The Sun.
London, England, 1822-01-02 00:00:00

DREADFUL. OCCURRENCE.

An accident of the most dreadful nature took
place on Monday evening, at the Rev. Mr. MUR.
e.Ay's, No. 22, Charles-street, BerkeJey-square:
About half past six in the evening, the family
were alarmed by the report of a pistol 'in the
upper part of the mansion, and on proceeding to
the nursery, Miss Mary Gayton, a beautiful
young lady, only 17 years of age, and the sister
of Mrs. Murray, was found lying on the, ground
weltering in her blood, having been shot (unin-
tentionally) by her nephew, a youth of between
nine and ten years of age, who had incautiously
obtained possession of his father's pistol. The
consternation of the family may be more easily
conceived than described. Mr. Bradley, a sur-
geon 7 residing on the spot, was immediately sent
for, and arrived within three minutes, but life was
instantaneously extinct. The ball had passed in
at the left breast, and had divided two of the
principal arteries. The deceased reeled against
the bed, and exclaimed 46 Oh James," the name
of the infant aggressor, and immediately fell
dead on the floor.

Yesterday at twelve o'clock, a Coroner's In-
quest was taken upon the body by ANTHONY
GELL, Esq. at the Running Footman, Charles-
street, Berkeley-square.

The nursery maid was examined by the Coroner, and from
her evidence i appeared that the deceased was upon a visit to
her sister (who, it will be remembered, was the once fascinating
and amiable Miss Gayton, of Drury-lane Theatre, the cele-
brated dancer), and on the evening in question was sitting in
the nursery, with the maid and an infant, when Master James
Murray entered, and pointing a pistol, said to the deceased, in
the most playful and unconscious manner, " See, aunt, Pa'
has lent me his shoot you," and immediately pulled
the trigger. The deceased rose, uttered a scream, and ex-
claimed, " Oh, James, James," then reeled round upon the
side of the bed, from which she fell to the ground. The poor
girl was drowned in tears during the whole time of giving her
evidence ; and when she spoke of the deceased, described her
as the most amiable, kind young lady she had ever known ;
and that she was beloved by the infant family of her sister,
eight in number, the one implicated in this unfortunate affair
being the eldest. _

N 11:. Bradley, the surgeon, of John-street, Berkeley-square,
deposed to the situation in which he discovered the deceased,
and stated, that although he was instantly present, life had fled
before his arrival.

The Jury then proceeded to view the body, and the sight of
such a beautiful young creature, thus untimely cut off, drew
tears from every one present. On their return to the house
where the inquest was held,
The Coroner' made some feeling remarks on the dreadful
state of mind in which the relatives of this unfortunate young
lady must be placed, and hoped it would operate as a caution to
every one who kept fire arms in their houses, to be rigidly par-
ticular in preventing their being placed in improper hands.
The Jury insftlidy returned a verdict of " Accidental Death,
by the unintentional discharge of a pistol."
It appears, on inquiry, that the children had been amusing
themselves with an Infantine Procession, and Representation of
the Coronation, and on New Year's Day, a little entertainment
was to have been given, for the purpose of gratifying the juve-
nile performers. On Monday, the eldest boy, Master James
Murray, requested his father to lend him his pistol, as he was to
represent the Champion ; to indulge the child, the pistol was
brought; it had not been used for upwards of a year and a half,
and was very rusty ; Mr. Murray examined it (as he thought
carefully), and not finding any priming in the pan, and only
one flint, it being a double-barreled one, incautiously suffered
his child to take it, who immediately proceeded to the nursery,
to spew his aunt, of whom he was most affectionately fond, his
prize. Every heart must sympathise with the afflicted relatives,
who are thusplungcd in misery and grief, for the premature loss
of one whose accomplishments and spotless life endeared her to
all who knew her.

CORONATION CIIAIR.--Friday, a large pack-
age, containing the chair used by his MAJESTY
at the Coronation, was landed at the quay of
Perth, from a London vessel. It was imme-
diately forwarded to Drummond-castle, the seat
of the Lord Great Chamberlain, where, as the
report which accompanied it from London affirms,
it is again to be made the seat of Royalty, orders
having been given to have it placed in state for
the King on his visit to Scotland next summer.
Without placing much faith in the nisi fallit falum,
we are certainly Scottish enough to wish that
instead of a modern piece of furniture, however
splendid, it had been the ancient coronation chair
of Svotlann, taken (to use the mildest term) from
the Royal Palace of Scone by Edward
(Perth Courier.)