The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-13 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

An inquest was held yesterday at the Bricklayers' Arms,
Southampton-street, Camberwell, before W. CARTTAR,
Esq., Coroner of the County of Surrey, on the body of C.
W. Chapman, late a stockbroker and collector of taxes in
the City, who committed suicide.
William Hewitt deposed—l am boots at the Spread
Eagle, in Gracechurch-street. On Wednesday evening
last the deceased came to sleep at the Spread Eagle. In
the morning I went into his room to leave his boots. He
then paid me his bill. He gave me a sovereign to get
change, and then he paid me. He did not leave the house
until seven o'clock at night, but he was in and out of the
bedroom all clay. He had no breakfast. I thought he
looked ill, and I asked him how he, felt ? He answered
" Very poorly." I advised him to go down stairs, and
have something, but he would not. He went out at seven
and returned at ten o'clock. He then had a glass of gin-
and-water in the coffee-room. He slept at the Spread
Eagle that night ; but I did not see him again until half=
past six o'clock on Friday evening. The room in which he
slept was engaged every other night, and the housekeeper
sent me to get him out. He was then in bed. I went
to his bedside with a candle. I asked him what was the
matter? He said he was very unwell, and I thought
that all was not right. A white froth was running from
his mouth. Turning round, I saw a bottle on the wash-
hand-stand ; I took it up, and saw that it was labelled

" laudanum." It was empty, and I now produce it. I ran
to inform the house-keeper, and then went for Dr. Brook-
man, who returned with me immediately, and applied the
stomach-pump. We tried to keep the deceased up, but be
became fainter and fainter every moment. On Saturday
morning, about five o'clock, I saw him for the last time.
Mr. Hugh Brookman, surgeon, on Friday evening, about
seven o'clock, was called by the last witness to atteud upon
a gentleman at the Spread Eagle, who was supposed to
have taken poison. On going into the bedroom where the
deceased was lying, the first thing he observed was the lau-
danum bottle now produced. He accused him of having
taken laudanum, and the deceased admitted it, saying,
.‘ Yes." He then asked him how long since ? He an-
swered, " Two hours." Witness applied the stomach-
pump, and, after some resistance, the contents of the sto-
mach were drawn off. They smelt very slightly of lauda-
num. If the bottle had been discovered an hour sooner
his life might have been saved. The deceased's papers
were examined by the housekeeper to ascertain who lie
was. His name was found to be Charles William Chapman,
and, from a letter addressed to his wife, it was conjectured
that be was the person who had bepn mentioned in the re-
ports of the proceedings at the Mansion House on Thurs-
day, in connection with some Stock Exchange transactions.
The Jury returned a verdict that " The deceased de-
stroyed himself, being at the time in an unsound state of
mind."

Yesterday evening an inquisition was held in the Board
Room of St. Thomas's Hospital, Southwark, before Mr.
PAYNE, on the body of Mrs. Ann Richardson, aged 35.
The deceased was the wife of one of the cuppers of the
above hospital, and resided at Mr. Evans's, linendraper,
No. 56, Union-street, Southwark. On Thursday night
last, between the hours of eleven and twelve, the deceased
was seen going out of the street door of her residence, en-
veloped in flames. Several persons immediately went to
her assistance, and after considerable difficulty they suc-
ceeded in extinguishing the flames. The deceased was
conveyed to the above hospital in an insensible state.
About an hour previous to her death the deceased ex-
plained to her husband the cause of her accident. She
said that on the night in question she had an occasion to
go out for some articles, and placed a lighted candle on the
staircase till her return. In a few minutes after, however,
she forgot something, and went up stairs. In passing the
candle the tail of her gown caught fire, and before she was
aware of it, the fire communicated to the upper part of the
deceased's garments, and she was soon in one body of flames.
She said that she ra❑ down stairs into the street. The de-
ceased died of the injuries she had received, on Saturday
morning. The Jury returned a verdict of---" Accidental
Death."

Since our last the weather has been unpropitious
for harvest operations. The neighbourhood of Lanark was
visited by a severe thunderstorm, and consequent deluge of
rain, which has wrought much destruction on the crops. On
one farm a number of cows had a narrow escape from being
drowned, the torrent from a neighbouring hill having rushed
into the byre with such unexpected impetuosity, as nearly to
fill the steading before the cattle could be removed. The
storm, however, itis to be regretted, was not unattended with
fatal consequences. A farm-servant of N. Stevenson, Esq.,
of Garbraid, in Carluke parish, while working in the barn
with another individual, was killed by the lightning. His
sudden death has produced a melancholy feeling in the dis-
trict where the distressing event took place. A female who
was employed on the same
premises was also injured by the
electric fluid, but not dangerously.
—Glasgow Courter.

EFFCiS OF SOLITARY CONFIN

MENT.

'E

The great. efficiency of this mode of dealing v‘
convicted felons has been developing
itself gruallP\
and is now beginning to, be felt extensively in thosee,
States of the North American Union where that s P
cies of prison discipline has been
in operation !oil'
enough to allow a fair judgment to be formed of
class
power and influence in the- reformation o f every e'a ire"
of criminals ; and this to us is a matter of great
portance, because in the projected reform of our P-
-0
sons, the penitentiary systems of America are
likely t
:
be adopted, with some modifications. Our readers
perhaps are not generally aware that there are tweiesYsof
terns of prison discipline in that country. 0.0 et
tt
these, which has been most generally adopted,
New York, at.
~t
which originated in the State of Ne
hum ; this is on the principle of solitude at nvi ,
~ aria
each prisoner being locked up
collected in the prison workshops in the daytime to tau,
the
at various occupations, under a strict rule of silence the
least infraction of which is punished with close coat!"4l
in a separate cell,
ment in solitude, and a reduction of their food, to which
the whip is added if necessarTh
y, and these SOO
e
the most refractory culprit to perfect obedience.
at
other system is that of Pen ns ylvania, established
Cherry Hill. Both systems have for their basis that
which is quite indispensable in all right modes of.P:he
son discipline, namely, the perfect separation of fete
prisoners, at least durinr, the night, and eemP. „„
silence at all times. But itb is in Cherry Hill prison
that the most complete solitude and absolute silence acif
gate! is established. From time moment the massive
this prison close upon the unhappy convict, he teeno
himself enshrouded in a deathlike silence ; he sees ,
one but his gaoler, except occasionally one of the geopt
vernors, or the clergyman ; nor can he be seen ele
by the officers of the establishment ; work such as h
e
,
can perform is given to him in his cell, and this P rent
vents that derangement of mind that is conseque
upon absolute solitude and silence without lalror.
to
Amongst the great number of cases reporteathis
the American Government as to the effects af few
discipline on the convicts we have selected a. the
striking illustrations of the admirable effects of loci
Cherry Hill system. The first of these, mar
No. 28 (for the names are not given), waslee
middle-aged man, convicted of murder, which erlby
is not punishable by death, as with us, but in
imprisonment for life. This man persists
his innocence of the crime for which he is sufferulo%
but admits that he was addicted to drinking, turbule a;
and irreligious ; but now he feels himself quite ehaug,,eoJ
he 'feels a melancholy pleasure in being alone; ire
his greatest unhappiness arises from a constant "e'
to see his family again, and to give his childr,eit(A
moral and Christian education, but which he did ° the
think of formerly. He declared his belief that
co
work they gave him was so essential to his existeufor
that he would have died in that solitary state but.sit
this occupation ; and when the officers came t 0 56,
him, he felt a sort of joy at their presence.---.lN°.„red
when asked if he was compelled to work, answ,jed
" No ;" but added, " the labour here must be regt to
as a great benefit." When asked what he thoug""A
be the principal advantage of this system, beirkis
" Here the prisoner is totally unknown to a -of
fellow prisoners ; neither can he know of
them. It was a prison acquaintance whom o,
met after being released from another Prlii
that enticed me into the act of robbery for which:o;
am now suffering."—No. 41. This is a young ult.
he acknowledges his criminality, and was in tears 'ion
ing the course of his examination, particularly
his family was mentioned. " Fortunately," saiud j
" no one can see me in this place ; and, whenevinto
maybe released, I hope to return without shame ;;"
the world, and not to be driven from good se,e'el.lb.e
'When asked if he thought solitude very paimu"Eat
said, " Certainly, it is the most frightful pun
that can be imagined." He said he- found greet.,ch°
solation in religious duties, and to discourse with
religious instructor was at present his greatest haPrea
ness. When asked whether he believed labour softened
the rigours of solitude, he said, " It would be irlikus;
sible to live in such a state of solitude without "'fro.'
He had been above a year in this prison, and had 11,-,
the least communication with even his parents ; '-
knew not whether they were still alive.