The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-10 00:00:00

Yesterday Dr. Lankester, the Central Middlesex
coroner, held at inquest at the Old King's Arms,
Short's-gardens, St. Giles's, on the body of a lunatic
inmate of St. Giles's Workhouse, named Robert
Russell, aged 38.
James Rankley, the master of St. Giles's Work-
house, deposed that deceased was brought into the
house on the night of last Tuesday week, by the
police, who said they found him in the street. He
was insane, but not of a violent character. Witness
knew nothing more of his antecedents. On Thurs-
day night he was called into the yard and saw de-
ceased standing nearly on the top of a ladder 46 feet
high. Witness persuaded him in every possible way
to come down, but he remained stationary, saying
prayers in a most fervent manner. He then sent
up a man to bring him down, but he only went up
higher. Witness requested the man to come down.
Russell remained at the top of the ladder for half an
hour, praying all the time. At length he sprang up
three spokes higher, and in a frantic attitude he
let go with his hands, gave a spring backwards,
and fell violently on the ground. Since his ad-
mission to the workhouse he exhibited great reli-
gious mania and melancholy. He was not par-
ticularly looked after, because he did not threaten
to lay violent hands upon himself, or exhibit any
appearance of violence.
Mr. Bennett, the resident medical officer, stated
that he saw him the morning after admission. He
appeared to be harmless, and suffering under a
delusion that fistula, which he had, must destroy
his life, and that his neglect of himself would de-
stroy his soul. He was properly cared for in every
way, and had a warder and a helper to look after
him, but who were not instructed to follow him
about. He died immediately after his fall, his
skull being literally smashed to pieces.
_ . _

A friend of deceased was examined, and said that
he saw deceased five weeks ago in the street sane.
His only relation, an aunt, lived in Nottingham-

shire.

Verdict—Suicide whilst in an unsound state of

mind.

THE ALLEGED SEDUC7 lON AND
SUICIDE OF A MARRIED WOMAN.

Yesterday Mr. H. Raffles Walthew, the deputy
coroner for East Middlesex, resumed, at the Gos-
sett Arms Tavern, Gossett-street, Hackney-road,
the inquiry respecting the death of Mrs. Amelia
Castle, who committed suicide under very painful
circumstances.

It will be recollected that it was alleged on the
previous occasion that the deceased bad been led to
destroy herself through having been induced to form
an improper connection with an individual who was
married, and who subsequently slighted and cast
her off after her character had been compromised.
The inquiry was then adjourned for the production
of the party in question.
On the Court re-assembling,
Henry Holdane said that he had known deceased
for 12 years, and had visited her sometimes in the
absence of her husband at her house. At times no
persons accompanied him there. He went there to
take tea, and generally left at 7or 8 o'clock. She
sometimes came to see him, but that was because
she washed for him. Witness was aware deceased
did not take in work for others. She had worked
for him for the last three years. Ho never got any
receipts for payment, consequently he had none to
show. She cooked for him on two occasions only.
Witness was a married man, but had been separated
from his wi'e for three years. Deceased sometimes
came to him for a shilling or two on account, as she
was without food. She had on one occasion brought
witness cooked food, but that was two years ago,
and he paid her for it. The last time she visited
witness was the Monday week previous to her com-
mitting suicide. She was then in a very excited
state, and witness thought she had been drinking.
She came to say that she could not work for him
any more. That was because he had found fault
with her then, and he used not before. Witness
had not got tired of her, he only wanted her to do
her work properly, Is he paid her liberally. He
would swear that she had never stoPPed with him
until 11 or 12 o'clock at night. On one occasion
she stopped to mind the house for the landlady until
2 o'clock in the morning. Witness, however, was
not then in the house. On Thursday previous to
her suicide she came and taxed him with having a
watch belonging to her, and other things, and said
I that his landlady had besides a gola watch of hers,
and was then wearing it. Witness did not believe
that the landlady had it. Witness never knew
deceased to have a watch of her own. She also
charged him with having other property—a bed,
some prints, a tea tray, a set of fire irons, and other
things. Deceased had brought the whole of the
property at different times to his rooms in his ab-
sence to dispose of it. Witness knew )f it. She had
not brought a silver watch, but a duplicate of a
watch. Witness was aware it was a very serious
matter to receive the property of deceased's hus-
band. The watch now produced from his pocket he
took out of pledge, and paid her a shilling at a time,
3s. in all ; 13s. the watch cost him altogether. Wit-
ness had not been intimate with deceased's husband
for five years past.
The Coroner—But while you were receiving
carpets and prints, and
watches and trinkets clan-
destinely from his The case is a most scan-
dalous one.
'Witness said be bad sent deceased back with other
property. He did not wish for the property- lie