The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-19 00:00:00

SUICIDE OP AN OFFICER OF THE
ROYALS.

CANTERBURY, Wednesday Evening.
We regret to state that Cornet Augustus John
Bourke Fellowes committed suicide this day, about
one o'clock, under very melancholy circumstances.
It appears that on the 7th of April a warrant *its
issued against the deceased in a judgment at the
suit of Messrs. George and James Duncan, of Edin-
burgh, debt and costs amounting to il4. The
sheriff's officer, Mr. Saunders, in whose hands the
warrant was placed, after several applications,
entered into an arrangement by which the de-
ceased paid .£5 of the debt, and the sheriff's
officer paid the remainder, trusting to Mr. Fellowes's
honour for repayment. This • morning Saunders
called, by appointment, for repayment of the ba-
lance. Mr. Fellowes was then at carbine practice.
On his return, about 12 o'clock, he told the sheriff's
officer, who met him at the gate, that the money
was all right. He then went to the rooms of a brother
officer, Mr. Fraser, where he was soon afterwards
found on the bed by Mr. Fraser's servant, quite dead,
with a discharged carbine lying on the floor be-
tween his legs. The unfortunate deceased had shot
himself through the head.
The inquest was held this evening at the Water-
loo Tavern, before Mr. Delasaux, coroner. The first
witness called was

John Hind, private in the 16th Lancers, servant
to Cornet Fraser. He deposed that a little after 12
o'clock he was in his master's room, when the de-
ceased came in, and, after walking in a meditative
way up and down the room, took up a pen and
paper and sat down as if to write. Witness then
went into his own room below, and presently, he
heard the discharge of a gnn, and saw blood running
down the wall from the ceiling • he immediately
rushed to his master's room and found the door
locked. On bursting it open he saw Mr. Fellowes
lying on the bed, with the discharged carbine be-
tween his legs, quite dead. .

—Charles Battery, assistant surgeon, Cavalry
Depot, deposed to being called into Mr. Fraser's
room, where he found Mr. Fellowes lying on the
bed with a gunshot wound in the mouth, the ante-
rior part of the skull being shot away. A carbine
recently discharged, which had been loaded with
ball cartridge, lay beside him. That was the instru-
ment of death. Witness saw the deceased the pre-
vious day, when he came into his room and went
away again without speaking. He seemed in low
spirits, and witness was aware that there were
circumstances which might have induced such a
state of mind. Witness knew the handwriting of
the deceased. The paper produced was in his
handwriting, and was found by witness in the room.
The paper contained the following words :
" Frazer lam going to shoot myself. I can bear life no
longer. One minute, and all is over. God bless you.
Poor Fan !"

By the jury --.lt is not unusual to take a loaded
carbine into the room of a brother officer after
practice.
Cornet John Fraser, 1 ith Lancers, said he had
known the deceased about two months, and was
very friendly with him. He was almost daily in
witness's room. Witness saw him on Tuesday in the
barracks, and spoke to him. He did not appear
depressed in spirits. Witness also saw him to-day.
There seemed something peculiar about him. He
was at drill, and kept making mistakes, and did not
appear to know what he was about. That was not
usual with him. About a week ago deceased in-
formed witness of certain circumstances which
would be likely to induce low spirits. Deceased
came into witness's room to-day at 12 o'clock, and
placed a carbine in the corner, saying it was loaded.
The circumstances likely to depress deceased refer-
red to a lady to whom he was engaged.
Verdict, temporary insanity.

The Colombo Examiner notices the success of the
pearl fishery at Aripo. The oysters were selling at £6 to
£3los. per thousand, anclmoney was abundant. Bates the
chief of the European divers, was under water for three
hours. The operations of the European divers are expected
to produce very beneficial results, both in the discovery of
new banks and in determining the age of the oyaers. •
HORRIBLE 'MURDER AT LEDBURY.--Ye4erday
morning an astounding discovery was made by one of the
clerks employed by Mr. George Masefield, solicitor, of Led►
bury, in Herefordshire. Mr. Masefield had gone to London
on the previous day, leaving his offices in the sure of a
woman, aged about 50, whose name we have not yet asoer.
tained. The clerk left at the usual time on Tuesday evening
and the offices were closed as usual, but during the night
some person or persons acquainted with the premises
broke in, and murdered the woman left in charge. Her
body was found lying on the floor, in the middle of Mr.
Masefield's room. There was a bruise and a cut across her
forehead, marks of strangulation on her throat, and, to add
to the category of horrors, her clothes and body had been
set on fire. The floor of the room and the woman's clothes
were still burning when the clerk entered, and he had .to
throw water on the mass to extinguish the fire. The middle
of the women's body was almost burned to charcoal. In-
formation was at once given to the police, but up to the
time our parcel was despatched no trace of the guiltynhe
tpiroesprtybsrlenobttinaitniled.
the
return
ernstiomflorn.
Masefield,ccbibe
been telegraphed for to London. The inquest t
this afternoon. iv.
oe:b•heO
held has