The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-30 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

Last evening an inquest was holden at the Golden Eagle
Tavern, in the Mile End-road, before W. BAKER, Esq.,
the Coroner, and a respectable jury, on view of the body of
Mr. Thomas Shynn, who was about forty years of age and
had been for many years managing clerk to Messrs. Tilson
and Co., the respectable solicitors in Coleman-street, whose
friends were highly respectable, and who had committed
a most determined act of self-destruction.
The first witness called was Charlotte Mountford, a well
dressed young woman, who gays= her evidence under great
apparent affliction. She statttl that for the last four years
she had lived with the deceased at No. 8, Bellevieu-place,
Cleveland-street, Mile-end, and always passed as his wife.
The deceased had been a principal clerk in the firm of Messrs.
Tilson and Co., solicitors, in Coleman-street, and generally
treated her with great kindness ; but within the last six weeks
or two months there an evident change in his manner.
He within that time spoke of a deficiency in his accounts,
and talked of killing himself and her (witness), remarking
at the same time that he could not bear the thought of her
comng to want after his death. On Friday evening last he
left town for Maldon, to spend the Christmas, as was his
custom, with his mother and brother there, and returned
on Tuesday evening, when his manner was very strange.
He said that his mother and brother were very ill, and that
he was mad himself from the effects of fever. Believing
that he had been drinking a good deal, she made him some
strong tea, and some time after he went to bed. In the
course of the night she (witness) was awoke by the de-
ceased feeling about her throat, and on asking him what
was the matter, he replied that he was looking for his hand-
kerchief which he had in his hand at the time. Witness
thought nothing of this at the time, and went to sleep ;
but in a short time was awoke again by the deceased passing
his hands about her throat, and as soon as she was
aroused the deceased turned round in the bed, and
began to cry. Nothing particular occurred after this
until about ten o'clock on the following (Wednes-
day) morning, when the deceased requested her to go up
stairs and change the counterpane which was on the bed,
and at the same time he sent her mother, who lived with
them, out on a message. Witness went up stairs, and
determining to make the bed at the same time she put on
the counterpane, she commenced doing so, and on removing
the pillows she found, underneath the one on which she
slept, a razor, which a good deal alarmed her, and in a
moment afterwards she heard the report of a pistol or gun,
but she paid no particular attention to it, as she imagined
it had been fired off in the square, a circumstance not of
unusual occurrence. After making the bed she came down
stairs, and having mentioned the circumstance of finding
the razor to her mother, some suspicion was excited, and
she went to the room which she had seen the deceased go
into, when she went up stairs, and called him several times,
but could not make him hear ; nor could she open the door,
as it appeared bolted on the inside. She (witness) became
much more alarmed, and sent for a person named Baker, a
greengrocer in the neighbourhood, who forced open the
door, when the deceased was discovered as the Jury had
seen him.

A gentleman from the firm of Messrs. Tilson and Co.
attended, and said that there was a considerable defalcation
in the accounts of the deceased, and this being discovered
be was requested by the firm to make out his accounts.
After a lengthened discussion among the Jury the Co-
RONER summed up the evidence, and a verdict of " Tem-
porary insanity" was returned.
Last night an inquest was held at the Old King's
Arms, or Half-way House, on the Kensington-road, before
Mr. lIIGGs and a respectable Jury, on view of the body
of Elizabeth Pearson, aged 25, an interesting young wo-
man, who was found drowned in the Serpentine River,
near Kensington Gardens, on Tuesday morning last.
Mr. Thomas Burnham, of No. 16, Exeter-place, Bromp-
ton, knew the deceased, who, up to the time of her being
missed, about a month back, lodged in the same house.
She passed as a single woman, and was visited by a Mr
Dodd, residing in Manor-terrace, King's-road, Chelsea, to
whom she was very partial. For sonic weeks before leaving
her home she was in a very low and dejected state, which
witness attributed to broken promises made by Mr. Dodd.
She was of very respectable connections.
By the Jury—l have heard that the deceased was pro-
mised marriage by Mr. Dodd. 1 have heard her rave
very much about her love for Mr. Dodd. lam of opinion
that her mind was lately distracted.
Mrs. Evans, the landlady of the house, gave similar tes-
timony : and added that the deceased, about two years
back, had become the mother of an illegitimate child,
which was dead. The father of the child had since poi-
soned himself.

The sister of the deceased, a respectable female, who
was much affected, said that her unfortunate sister was
brought up in the best manner, and was quite accomplished ;
but she had been the victim of deception.
The Jury at first were of opinion that Mr. Dodd ought
to be present ; but this was subsequently overruled, and a
verdict of—" Found drowned," was recorded.

Mr. Theodore Hook having undertaken the editor-
ship of the " New Monthly Magazine," it might appear ex-
traordinary, it' the circumstances were not explained, that
his name should be advertised as the leading contributor to
a forthcoming " Miscellany." We arc, therefore, requested
to state that, prior to the editorship of the " New Monthly"
having been offered to Mr. Hook, he had promised two
articles to the publication in question, with which excep-
tions he will in future confine his periodical writing to the
" New Monthly."

The Duke Longueville's reply, when it was observed
to him that the gentlemen bordering on his estates were
continually hunting on them, and that he ought not to suffer
it, is word"), of imitation, " I had much rather (answered
the Duke) have friends than hares."

The general and twopenny postmen complain of being
worked off their legs : for, besides numerous extra deliveries,
they have this week the arduous duty of collecting their
Christmas-boxes, and the less onerous task of spending them.
On Wednesday was married at the Church of St.
Roch, at Paris, General the Baron Athalin, Aid-de-Camp
to the King of the French, to a young Lady, twenty-two
years of age. The Baron had long been reported to have
married her Royal Highness Madame Adelaide, sister of
Louis Philippe.

On \Vednesday afternoon a servant of Count Se-
bastiani rushed eagerly into his Excellency's apartment with
the important announcement, " Monsieur, le courrier est
arrive." The Count, anxious to learn the contents of de-
spatches delayed for so many days, ordered the courier to
be immediately introduced. " Sacre Dieu," exclaimed he,
as the man entered with the bags, " c'est celui quo j'ai
envoye !"

The Committee of the late Liverpool Musical Fes-
tival have distributed the sum of 2,300/. among the dif-
ferent public charities of that town.

The Hon. Arthur Baring, the youngest son of Lord
Ashburton, has arrived at Bath House from Liverpool.
This Gentleman is destined to take the lead in the mercan-
tile concerns of that opulent house.