The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-26 00:00:00

ENG LISII Oi;FRA HOUSE.

MR. MATHews ---A7.-4r---IloThe well-known
merits of Mr. 114trut.,., in
the delineation of
character and the assumption of manners, natu-
rally attracted a very numerous audience to this
Theatre
of merriment,
last night,the hope of finding a new
budget
across the Atlantic. derived from his late trip
The audience were far from
being disappoic►ted, the resources of this per-
former in a
humorouspomt oddities seem to be inex-
spd, as
inex-
haustible. Mr. iriAmaws was received with so
admired
hospitality,ed
that gratitude has doubt-
less operated upon his feelings, and re-
strained his imagination, otherwise the pe-
culiar manners and the novel scenes of Ame-
rica, would probably have given a more enlarged
scope to the luxuriance of his humour. We say
thus much, mot to intimate that his present enter-
tainment does not afford abundant gratification,
but to do credit to his feelings, as well as to his
talents. In the course of his entertainment he
introduces some extraordinary characters that
accompanied him on his voyage, as well as
many that he found in America. 'We have
not room to dilate on the various incidents
that constitute his whimsical compound, but
we can assure our Readers that they will
find it an effectual remedy against Me spleen,
and that it will disperse all the vapours of those
who may have been haunted by the Blue Devils.
Among the chief characters are an American
Landlord, a Frenchman, end his song in honour
of General JACKSON, an American Judge, a fat
Negro Actor, and other new and whimsical cha-
racters. Upon the whole, he diverted a very
numerous audience till the conclusion, and by
the applause which he received, is likely to rea-
der his present AT Houx as popular and attrac-
tive as any of his preceding entertainments of a
similar description.

POIV-ST RE Es.—Yesterday joha Ncen and Patrick
M‘Auliff.:, two Irishmen, clad in the most wretched garments,
were brought up, charged with having been concerned in the
murder of four men, at Churchlands, in the county of Limerick.
—One night, in the month of January, 1822, a large mob of
persons made an attack upon the Police Barracks, at Church-
lands, and having first shot the sentinel upon duty at the en-
trance, they got to the interior of the barracks, and of seven-
teen police-men who were there they killed three, and eight
others were left dangerously wounded. The prisoner M'Auliffe
was known at the time to have been one of the principal leaders
in the attack, and Neeman was also known as an active
participator, but they both escaped. A short time ago, how-
ever, information was received at Dublin that they were to be
found in London, and Farrell and Macartney, two of the chief
officers of police, were sent over in quest of them. These
officers, with the assistance of Ruthven and Bishop, of this
Establishment, apprehended the prisoners. M‘Auliffe was
found in a miserable hole in Grafton-court, Marylebone, sleep-
ing on the floor with nine other men. Neeman was taken at a
house in Cato-street. The men underwent a short examina-
tion, and were removed into confinement until they can be con-
veyed to Ireland.

TEE LATE MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.

CAPTAIN SIR GEORGE RALPH COLLIER, R. N:

CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE BODY.
Yesterday Mr. STIRLING, the Coroner, and a Jury of the
most respectable inhabitants of Fitzroy-square, assembled at
the Yorkshire Grey public-house, Clipstone-street, Fitzroy-
square. The house where the Jury was impanneled is almost
opposite that of the deceased's brother, where the sad catastrophe
took place.

Henry Berridge sworn.--I am servant to Thomas Collier,
Esq. of No. 4, Litzroy--street, Fitzroy-square. A day or two
ago a Gentleman, a friend of my master's, called and said he
was afraid Sir George was not well in health, and he thought
that he was not in a sound state of mind. The deceased did
not usually live with his brother. After the Gentleman had
gone away, my master went to the deceased at his lodgings in
Fludyer-street. I followed him, and when we arrived there
thought Sir George was deranged. He had previously lodged
at Gordon's Hotel, in Albemarle-street, but hid latterly removed
to Fluyder-street. The deceased being in an apparent state
of insanity, my master prevailed on him to accompany him
home to his house in Fitzroy-street, where he dined; another
person dined with them. The deceased appeared very dull
and desponding, and talked very little. After dinner he took
some coffee and retired, to bed
.about eleven o'clock. During
the night he (the deceased) awoke and spoke several times ;
his manner was althgether unusual and extraordinary, and de-
sired me in a peremptory tone to destroy all his papers, and
asked me twice to procure him some water. I took him some,
but he did not drink it. The deceased asked me if I was gone to
bed ? I told him I was not, but that I was there waiting upon
him. About two o'clock the deceased stirred a little, and I went
to him, and discovered he had cut his throat. I immediately ran
up stairs, and called another person who was sleeping above,
for the purpose of attending Sir George, and I instantly ran
for medical assistance, and a surgeon promptly attended; Sir
George survived only a feiv minutes after he had arrived.
Every thing that could be done to save him was resorted to, but
proved abortive. 111 - T. Collier, my master, (by whose orders
I stayed up to attend the deceased), slept in the adjoining room
to that of the deceased, and came the instant the sad intelligence
was communicated to him. The deceased was never before de-
ranged, but it had been remarked by several naval and military
officers that he was strangely altered of late,
and many declared
it to be their opinion that he was labouring under mental de-
rangement. His conduct had been much noticed at the United
Service Club-house. I am of opinion that in consequence of the
great agitation .of mind, caused by the publication of a work,
called James Naval History, apassage of which went to threw
a slur upon the character of Sir George, he became deranged,
and I hare no doubt that circumstance alone was the cause of
the committal of the dreadful act act. The decased's brother
had a few days before ordered his razors to be taken from the
hotel where he resided, and I consider he must have had one
concealed about his person, as the razor with which he commit-
ted the horrid deed was found afterwards in a bloody condition
in the bed.

Vice-Admiral Sir Richard King.—l knew the deceased Sir
George Ralph Collier, and have been acquainted with him for
ten yearS. The last time I saw him was on Sunday last; he
came to my house. There was a great difference in his beha-
viour; he evidently was labouring under great agitation of
mind. He altogether appeared different to what I had hitherto
seen'him. I endeavoured to soothe him, and he told me his
mind was greatly agitated by some aspersions that had been
published against him in James's History of the late Naval War.
I considered him insane.

Juror—Had he any wounds on the head ?—Admiral Ring—
Why, he had wounds in every part of his body which he receiv-
ed in the service. He was a man of strong feeling and very
sensitive.

A Gentleman who had served with Sir George, here said, he
was a man of very sensitive feeling and mind.
John Dyer, Esq. sworn—l am chief clerk of the Admiralty;
I have known the deceased these 30 years, and saw him for the
last time on Thursday last; he came to me at my office and
usualtr
wuhnai
tt
y )goodoftelling
itenaigil
it
mil
me
spaaesirkdi ioni ge. I,oiemnw
tioni
ieladf jotolalcokuwehilairi, n,p) :one,
said he had just then arrived from Exeter ; he appeared in his
g
'etoaanttodawfournit,umlrieey
ing he called on me again, and while in conversation, said he
had come to town about the work above mentioned, which con-
tained reflections on his naval character ; Sir Edward Hamilton
was present, who had incautiously named the offensive passage
to him ; Sir George said he had told Lady Collier that he was
determined to go to town respecting it; lie (Sir G.) had not
been able to get a copy of the work, but enpressed his anxiety
to see it ; I having a copy of it by me, took down the sth vo-
lume, and on our reading the passage which ar.noyed him, he
appeared agitated and hurt ; Sir Edward Hamilton and myself
endeavoured to reason him out of the irritation he was in ; the
deceased appeared very desirous to know when Lord Mel-
virie would be in town from Coombe Wood, where his
Lordship was on a visit to Lord Liverpool. I told him he
would be in town on Tuesday. Sir E. Hamilton and the de-
ceased soon left the room, and on Saturday Sir George came
again, about ten o'clock in the morning. He appeared anxious
to see-some of the Members of the Board, to see if the publica-
tion had excited any unpleasant feelings in them about him ;
but he was very desirous to see Sir George Cockburn who
had not then arrived, and did not come for an. hour. I ad-
vised Sir George to go with an officer to Mr. James and endea-
vour to have some conversation with him about it. The de-
ceased went to Sir George Cockburn's room, and returned some
time after, saying that he had been received in a most kind
manner by Sir Geo. Cockburn, who said that nothing any per-
son could say or write would alter the high opinion he enter-
tained of his character and conduct as an officer. The de-
ceased then appeared anxious about my Lord .11Ielville, and
consulted with me, and I advised him to write to his Lordship,
and to state in the letter what his feelings were with respect
to the publication. The letter was a request that he would
state his opinion of him, that he might lay it before his brother
officers for their satisfaction, as his Lordship had done
in
the case of Lord William Fitzroy ; he then returned me
thanks for my kindness and attention to him, which he said he
never would forget, and hoped he would have an opportu-
nity of displaying his gratitude, alluding to a son I have in the
navy. He then promised to attend to my advice, and seemed
soothed and calm. laid not see him again until Monday, when
there was indeed a decided change, both in his manner and ap-
pearance. He came up to my chair, and said, " Mr. Dyer,
I once possessed your friendship, but that is passed." I tried
to calm him, and he walked over the room hastily, and turning
round, stamping on the ground, he said, " I must see my wife,
Lady Collier is in towu." I again tried to divert his attention,
but could not.
Juror—You consider the effect of the statement, or misstate-
ment, properly speaking, was the cause of the insanity ?—Most
undoubtedly I do.
The Cono2er P. here said that evidently it must have done so,
as Sir George had left Devonshire for the sole purpose of meet-
ing the attack. And, when absent from those Gentlemen who
soothed and calmed his mind, he was brooding upon this ; and
it appears that his mind was continually in a state of aOtation.
Juror—You may as well take a naval officer's life as his
honour.

111 r. Dyer explained, that the arair alluded to in James's
work occurred during the American war, in the escape of some
frigates, by getting the weather gage, and Captain Sir George
Collier's squadron was lost in the fog at the time he was on
board the Leander. Ile had previously challenged the enemy's
ships to action, but they sheered off. This was merely a con-
versation with one of the Jurors, and was not taken in evi-
dence. _ _ _

Rear-Admiral Sir Edward Hamilton sworn.—On Saturday
last I saw Sir George Collier about two o'clock. I should say
I had seen him on the preceding day. He said he had come to
town from Exeter, in consequence of a publication of Mr.
James's; that 'he had not seen it, but he understood it affected
his character for allowing the American frigate Constitution to
get away from him on a certain occasion. 1 saw he was greatly
agitated, and from that moment had predicted some fatal con-
sequences, if measures were not taken to guard against them.
he observed, that some enemy had given Mr. James wrong
information, and asked my opinion, as he suspected he knew
the person, and whether it would not be right to call him out
and shoot him through the head. I said that would net alter
the statement in the book, and pointed out a particular course.
He said he disliked paper war. I tried to change the conversa-
tion, but found him absent and silent. On the following Tues-
day, from what passed between him and Mr. Dyer, 1 left the
Admiralty to go to his lodgings, and on my way I met Viscount
Exmouth, to whom I intimated my belief that Sir G. Collier
was actually insane. His Lordship said that Sir George had
made an extraordinary and uncalled-for apology to him that
morning for his comments on the preceding evening. I arrived
at his lodgings, and there informed them my opinion, and
begged them to be on their guard, and to take care cf him. I
have known the deceased thirty-five years as a most exemplary
officer on all Occasions. Such a charge as that may as well be
placed against the immortal Nelson, or any other exalted cha-
racter in the navy.—(A sensation of applause in the room,
which was crowded with naval officers.)—Rear-Admiral Ha-
milton said, if such attacks were made on naval officers' cha-
racters, no man was safe, however great he might be. The de-
ceased was a man of undoubted bravery.
Colonel John Drinkwater sworn—l have known Sir George
Collier 25 years, six or eight years intimately ; but I am more
intimate with his brother, Mr. Thomas Collier. On Saturday
afternoon I saw him at the United Service Club Ileuse, and he
told me that some scandalous and abominable publication, in
which his character was implicated, had brought him tolJondpn;
he was more animated and spoke bolder than usual. I inquired

after Lady Collier, and he said he left her very indifferent
and much distressed, in consequence of her having accidentally
seen the letter which had communicated to him the particulars
contained in the publication; and upon a Gentleman of his
acquaintance commenting thereon, Sir George was much
agitated, so much as to use strong and violent expressions.—
His manners appeared very extraordinary, so much so, that I
determined to follow him to have some conversation with him,
in which I flattered myself I succeeded in bringing him to a
more sober view of what lie had to dd. Lady Collier's know-
ledge of the business appeared to me greatly to affect him.—
He told me of his friendly and satisfactory interview with Sir
G. Cockburn, and of his intended interview with Lord Mel-
ville. After he had seen bis Lordship he said be should then
know what course. to pursue. We then separated, and I haie
not seen him since. Colonel Drinkwater begged to state pub-
licly, that Mr. Collier, the brother to' the deceased, was ex-
tremely desirous that the world should understand that every
means were resorted to, that prudence and caution could dic-
tate, and as the common occurrences of our nature show that
we are subject to mental aberrations, which perhaps might daily
occur, and shortly go away ; and therefore he found it ne-
cessary to proceed cautiously, as he did not wish- his brother
for a moment to suppose that he was placed under the least re-
straint, or even that it was supposed for a moment that such
steps were necessary. To chew the state of mind of the de-
ceased, the gallant Colonel then handed in the following do-
cument ; it was in the shape of a letter written by Sir George
Collier to Admiral Lake :

"My dear Lake—lf you are the same friend you once were,
and if friendship is not but a name, you may.save my life, and
what's dearer to me—my honour—by giving me advice.
" Humbled, " GEORGE COLLIER.
" I shall be at home all the evening ; I dine at 4, Fitzroy-
street ; I live at Gordon's."
Lieut.-Colonel Samuel Gordoa Higgins, .Aid-de-Camp to
his Royal HighnesstheDuke of Gloucester, sworn—l have known
the deceased 20 years intimately. On Friday evening I met him
at Gloucester House. - His manner was as described' by the
preceding witnesses. He wished to have his Royal Highnesses
advice (respecting the attack upon his character by Mr.
James), whom_ he always considered his warm and zealous
friend, and was well assured of the readiness the Duke elways
expressed to serve him at all times. His Royal Highness saw
him in his library, and advised him what course to take, which
seemed to appease bins for the moment. I saw hini again on
the Saturday, when he appeared more composed, and, point-
ing to a carpet-bag„ he said, " There theyY are, and thought I
should have occasion to have made use of them." On 3londav
forenoon he came to Gloucester-house, at which time he appeared
to be quite deranged; byhis Royal Highness's desire I conducted
him to the Duke's library,and the Duke endeavoured to soothe
him, and the deceased made three attempts to leave his
presence, but the Duke restrained him. On coming out of
the hall he struck me on the shoulder, and said, " Sir, the
Duke of Gloucester has saved my life." The gallant Colonel
then said; evidently much affected, even to tears, that it was
the opinion of the Navy that the country had lost the services
Of a most gallant and meritorious officer; and his opinion was
that a braver man never existed, and he was confident that Mr.
Thos. Collier had done every thing a fond. brother could do to
endeavour to secure his future peace and happiness.
Alexander Arquhart, Esq. of Sutton, Surrey, deposed to the
same effect.

The whole of the witnesses having been examined, the Co-
roner and Jury repaired to the house to view the body, which
was stretched on the bed in the chamber on the second floor.—
The razor lay close to the right hand, and a stream of blood
denoted the side of the neck where the wound had been in-
flicted.

The CORONER. briefly addressed the Jury, remarking, that
indeed it was a melancholy case, showing the effects such at-
tacks were calculated to have on minds so peculiarly sensiti►e.
The. Jury unanimously returned their verdict—" That the
deceased, Captain Sir George Ralph Collier. K.C.8., R.N.,
put a period to his existence whilst in a state of temporary de-
rangement,"