The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQ UESTS.

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A YOUNG INDIAN
OFFlCER.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Wakley held
an inquiry into the death of Capt. Benjamin Thisle-
ton Ash, aged 28, at his private residence, No. 27,
Upper Gloucester-place, Regent's-park, where he
committed self-destruction in the most extraordi-
nary manner, on Friday last. Lieut. Edward Ash
said deceased was his brother, and had recently re-
turned from India, where he was attached to the Bth
Light Native Infantry, and took an active pert in
suppressing the rebellion; He had not been well,
complaining of great pains in his head. He went
to Brighton on Wednesday, for the benefit of his
health, but only remained one night, as he was so
ill. On Thursday night was with him very late ;
he was unwell, and witness did not leave him until
two o'clock in the morning. During the early part
of Friday morning a cup of tea was sent to deceased,
but finding his door fastened, and there being no
answer, it was thought he had gone to sleep, and it
was determined not to awake him. Witness knocked
at the door at about one o'clock, and receiving no
reply became alarmed, and the room having been
forcibly entered deceased was found lying on the
floor in a pool of blood ; he was quite dead, and
there was a large wound in his left arm, and a razor
lying near him. Mr. Henry Guy, M.R.C.S., said
he was called in on Friday, about half-past one
o'clock, and found deceased lying on the floor on his
back, deluged in blood; The wound was right
across the left arm, dividing all the arteries and
vessels to the biceps muscle. It was one perfect
gash. There was a slight wound across the wrist
of the same arm. On the chest of drawers, where he
had evidently been standing, there was his banker's
book, a blank cheque signed, and some writen
directions as to how his money was to be got from
the Agra bank. There were no signs eta struggle ;
the bedclothes were turned down as if he had sud-
denly got out of bed. The body was cold. •He
believed that death had taken place from loss of
blood from the wound in the left arm. Had
known deceased from a boy. He was considered
one of the most fortunate men in the army. He
had distinguished himself very much in the Indian
campaign. Was just gazetted to the captaincy
of his company, and, in addition, had an appoint-
ment waiting for him in India worth £1,200 a
year. The Coroner having summed up, the jury
returned a verdict " That the deceased committed
self-destruction whilst in an unsound state of
mind."

FRIGHTFUL SUICIDE OF A CAPTAIN IN THE LON-
DONDOCKS.—Last night Mr. John Humphrey's,
the coroner, held an inquest at the Wellington
Tavern, Cannon-street, St. George's-in-the-East, on
view of the body of John Allison Booth, aged 40
years, who committed self-destruction under the
following circumstances. It appeared from the evi-
dence that the deceased was the captain of the
barque Alma, of Sunderland, at present lying in
the west qnay of the London Docks. The deceased
had been on a voyage to India, which had turned
out a failure. This fact seemed to prey upon his
mind, and he had complained of severe pains in the
head. On Friday morning last one of the ship-
keepers went into the cabin, and discovered the de-
ceased lying between two boxes. There was an ex-
tensive wound in the front of the deceased's neck,
and blood had spirted about the floor. There was
a razor-strop and a stone upon which some instru-
ment had been sharpened. Search was made, and
after an hour a razor was found lying under his
head. Dr. English was called, and promptly at-
tended, but life was quite extinct. Mr. Peter An-
derson, an officer of the customs, said that he had
known the deceased for several years. Deceased
had suffered great pain in the head, would pace his
bedroom at night, and speak incoherently to his
wife. The deceased had a large family, and he
seemed devotedly attached to them and his wife.
He had lately said to his wife, " What will become
of you if Igoto a lunatic asylum ?" Deceased had
also been heard to exclaim, " I shall die." Mr.
Robert Ord, the broker to the owner of the ship,
Isetaslytied
excited.tha the
He h
t vessel had made a voyage which
was unprofitable. The deceesed was very sensitive
a
had recently received a com-
munication from the owners relative to the ac-
counts of the ship ; but as they passed through a
course of three years, they had not been rendered.
The deceased said to witness a few days before he
died, " Come and see me on Saturday, if I am not
dead." Witness remonstrated with deceased, when
he added, " I think I shall cut my throat." The
deceased was of opinion that the owners of the ship
had some mistrust of his conduct in the voyage, but
witness was certain that when the accounts were
fully gone through there would lee a large balance
due to the deceased. The, jury returned a verdict
of " Temporary insanity.'
FATAL FALL DOWN A SHIP'S HOLD.—On Satur-
day Mr. John Humphreys, the coroner held an in-
quiry at the George and Dragon public house,
High-street, Shasdwyeelal,ras. as toTthhee
deceased
eodf Awleaxsand
er
ship-
keeperW i n h a retfa
,
agedB
vessel called the Cumberland, lying in
sin the deck, when he
TthheurSandaaydwlaealtl-bhase
winaosf
etrhees Lgondon Docks, and on
fell head foremost down the hold. He was raised
up, and seen by Mr.
J. B. Ross, the surgeon, but
llaifeeerwataiensea of the brain.xtinct, fro T
from fractureskull ofrethtnerneda
and
lacerations of the brain. The jury returned a ver-
of " Accidental death."
THE MURDER AT WINCHELSEL—The inquest iu
this case concluded on Saturday with a verdict of
" 'Wilful murder against some person or persons
unknown." The deceased, whose body was found
why thaaiedesneatishfieodreasatthe a
ma eannsat smeiddewrof.
sßanyde s
,Haa
native
of Coxheath, near Maidstone, Kent. He was about
40 years of age, and when found had been in the
water apparently but a few hours. On his head
were no less than six deep incisions, and also an-
other over the right eye, evidently inflicted with
some sharp instrument, and leaving no doubt that a
brutal murder had been perpetrated, the murderers
afterwards throwing the body of their victim into
the sea. The medical testimony clearly proved that
the deceased met a violent death, and the jury re-
turned the verdict stated above.

Letters from Caracas state that Venezuela con-
tinues to be afflicted with civil strife. Trade was in con-
sequence very dull. The Government had found it expe-
dient.to send off the political prisoners to Maracaibo, to be
kept is confinement there.

2BE NA Pl.

The King of Sweden and Norway has awarded a
medal to Commander Montagu O'Reilly, R.N., in
acknowledgment of his services in heaving off the
rocks, last October, in Gibraltar Bay, the Swedish
corvette Ornen (Eagle), and the Admiralty have
sent out this decoration to the Commander-in-Chief
in the Mediterranean for presentation.

The paddle-wheel steam sloop Vesuvius, 6, flag
of Commodore Charles Wise, from the West Coast
of Africa, arrived in Plymouth Sound yesterday.
' She left Ascension Dec. 27, crossed the line Jan. 1,
and reached Fayal Jan. 26. At Ascension were the
screw steam ship Arrogant, 47, also the paddle-
steam sloop Centaur, 6, and the gunboat Cockchafer,
for China. The Vesuvius spoke Feb. 2, lat. 46.20
N., long. 12.12 W., the ship Albion, outward
bound. The Coast was healthy.
The screw frigate Undaunted, 51, being built at
Chatham, has had an additional number of hands
placed on her, in order that she may be completed
and ready to be launched during the present year.
The Brilliant, 20, Capt. Gardner, commissioned at
Chatham for the service of the Naval Coast Volun •
teers, has a large number of shipwrights, carpen-
ters, plumbers, painters, and labourers employed
on her.

The paddlewheel steam vessel Prometheus, 5,
Commander Holliusworth, left Plymouth Sound on
Sunday for the West Coast of Africa.
The gunboat Hind, tender to the Russell, 60,
sailed for Plymouth on Sunday, with stores from
the Devonport dockyard and the gun wharf.
The paddlewheel steam vessel Pigmy, 3, William
Johnston, master, fro :r. Portsmouth, with supernu-
meraries, arrived on Sunday at Plymouth and went
immediately up Hamoaze.
Steam was got up on Saturday on board the
paddlewheel steam vessel Otter, 3, alongside the
jetty in Keyham basin, Plymouth.
The troopship Maha Ranee, with discharged sol-
diers from the East Indies, left Plymouth Sound,
on Sunday morning, for the eastward•
The Ariadne, 26, screw, Capt. Vansittart, got
under weigh yesterday morning, from Spithead, to
resume her experimental screw trials at the mea-
sured mile in Stokes Bay, but owing to the force of
the wind the trial was again deferred until a more
favourable opportunity.

The water was admitted yesterday into the old
ship basin at Portsmouth, and three out of the four
vessel. in the docks connected with the basin were
undocked, viz. :—Nelson, 91, screw (converted)
Stromboli, 6, and Bulldog, 6, both paddle steamers.
The Prince Regent, 90, and the Vigilant, 6, screw,
will both be admitted into the basin to-day at high
water, and placed in dock; the former for conver-
sion to a screw, and the latter for some slight re-
pairs, &c. The Nelson and Bulldog remove round
to-day from the ship to the steam basin. The
Princess Royal, 90, screw, has beea removed from
the steam basin and berthed alongside the sheer
jetty. She goes into dock to-morrow. The Medea,
6, paddle, will be undocked to-day.
The Flying Fish, 6, screw, Com. C. W. Hope,
having taken out powder and shell at Spithead,
yesterday, steamed into Portsmouth harbour, and
berthed alongside the Bellerophon hulk.
The Bacchante, 51, screw, in the steam basin at
Portsmouth, has been removed from the south to
the north quay, for the purpose of taking on board
her guns, shot, and other heavy weights.
Ihe following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. H. C. Lees, additional, to
the Chesapeake ' • Lieut. B. J. Cooper to the Tra-
falgar ; Lieut. W. H. Phipps to the Mersey ; Lieut.
D. Walker to the Queen ; Lieut. T. T. Phillips to
the Forte ; and Mr. L. Ching, midshipman, to the
Fawn.