The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-13 00:00:00

THE LATE MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.

The interest in the results of the inquiry as to who
really is the man found as a suicide in the Mid-
land railway carriage rather increases than abates.
Amongst others, a letter was received by Mr. Mason,
superintendent of police, from a Mrs. Henry Astropp,
formerly of Louth, but now of Hull ; in which, after
making a detailed inquiry, she stated that her husband
had been missing for four months, and that he had been
either " wiled away," taken by force, or had been stupi-
fied by Catholic priests. The letter was answered, but
solely as to the materials disproving the identity, and
disabusing her mind of the supposition that the deceased
was her husband ; but so confident was she that some of
the particulars bore an analogy to the circumstances
connected with her husband, that on Tuesday night she
arrived at Lincoln, accompanied by her daughter, a
sweet little girl abent eight years old. Mr. Mason in
vain endeavoured to convince her that it could not be
the person she inquired fur, still she would search fur-
ther, and Mr. Maeon introduced her to Mr. Hitchins,
the coroner, to whom she made the following extra-
ordinary statement :
Her husband belonged to the Catholic Church, and
had been a Catholic priest at Beverley and Sheffield.
they had been attached to each other for several years.
That the result of that intimacy was the little girl then
present. That upon its gaining currency that they were
about to be married, he was taken and put into the
asylum near Hull, during which time all letters were
kept from her, some, of which contained money. After
the anticipated visit by the Commissioners of Lunacy
he was released, and shortly after they were married,
since which persecution had never ceased ; her husband
had. property, and had lent a great deal to the Catholics,
some to priests, and some to a firm at Newcastle ; that
he was persuaded
,to go into the grocery business at
Louth ; and while there, on the 21st of April, he went
out, and. that she had never seen him or heard from him:
since, and his brother had told her that she should never
see him again dead or alive. That after
,he had gone,
his brother had put the bailiffs in, under, as he stated,
an assignment, and the assignment had been prepared
by Mr. Walker, solicitor, of Hull. The last time her
husband was seen was at Grimsby pier, walking between
Mr. Walker and his brother, and a Catholic priest was
there. At.ihis reference the poor woman became dread-
fully agitated.
Mr. Hitching reminded her that she Was using the
names of respectable persons in a transaction, as repre-
sented by her, of an extraordinary character. Mrs.
Astropp said she was speaking the truth, and that Mr.
a solicitor of Hull, would see into the matter; but
she wanted her husband.
Mr. Hitching--Do you mean to say that while your
husband was a Catholic priest you were living in concu-
binage with him ; and that it was known.—Mrs. As-
tropp—We did live together, and as soon as it was
known we were going to be married he was put into an
asylum.
Mr. Hitching—Have you made anypublic application
to aid you ?—Mrs. Astropp—Yes, sir; but as I had
no witnesses I could make nothing out.
Mr. Hitchins—Have you applied for assistance to
Mr. Walk.er, who, you say, got your husband's money ?
—Mrs. Astropp -Yes, I have, and' he says he hadn't
any, that I must go to Mr. Edward Astropp, my hus-
band's brother. I went, but the door was locked. My
husband had above a thousand pounds, and ho is en-
titled to three thousand more at his mother's death, and
she is 80 years of age • but they might have all the
money if they would only let rue have my husband.
, . Mr. Hitching--I am very desirous of assisting your in-
quiries, in referened to the person found in the railway
carriage being your husband. The photograph which you
have brought with Tl, and which you say is a strong like-
ness of your husband, is not like that of the person