much furniture
in other rooms injured by water. The property is iurccif