The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-15 00:00:00

SINGULAR SUICIDE AT SEA.

The master of the ship Confidence, just arrived at
this port, has communicated to us an account of an
extraordinary and determined act of self-destruction,
which occurred on board that vessel while on her
voyage from Malta. The unhappy individual who
committed the unfortunate deed was a young man,
named James Rowell, who had hired a passage from
that island to England. He appeared to be a person
of respectable rank, and was supposed to be on his
return from foreign travel. On the second night at
sea after leaving, it blew severely, and he came on
deck to enjoy the cool air, where he continued walk-
ing and smoking excessively, against the advice of
the captain, who warned him from indulging too
freely in that practice in so warm a temperature.
Meanwhile he seemed observant of the sailors, ar►d
gave some directions about the trim of the vessel,
which were not attended to. In the morning the
captain asked him to take some coffee near the wheel,
and he complied with the invitation ; but as they
were seated he complained of the oppressive heat, and
rose to put off his coat, which he placed near him, and
then instantly jumped over the taffrail into the water.
" I'm off," he was heard to cry in the act of making the
leap. The helm was immediately put down, and the
ship brought round, while he continued to swim away
from her. It is stated that he possessed unusual ex-
pertness in the water, and did not seem in the least to
suffer from exhaustion or fright. The mate ran to
the rail and called out to him to come towards the
vessel, but he did not appear to heed the voice, and
after a few moments he clasped his hands above his
head and sunk. The only cause that could be con-
jectured for this melancholy act is, that probably the
stimulating effects of the smoking and coffee, in which
he had indulged, aggravated by the heat of the cli-
mate, had momentarily disturbed his reason. The de-
ceased is described as about 21 years of age, fair
haired, and of fine personal appearance. It may assist
towards the discovery of his friends, to state that
while on board the vessel he seemed to be familiar
with the city of London. In reporting the occurrence,
the master, whose name is Smith, desires it to be
added, that his box has been left at the Custom-house
of this city, in order that his friends may be able to
recover his personal property. Deceased had also
informed him that more of his luggage had been
shipped in the schooner Jane, from Corfu.—Cork
Examiner.

FATAL. ACCIDENT ON THE TEWKESBURY BRANCH
lIAILWAY.—TEWKESBURY, FRIDAY.—AL inquest was
held here yesterday, before the coroner for this borough,
00 the body of Thomas Price, a porter at the Tewkes-
bury Railway station, who came to his death under the
following circumstances :—The deceased was in the act
of mounting the break just as a train was leaving the
Tewkesbury station, when, from some cause or other,
not clearly ascertained, he got jammed between one of
the trucks and the stone archway opening into the street,
and the space between the truck and the archway being
nut more than seven or eight inches in width, he was
crushed so dreadfully that he died shortly after the
Occurrence. It should be explained that the Tewkes-
bury Railway is a single line of some two or three miles
only in length, being a branch of the Bristol and Bir-
mingham line, which it joins at Ashchurch station. The
line runs into the centre of the town of Tewkesbury, the
station being on the east side of the main street, which
is crossed on a level by luggage waggons conveying
goods to the river Severn. The station is approached
from Ashchurch by an incline, which renders it highly
dangerous, and not many months ago a train overshot
the station, and ran across the street, though providen-
tially without injuring any person. The jury on the
above inquiry returned a verdict of " Accidental
death," but appended the following recommendation :
' " We are of opinion that the gateways of the station
and yards, and of the archway next the High-street,
which do not allow sufficient room for a man to walk
between the carriages on the line and the wall, are
much too narrow ; and that the safety of the public, as
well as of the company' servants, imperatively requires
that they should be widened. We also think that the
t
rail at the station being on an incline is a cause of great
danger, and should, if possible, be altered." The
de-
ceased was a very valuable and steady servant of the
Bristol and Birmingham Railway Company, and
to
whom he had been paying his add and had
only been married a fortnight to a s
SACRILEGIOUS RonnEßscra
)4T
reTsen3snEforGt
morning last, about
eight o'clock, it was discos,
CATHEDRAL.-014
"red ee
ered that the Gloucester Ca-
thedral had been entered,Leon try ER
ceEasrTs.
receiving contributions e
on
had been broken open. An attack had been
en. abnedhtahlfat of one
the of
Gloucester
boxesester ID-
had
firmary
read
been
ly commenced upon a second charity box in*another part
anbfrutphtenaivalarmbut which would seem to have
broken off by the alarm which caused the
hasty retreat.—Gloucester Journal.
THE DEATH OF COUNT BRESSON.
ftrhoem/VisTerampelllesis
atet olfasMt
paursteuilsleisn opfostiheessliOonth7o—f Our letters
e aa in
‘s'ome details
relative to the catastrophe which has just deprived
France of one of its most illustrious diplomatists. If
we are to believe a rumour
which
our sinister presenti-
ments hit would appear that
have not deceived us, and that a b
the
deeean circulated
of
Countated
atß r son Naples,
cannotmost horrible of ablel crimes!imputed The
toa suicide, but to the
circumstances staneaers
twohi h
preceded the tragical death of the e
re-
move all idea of suicide. The day previous to his being
fuund in his bed with his throat cut he had taken an
hotel for five thousand ducats a year; had given a
sumptuous dinner to several of his friends; had spoken
of. his future prospects; had brought forward a number
of plans and intentions; and during the whole repast
had maniftsted the most perfect serenity and the most
frank gaiety. In the evening he went to the theatre,
where he remained until twelve o'clock; nothing UD to
that moment had shown the slightest chagrin or an_rinojc:t-
ance on his part—his good-humour and amenity d
suicide take pleasure in the noisy demohnes:vr:rld?
Does
failed for a single moment. Does a man whotiothiss meditatesa a
file? Does he seek for the pleasuresho.fs
ear to
and all these circumstances co
he think of plans for the futurejected
were circulated at
contradict the first rumours that
h of Count Bresson, and t
Naples relative to the drat
been believed in the higher
T the
very unlikely,
confirm together app
that which hasmsrete;—namely, that our ambas.
circles of Neapolitan, s
sador was murdered."
The Bight Hon. E. Strutt had an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday.