The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-12 00:00:00

SHOCKING SUICIDE FROM WATERLOO

BRIDGE.

Mr. Sergeant Payne yesterday held an inquest
at the Talbot, Fair-street, Horselydown, on the
body of William James Brunsdon, aged 22, who
committed suicide by drowning through disappointed
love, having previously tied his legs together.
Joseph William Bavington, a waterman, proved
finding the body floating in the river at a quarter
before six on Tuesday morning off St. Olave's
Stairs. The legs were tightly tied together just
below the knees.
John Eatwell, of Bolt-court, Fleet•street, identi-
fied the body as that of William James Brunsdon,
of the Great Western Hotel, where he was em-
ployed as a waiter.
Eliza Blunden, a showily-dressed young woman,
stated that she knew the deceased William James
Brunsdon. She last saw him at her house, No. 1,
Langham street, Regent-street, on Tuesday evening
about nine o'clock. He had been there since about
half-past six o'clock. No unpleasant words passed
between them, and they parted good friends. He
said that he was going to his sister's in Brydges-
street, Covent-garden. He had been paying his
addresses to witness. He did not tell witness
when he should see her again, nor did he say any-
thing to lead her to suppose that he contemplated
committing suicide.
Coroner—Does anything occur to your mind to
account for his being found in the water?
Witness—No.
Coroner—Cannot you think of anything that is
likely to account for this ?
Witness (hesitatin g)—l told him I could not think
any more of him as a friend.
Coroner—Then you required from him some fur-
ther declaration ?

Witness—Yes; he left me in a very agitated
state.

Coroner—He wished to continue on terms of
friendship, but you did not think that enough ?
Witness (who now appeared to take a different
view of the matter)—l told him I could not think
any more of him at present than as a friend. When
I said this, he left me in a very agitated state.
George Carless, toll collector at Waterloo-bridge,
said, about five minutes bcfaro 12 o'clock nn Thurs-
day night, a man without hat or coat passed on to
the bridge from the Middlesex side. He stood for a
few minutes near the second lamp as if waiting for
some one, and then he saw no more of him.
Mr. Lawson, brother-in-law of the deceased, and
keeper of the Sir John Falstaff Tavern, Brydges-
street, Covent-garden, said he was at his house on
Thursday evening last, and for a time assisted him
in his business. He was very low-spirited, and said
he had been disappointed in his expectations. About
11 o'clock he went out, leaving his coat and hat
behind him. He had no idea that he contemplated
destroying himself.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Temporary In-
sanity."

POLICE IN2ELLI9ENCE, crept. 11.

MANSION-HOUSE —Richard Fostel, a stoker
on board the Seine, a vessel plying between Lon-
don-bridge and Boulogne, was brought before the
Lord Mayor, charged upon an information laid
under the directions of her Majesty's Customs, by
Alfred Parsons, one of the officers of her Majesty's
Customs, with having secreted on board the ship
Seine a quantity of spirits, contrary to the 28th
section of the Supplementary Customs Consolidated
Act of 1855, and thereby rendering himself liable
to a penalty of £lOO.
The charge having been read over to the prisoner
Mr. Goodman, the chief clerk, asked him if he was
guilty or not guilty ?
The prisoner replied, guilty.
The prisoner was brought before the Lord Mayor
on Saturday last and fined 40s. for a similar offence.
The Lord Mayor said he was sorry to think the
prisoner should be so foolish, after what he had said
to him on Saturday, as to render himself liable to a
penalty of £lOO, which it was entirely out of his
power to mitigate, The prisoner, he said, must pay
the fine of £lOO or go to prison for six months in
default of payment.
James Hoole, also a stoker on board the Seine, was
also charged with secreting two bottles of spirits.
This being the first offence, the prisoner was only
fined 205., or in default be imprisoned for ten days.
John Spicer and Maria Spicer, husband and wife,
were brought up on a charge of stealing a purse
containing 4s. 6d. from the person of Mrs. Frances
Woolteg, on Fishmongers-hall Pier, London-bridge.
It appeared that the prisoners were staading on
the pier waithig with a number of other people for
the Woolwich boat, when the captain of a boat
which runs from London-bridge to Chelsea saw some
movements which excited his suspicions, and he
spoke to the pier master, and they both watched
the prisoners, and saw the man put his hand into
Mrs. Woolfeg's pocket and walk away. He went
after them and found the purse on the male prisoner
and it was identified by the lady.
The prisoner said he picked up the purse.
The Lord Mayor said it was evident they were
both there for the purpose of picking pockets, and
it was equally evident that the male prisoner stole
the purse in question. He sentenced them each to
three months hard labour.

John Aberdeen, who has been twice previously
remanded, was brought up for final examination
on a charge of stealing a quantity of shawls and
some skirt lengths the property of his employer,
Mr. Knox, of 42, Cheapsidc, warehouseman.
The prisoner was committed for trial.

CLERKENWELL.—Mr. Frederick James, of
12, Granville-street, Brunswick-square, was sum
moned before Mr. D'Eyneourt, by Mr. Richard
Richardson, the assistant surveyor of the district of
St. Pancras, "for that he, on the 3d day of Sept.,
in doing certain work at 8, Guildford-street, Rus-
sell-square, did erect an enclosed portico on the
side next Guildford-street, the permission of the
Metropolitan Board of Works having been refused."
The defendant said the work had been done.
This was a very hard case. The portico had been
erected to allow of more room being given for
opening the street door. The street is 60 feet wide,
and the portico could be no inconvenience, for it
was erected on his own property, and did not come
out so far as the pavement. Application had been
made to the Metropolitan Board of Works, and
although they made no order for allowing its erec-
tion, at the same time they verbally said they
would not pull it down.
Mr. Richardson said the portico was out of the
regular line of the houses, and the neighbours
complained. The board had said that if he (the sur-
veyor) failed to pull it down or to get an order for
it, they would come and pull it down themselves.
Mr. D'Eyrcourt—l have no power to reverse the
order of the Board of Works. You set the law at
defiance. I have no option in the matter but to
make the order, as the Metropolitan Board refused
yon leave.
The defendant—Not exactly set the law at de-
fiance, but I think it a very arbitrary and bard act,

Will you give me time to again memorialise the
board ?

Mr. D'Eyncourt—l will make the order, but will
adjourn it for 10 days. Unless you then inform
me that you have got the consent of the board you
must pull it down. You have done it thinking
that you would not be interfered with.
The matter then dropped,
Mr. William Winn, the extensive contractor, of
Curtain-road and elsewhere, was summoned at the
instance of Robert Howard Valentine, and inspec-
tor of nuisances, acting for the Board of Works for
the Hackney district, for permitting an accumula-
tion of hard core and other offensive matter to re-
main upon his wharf, which was a nuisance and in-
jurious to health.

Mr. Ellis's clerk represented the Board of Health ;
and Mr. Beard, of Basinghall-street, the defendant,
who pleaded not guilty.
The complainant deposed that on the 28th ult.,
and on three other occasions since, he visited the
defendant's wharf, in Hertford-road, Kingsland,
and there found a heap of hard core, consisting of
broken crockery, oyster shells, dust, and fish bones,
which was a nuisance. When he first visited it,
the heap was about a quarter larger than on his
last visit. In his opinion a greater portion of the
heap consisted of organic matter. The heap would
not be a nuisance if put lower down the yard. A
Mrs. Allen's house adjoins the defendant's yard,
and she had stated that she had been ill through
the stench from the defendant's yard.
Cross-examined by Mr. Beard—Had known the
defendant's yard for many years. During the last
three years the defendant had kept it in good order.
His system was to have the dust sifted as soon as
brought in by the carts. The soft core, such as
vegetables, and other offensive matters, was imme-
diately placed in carts and taken away so soon as
the cart was full, and the sifted dust was removed
daily. All the yard was very clean. All he had
to complain of was the heap of hard core.
The medical officer of health for Hackney was
then called, and confirmed the last witness, and
added that he had been told Mrs. Allen was ill
through the smell from the heap in question. He
thought such a heap might generate diarrhoea._

Incross-examinition-the 'doctor said he could not
smell anything offensive until within six or seven
feet from the yard. He went into Mrs. Allen's
house, but could not smell anything offensive in it.
The window was shut, and that might be the
reason. There was another wharf close by the
defendant's from which offensive smells came. The
proprietor of that wharf had been summoned be-
fore the board.

Robert Fanhurst, foreman to Mrs. Allen, also
spoke to the unpleasantness of the smell from the
hard core.

Mr. Beard having addressed the court for the de-
fendant, and complained of the Hackney Board of
Works taking these proceedings when their own
officers admitted that defendant did all he could to
keep the wharf in a good state, observed that he
really thought the real object of these proceedings
was to drive Mr. Winn from the wharf altogether,
and get him out of Hackney parish. He was pre-
pared by evidence of several medical gentlemen,
and also by the neighbours of Mrs. Allen, to show
that the heap of hard core was neither a nuisance
nor injurious to health, and he asked the magis-
trate to dismiss the summons. He then called

Dr. Letheby, medical officer of health for the
city of London, who stated that he had great expe-
rience relative to the state of dustyards, not only
in the metropolis but in the country. He yesterday
visited the defendant's yard, and found the business
carried en in the most exemplary manner—in fact,
it was a model dustyard. As soon as the carts arrive
the dust is shot out, and all the vegetable or ani-
mal matters are at once taken from it and placed in
a cart. The stuff remaining is sifted, and the fine
ashes and the large cinders, called breeze, are also
taked away. The hard core was what was com
plained of, and his opinion was that there was
nothing in that heap which could be offensive to
anyone a short distance from it, and certainly there
could be nothing that was injurious to health.
There is not snfficient organic matter in the heap to
bring about sufficient decay to be injurious to health
Mr D'Eyncourt intimated that after the evidence
of so eminent and scientific a witness he could not
make an order.
Mr. Beard observed that he had two other medi-
cal gentlemen present, Drs. Horner and James, to
confirm Dr. Letheby, if it were thought necessary.
Mr. D'Eyncourt thought not ; and having re-
marked upon the fact that Mrs. Allen had not been
called by the prosecution, he dismissed the com-
plaint, a decision which appeared to give great
satisfaction to a crowded auditory.

MARYLEBONE.—Thomas Bawson, a stout,
morose-looking fellow, was charged with robbery,
under the following circumstances:—

William Barrow said he resided at 34, Seymour-
street, Euptnn-square, and kept a coffee-boil..
About 11 o'clock last night he went into a beer-
chop at the corner of the street, where he saw the
prisoner and two other men. The prisoner spoke
to him, and after remaining there about three-
quarters of an hour, prosecutor went into the btreet,
and suddenly became insensible. He was picked
up by the police and taken home, where he did not
get out of his stupor till 7 o'clock this morning.
When he went into the house he had £4 15s. in
his pocket, all of which had disappeared.
Taylor, 349 S, stated that shortly before 12 last
night he saw the prisoner with his arms round pro-
secutor's waist, leading him, with the assistance of
the two other men, along Seymour-street. They
turned into Duke-street. Shortly after the three
ran out, and he followed them up into Clarendon-
square, where they went underneath a lamp and
began to share some money. He caught hold of
prisoner and asked him what he had robbed the
man for, when he replied "It'was not me, it was
the other two who have gone off." He was taken
to the station, and on being searched 2s. 6d., two
keys, and two duplicates were found. Prosecutor
was taken into his own house quite insensible.
James East, hackney carriage attendant 178, said
he took charge of the prisoner while last witness
went to take prosecutor home. The prisoner stooped
down and placed something behind some rails,
where on witness looking he found four sovereigns
and 2s. 6d.
Prisoner was remanded.

SOUTHWARK.—John Jarvis, a respEetable-
looking young man, was brought before Mr. Bur-
cham charged with assaulting Mary Ann Jarvis,
his wife.

The latter, who exhibited several scratches and
bruises about the face, said that about 7 o'clock
last evening she heard her husband at the door,
and being fearful of his violence, she told one of
the children to admit him while she fastened herself
in a back room out of his way. As soon as he got
inside he commenced using bad language, and forced
open the door of the room where she was, and as
she was trying to get out of his way he seized hold
of her, and knocked her about severely.
Mr. Burcham asked her how long she had been
married

She replied, 14 years; and she had four children,
the eldest of whom was 13.
Mr. Burcham asked her if he was in the habit of
beating her ?
She replied that for the last six years he had M-
used her, and kept her without sufficient money to
keep the family. He had also a very bad temper,
and when he came home he vented his passion on
her, so that si e hid away from him.
Mr. Barcham asked why she hid herself away Qn
the previous Right ?
She replied that she had words with him when
he went away in the morning and she was afraid of
him. She had, however, no wish to have him
punished. All she wanted was protection. He earned
345. a week, and they ought to live comfortably.
Mr. Burcham thought so too, and said it was a
pity to see a man and wife like them live in so bad a
manner together. He should order the prisoner to
find sureties to keep the peace for six months.

LAMBETH.--Emily Cornett, a female advanced
in pregnancy, was charged with stealing 51b. of
meat from the shop of Mr. Swift, a butcher, on
Gipsey-hill, Norwood.
Mr. Swift said that the prisoner came into his
shop and purchased and paid for half a pound of
suet, but before going away he saw her take the
piece of meat produced and put it into her basket.
Having been a considerable loser by such a system
of plunder, he sent for a constable and gave her into
custody.
The constable who took the charge said that at
the station-house the prisoner said that it was her
little boy who who had put the meat into the
basket; but the child stoutly denied it.
The solicitor who attended for the prisoner spoke
of the high respectability of his client, who, he said,
was in the employment of Mr. Strange, in the
Crystal Palace, and had borne an irreproachable
character, and she could not account for the meat
being in her basket in any other way than by mere
accident.

The magistrate said there could not be the slightest
doubt of the prisoner's guilt, and that this species of
robbery was carried on to a very greet extent. He
should therefore commit her to prison for 21 days.
A person from Mr. Strange's establishment sub-
sequently attended, and gave the prisoner a good
character; but the magistrate, considering the fact
of her endeavouring to shift the offence on to her
child, did not see the slightest ground for altering
his judgment.
Elvine Hassen, a middle-aged foreigner, whose
appearance and manner betokened a disordered in-
tellect, was charged before the Hon. G. C. Norton,
with destroying a cross, and other articles of an