The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-18 00:00:00

Mr. Teesdale said, Mr. Sims' brother was in attend-
ance, but he was anxious to spare his feelings.
Several of the Jury observed that the case was sa,
plain, that it was unnecessary to examine deceased's
brother.

The Coroner said he agreed with them. However,
it was at the discretion of any of the Jury to call for
further evidence.

One of the Jury here rose and expressed a wish that
the deceased's brother should be called in, which gave
rise to cries of " No, no."
The CORONER-4 think, Gentlemen, the evidence of
Dr. Gordon and of Miss Gressier leaves scarcely any
doubt of the deceased's insanity at the time he destroyed
himself. You have heard that a paroxym of insanity
frequently comes on, and cannot be at all accounted for,
from the previous habits and conduct of a party. I
knew, myself, a gentleman who was collector to a musi-
cal society, and he had his pocket picked of some money
belonging to the funds of the society. He told the so-
ciety of his loss, and they believed it ; but the circum-
stance so preyed upon the mind of the deceased, that in a
paroxy in of rage he stabbed himself : and, upon his re-
covering from his wound, he declared that he had no re-
collection whatever of having inflicted the injury. The
Coroner concluded by asking the Jury if they would
wish the room to be cleared of strangers while they were
considering their verdict?

The foreman said it was unnecessary, and he believed
all his brother Jurors had made up their minds that it
was a case of insanity.
The same Juror who before rose remarked that he
conld not agree to such a verdict.
The CORONER—WeII, Gentlemen, there are 15 of
you, and if 12 agree to a verdict, that will be sufficient.
A verdict that the deceased "destroyed himself whilst
labouring under a fit of temporary insanity," was then
instantly agreed to by the whole of the Jury, with the
exception of the single dissentient.

Mr. Simms was a most exemplary and amiable man
in every relation of life, and highly respected by an ex-
tensive circle of friends and acquaintances. As the
chairman of a great Company, but few were his equals.
To a clear head, sound judgment, and great presence of
mind in difflculties, he added an untiring zeal for the
interests of the concern over which he ha the honour
to preside. Immediately on the distressing occurrence
being known, a committee of such Directors as could
be got together was called, and steps taken to mitigate
the effect which so heavy a loss will necessarily inflict for
a time on the railway.—Railway Magazine.

TAX ON PASTEBOARD GREATLY
DETRIMENTAL TO THE TRADE OF
PAISLEY.

An able and enterprising tovvnsman has directed our
attention to a serious drawback that is at present im-
posed on the trade of Paisley, by the heavy duty on
pasteboard. Iu France, America, Belgium, Prussia,
Russia, even in Egypt, and the most despotic States in
theworld, every tax that affects native manufactures is
removed, and every encouragement given otherwise to
commerce and internal industry. It is not so, however,
in Britain ; where the manufacturers are first laid under
an impost of 30 per cent. on their food, and in many
cases to that, and a far greater amount on the materials
necessary for their business.

It is now generally known that the Jacquard ma-
chine has been an important auxiliary for enabling the
French shawl manufacturers to produce the varied and
rich shawls which have long taken the lead ever those
of Paisley. The principal cost of a pattern for the Jac-
guard is the pasteboard, and the tax at present levied
on that article is 14s. on a quantity which costs 40s. to
465. Thus the tax on the pasteboard for the Jacquard
machine amounts as nearly as possible to 35 per cent.
on the gross price.

_ .
As may easily be supposed, such an impost on the
British manufacturer, which his French rival is freed
from, paralyses our shawl trade to a serious degree, and
measures ought to be taken without delay to have the
matter brought under the consideration of the Trea-
sury, and, if necessary, of Parliament, as the impost is
just becoming the more serious as our manufactures
advance in perfection. In proof of the amount of this
burden on the trade of Paisley at present, we may state
that one manufacturer has lately finished a pattern, the
duty on the pasteboard of which cost him no less than
8/. The pasteboard for the general run of the finer
fabrics, costs for each pattern from 21. to 61., or an ave-
rage of 4/. each. A pattern is not wrought more in gene-
ral than for six months, many of them for less periods,
and taking the number of weavers engaged in this de-
scription of work, in connection with the town, at 4,000,
and the pattern to be wrought six months, the yearly
cost of pasteboard for their patterns (were they all
working Jacquards), would amount to 42,0001., and
the tax paid to Government to no less a sum than
11,2001. Besides paralyzing trade, by making the pat-
terns more limited and expensive, the prelent substitute
for the Jacquard, of boys and girls, is admitted on
all hands to exercise a most detrimental influence on
the morals of the population, by tho promiscuous
mixing up of youth of both sexes in the workshops,
by preventing their education, and then by keeping
them for a year or two longer than they should be from
being put to trades, thus injuring their proficiency as
workmen for years.
Throwing every other consideration, however, over-
board, but the encouragement of our trade, the subject
should be taken up without delay both by manufactu-
rers and workmen ; and as the consumption of paste-
board for this purpose is quite a new thing, the ever-
lasting argument against a reduction of taxation (that
the revenue cannot afford it), does not apply in this
case, as the revenue has not as yet drawn much from it.

, -
'-------'"---___
insurance Office, Chairman of ehe Great Western Rail-
way Company, Director of the Bank of Engiar, d, and
also of the Glenarvon Iron Company. He was likewise
a partner in the firm of Jacobs. Sims, and Company,
West India merchants, and Neville, Sims, and
Williams, in the Steel-yard. Messrs. Jacobs and Com-
pany have an excellent account with us. I saw him at half-past two o'clock on Thursday for the last time
alive. I certainly consider that he has suffered lately
very much in mind from the illness of his sister.' He
often spoke of her illness, which has not been Of more
than a fortnight or three weeks' duration.
Mr. H. R. Kingscote, of the firm of Messrs. Lad-
broke and Company, hankers, Bank-building.s.—The
firm of Messrs. Sims, Neville, and Williams have t;)r
sonic time past kept an account at our banking-house,
I should say that the firm of Messrs. Sims and Com-
pany, from the ample assets they
always kept in our
hands, was a very thriving concern. We have now a
:a, -ge balance in hand. I saw the deceased last on Wed- U
borne down by the weight of business.
Mr.
nest. lay, when he appeared fagged, and his mind appeared
George Augustus Crowder, of Mansion-house-
place, m
andx a t
.. -in lam solicitor to the firm of Neville,
to bps
oemdTany. On Monday last I saw the de-
ed, and he
expressions complained of being worn out by !mei-
a e
Hess. a s
His
s to me were that he had " overdone
c e
it, and that he had too oDany irons in the fire, what with
p:
the Bank of England and other Companies." He said his
brother Henry was going to take a trip to Madrid, and
that he (deceased) intended to accompany him for the
benefit of his health. He said he must have relaxation,
and he desired me to draw up a document, giving full
powers to his brother Frederick to manage his affairs
during his absence. He said he should very likely he
absent three or six months. I observed that there wao
n sallowness about his face, and that he looked ill, and
I remarked to him that it was a pity he had not gone
out of town before.
Dr. Gordon, of Finsbury-square, sworn—l knew the
deceased intimately for nearly twenty years ; I saw him
on Monday last, when he called upon me ; he was dull,
Ind anxious about his sister, whom I have had in charge. ~
Cc has evinced great anxiety for her.
,9y Mr. Teasdale—The deceased told me some time
ago twat his life was insured for about 20,0001.
Mr. Teesdale—You have heard what has unfortu-
nately taken place ; now, do you believe that it occurred
in a paroxysm of insanity ?
Dr. Gordon—•l am sure it could not have taken place
in any other way ; he was a gentleman of high moral
and religious feeling; and in a conversation with me,
when I was speaking of his having insured for so large
An amount as a bachelor, he said he intended to leave an
unlooked-for fortune for his family. All his desire ap-
peared to be to benefit his relatives.
CORONER-4 believe those paroxyms of insanity ge-
verally come on very suddenly?
Dr. Gordon—Always ; I need only refer to Sir Sa-
mud Ronailly and others; and also to your own expe-
rience as a Coroner. The deceased was the very last
man that I, as a physician with 25 years' experience,
should have thought would have committed suicide. He
was on all occasions extremely punctual in matters of ,
business.