The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-08 00:00:00

SUICIDE BY POISON.

On Sunday morning last a man about forty years of age,
respectably dressed in black, and having the manners and
appearance of a gentleman, went into the parlour of a pub-
lic house, known by the sign of the Fulham-bridge, at
Knightsbridge, and called for some refreshment, on which
being brought to him, the waiter noticed that he emptied
the contents of a small paper packet, which lie took from
his waistcoat pocket, into a glass of ale, and drank it off ; no
suspicion
was entertained at the moment of his design, as
lie appeared cheerful and quite collected. After sitting for
some time he retired to the back part of the premises, and
not returning for nearly three quarters of an hour the waiter
went to see if any accident had occurred. The door was
found fastened, and the person could be heard moaning and
breathing very hard. On the door being forced open, the
wretched man was found lying on the floor, writhing in
agony, and the sweat actually streaming down his face, from
the excessive torture lie was enduring. The landlord hu-
manely procured surgical assistance, when the individual
was found labouring under the effect of some potent poison ;
it was therefore deemed necessary to carry him without loss
of time to St. George's Hospital, where he was promptly
attended by Mr. Hutchins, the apothecary of the institu-
tion, who applied the stomach pump and other remedies,
but all efforts were unavailing, as the poison had sunk so
deeply into the system, that after languishing for nearly
three hours the unfortunate being expired. It appears,
from papers found about his person, that he was connected
with the profession of the law, and it is also evident that
the deceased had been induced by distress to destroy him-
self. Some pawnbrokers' duplicates of different articles of
wearing apparel, recently pledged, of the name of John
M'Creavy, were found in his fob. Beyond this there is not
at present any other means of discovering who he was.
The body lies at the hospital to be owned, and awaiting
the inquest.

FtuEs.—About a quarter before twelve o'clock on
Monday night the premises of Mr. Draw, of No. 30, Con-
naught-terrace, Edgeware-road, were discovered to be on fire,
and an alarm was instantly given, and happily in sufficient time
to allow of the safe retreat of all the inmates. In a very little
time after the building was one mass of lire. Five engines
belonging to the London Fire Establishment with an efficient
body of thirty men, and two parochial enk Tines were soon on
the spot, and by their combined exertions lmceeeded in saving
the adjoining houses from destruction. All the furniture in
Mr. Drew's house, as well as the building its elf, was destroyed.
The furniture is insured in the Royal Ex change, and the
building it is believed in the Westminster OfCce• Mr. Mayo,
who occupies the adjoining house, No. 29, has
sustained con-
siderable loss from the hasty removal of his g nods, and tho
house No. 31, which abuts on the other sick is slightly
damaged. The latter house was unoccupied. :The cause of
the calamity is not ascertained. At eight o'clock. on Sunday
evening, another fire occurred at the house of Mr.• Charles
Eyles, upholsterer, of No. 7, High street, Sha dwe:.l. It
arose from an escape of gas in the shop, and a cc nsideiAble
portion of the stoat was consumed, and the lower IN xt of the
building much damaged before the flames could be g at under.

(From the Asiatic JournaL)

It is well known that- Maharajah Runjeet Sing has
trusted more during his indisposition to ghostly advisers
than to the European and native physicians who
attended him ; but, whatever profundity in occult
science might be conceded to the domestic chaplains
of his Highness, the public is little aware how much these
reverend fathers have excelled the ancient astrologers in the
practical use of their art. The uncourtly speech of an old
beggar woman, who ascribed the affliction of her sovereign
to his oppression of the people, was not deemed at all phi-
losophical, and they resolved to seek the cause of the cala-
mity in the stars. A careful survey of the heavenly hest
disclosed the fearful truth. The planet -Saturn, whose
baneful influence no pious Hindoo denies, was found to be
in the ascendant. -Hence, as clear as noonday, came the
liver and dysentery which oppressed the Lion of the Pun-
jlub. Mighty as the maharaja on earth, he could not dis-
lodge the star from its place in the sky ; but they who
ministered to his royal spirit, whether obeying his command,
or acting on conceptions truly original, decided on getting
rid of the malignant planet by transporting it in effigy out of
the Sikh dominions into the British territory, whence it
is expected that the Governor-general, with the friendship
which he has always professed for the northern potentate,
will lose no time in transmitting Saturn beyond the Kala-
panee, or salt 'ocean. The image or representative of the
celestial body, in what shape is not stated, is actually on its
way from Lahore to the Setledge in a c.v. drawn by oxen.;'
a
nd our political agent at Lodiana, it is.,
the procession with due honours on tfielFontier.
- Every respect is paid, on this novel journey, to the de-
posed father of gods and men, which he could claim before
eating his children. It is needless to add that, since lie
left Lahore, the maharajah has almost recovered, and will
be quite well by the time Saturn reaches Lodiana.—Cawnp.