The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-26 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Friday afternoon an inquest was held at the Greyhound
Inn, Sydenham, before Mr. J. C. Carttar, upon view of the
body of the Rev. John Dyer.
'I he first witness, Mr. Henry Dyer, son of the deceased,
steted that he had resided with his father, who was a minister
at Sydenham. He saw him last alive at eleven o'clock on
Wednesday night in his bed-room. His deceased father ap-
peared much excited in the afternoon previous to his death,
walking about from room to room in a most restless manner.
About seven o'clock in the morning he was called by one of the
servants, and immediately went down, when ke found his un-
fortunate parent in a tank of water, in the cellar, with his feet
hanging out. He instantly procured assistance and got the
deceased out.
_

CoaoxEß—What was the nature of the circamatance that
induced you to sleep in the same room at the deceased?
Mr. Dyer—My mother, upon going int, her bed-room, saw
my father hid something under the bed-clothes, and upon
moving them she discovered a razor. The razor-case waelying
open on the dressing-table. In consequence of this, everything
in the shape of a dangerous weapon was put out of the way.
Mr. Dyer added, that he attributed his father's state of mind
to arise from anxiety, having been extensively engaged on a
public business for the last month. He had no doubt that
deceased had committed the act himself, being at the time in
an unsound state of mind. _ _

Jane Marshall was then sworn, and stated that she was
servant to the deceased gentleman. On Thursday morning,
at seven o'clock, upon coming down stairs, she discovered
that her master was not in his bed-room, the door of which
was open, as also were the other doors at the back of the
house. She went out and called a boy, as was her usual custom.
I:irectly after she discovered the legs of her deceased master
hanging out of the cistern, which was situated in a covered.
archway. She instantly called Mr. Henry Dyer, the last wit-
ness; and Mr. Gilbert, a surgeon, residing next door, was sent
for. The tank was full of water on the previous night, but
upon the deceased being found it was only three parts full.
By the Cortosten.—She thought it was her master from not
seeing him in his bed-r•om.
Joseph Hall stated that he was in the employ of Mr. Henry
Doo, coal-merchant, at Sydenham ; he was passing deceased's
house, when he was called by the last witness. He went in and
assisted Mr. Henry Dyer in getting deceased out. He was in
nothing but his night-shirt. From the situation of the tank no
person could have put deceased in.
Mr. John Gay, surgeon, of Finsbury-pavement, stated that
he had attended the deceased daily since Tuesday week. He
found him in a very excited state of mind, and from symptoms
of insanity that he noticed in the deceased he gave directions
that he should be narrowly watched. The deceased appeared
to be under the influence of a delusion.
The CORONER remarked that the watching had not been
effectual. The deceased gentleman might have left the house
and walked into a pond, if the tank had not been at hand.
The CORONER. a'so asked Mr. Gay if he did not consider
that a keeper for the deceased was necessary ?
Mr. Gay said he did not.
The Coat)); xR then summed up, and the Jury, after a short
deliberation, returned a verdict—" That the deceased gentle-
man destroyed himself, being at the time in a state of tempo-
rary insanity."
The deceased, who was fifty-seven years of age, has left a
wife and family of nine children, and the unfortunate cir-
cumstat ce of his death has created a most painful sensation in
Sydenham.

CAUSE OF CONSUMPTION.—Thirty-one thou-
sand and ninety Englishwomen died in one year (1838) of the
incurable malady (consumption) ! Will not this impressive fact
induce persons of rank and influence to set their countrywomen
right in one particular article of their dress, and lead them to
abandon a practice which disfigures the body, strangles the chest,
produces nervous or other disorders, and has an unquestionable
tendency to implant an incurable hectic malady in the frame ?
Girls have no more need of artificial bones and bandages than
boys.—Dr. Granville's Midland and Southern Spas of Eng-
land.
EMs.—A letter from Ems represents the bath
season to be at its height and unusually brilliant, there being
already 150 visitors more than last year. Besides five princely
families, it says, there are the Prince of Orange and Prince
and Princess Wasa. The Margrave of Baden had left, but the
Queen of Greece had just arrived with a numerous suite, whose
national costumes excited great notice. Apartments are taken
for the King of Hanover, and the Court of Darmstadt was
also expected. The fete of the Emperor of the Russia (the 7th
inst.) was celebrated by all the Russians at the baths with great
rejoicings.
COURTS OF CONSERVANCY.—ARTILLERY
PRACTICE ACROSS THE THAMES. —A Court of Con-
servancy was held on Friday at Greenwich for the county
of Kent. The Lord Mayor presided, and most of the
City officers were present. A presentment was made
that the boards now placed on the banks of the Thames,
warning persons from anchoring between two specified
points, were not sufficient protection against the danger
arising to vessels, &c., passing up and down the river,
from the military practice and experimental firing upon
the adjoining lands. It was agreed that a copy of the
presentment should be forwarded to the parties autho-
rized to conduct the experiments, in order that they, who
were the best judges of what danger might arise, should
take the necessary steps for insuring safety. After the
conclusion of the business of the day, a splendid enter-
tainment at the Crown and Sceptre was provided for the
corporation and principal officers of the City.
MR. PLUMER WARD'S " DE CLIFEORD :
OR, THE CONSTANT MAN."—Considering the universa-
lity of works of fiction, the great interest they create in
all classes of society, and the excellent moral effects
which are frequently produced from their perusal, when
they come from the pens of men of high character as well
as of genius, it is satisfactory to observe that our great
Quarterly Reviews do not entirely neglect this fascinat-
ing species of writing, and it has been noticed with much
pleasure that the Edinburgh Review, although extremely
opposed to the author in political opinions, has acknow-
ledged Mr. Ward's " De Clifford" to be " a book of un-
doubted merit, anti containing passages of thought and
feeling equally creditable to the understanding and the
heart ;" and what our readers will certainly think not a
little remarkable, considering that the author is upwards
of seventy, asserts that .‘ the great charm of the book
will be found in the love scenes, which are uniformly
remarkable for grace, delicacy, and truth."
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