The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Captain—A. L. Corry to the Firebrand steam-frigate,
to command the experimental squadron.
Commanders—ll. J. Matson (1843) to the Daring ;
Frederick Patten (1837) to the Osprey ; Robert Harris
(1841) to the Flying Fish ; T. F. Birch to the Water-
witch ; and Edmund Wilson (acting) to the Pantaloon.
Lieutenants—C. R. Johnson, to the Eclair ; IL de
Lisle, additional to the Alfred ; J. C. Bailey, addi-
tional to the Agincourt ; E. J. S. Cooper, R. Edwards,
and C. A. Isaacson, additional to the Caledonia.
Mates—R. H. L. Warner to the Excellent ; L. F.

Pigott, to the Royal Yacht ; P. G. Nettleton,' to the
Eclair.

Master—H. A. Moriarty to the Vesuvius.
Surgeons—J. Maconchy to the Eclair ;W. Bland to
the superintendence of the Tasmania convict ship.
Second Master—E. H. Garwood to the Pluto.
Assistant-Surgeons—G. A. Nicholls, M.D., to the
Collingwood ; C. Hartman to the Eclair.

Midhiprnei—A. J. Kingston and 11. M. Bingham
to the Eclair.

Naval Cadets—A. Ballinghall to the Illustrious ; S.
P. Townsend, to the St. Vincent ; an 10. C. Symonds,
to the Eclair.

COAST GUARD.

Appointment—Lieutenant R. O'Brien to a station.
Removals—Lieutenant E. llennah, R.N., from Burn-
harnoocry, to Eccicsbourn station, vice H. Jeston to
Bishopstone, vice Stoyle, retired through ill health ;
Mr. R. Stap, from Appledore to Ilfracombe station, vice
Lieutenant J. Robinson, superseded ; Lieutenant A. M.
Shairp, faom Port Rush tolAuckmithe station, vice Lieu-
tenant Stewart, superseded.

LATE SUICIDES of LORD STRAD-
BROKE'S GAMEKEEPERS.
Irswicii, SEPT. 7.—The formal investigation relative
to the suicides of two of Earl Stradbroke's gamekeepers
hasterminated
ex-
planation of the motives which induced either of the de-
ceased f- any authoritative
estruction. Therefore,
persons
twithout
r e
sresort
rt affordingtosself-destruction.
beyond the reports already in circulation, the affair ro.
mains involved in mystery.
Pursuant to the warrant of Mr. Sparrowe, the coroner,
a jury assembled at Henham, Lord Stradbroke's seat.
The first inquiry related to the death of William Easy,
aged fifty-four, the head gamekeeper, who shot himself
in one of the coverts, on Saturday, the 31st of August.
The only evidence adduced was that of the persons who
found the body, and who described the mode by which
he had effected the suicidal act. The same witnesses
stated that for some time past he had been subject to
fits of despondency, and betrayed evident symptoms of
mental derangement, but no reason was suggested to
account for the change in the man's manner.
The jury accordingly returned a general verdict of
insanity.
The second inquest was on the body of John Cucksey,
abed fifty-six, one of Lord Stradbroke's assistant game-
keepers, who shot himself on Sunday, the Ist of Sept.
The evidence in this case was as follows :
Richard Andrews deposed—l went on Sunday evening
last to call on a person named Ludlow, whose cottage is
close to that of the deceased. Whilst sitting at Ludlow's
I saw Cucksey (the deceased) enter his own house. His
wife and three children were with him. I thought they
had been out for a walk. I think they had not been in
the house above two or three minutes when I heard the
report of a gun, and immediately after Mrs. Cucksey and
the children screamed violently. I entered the house,
and found the deceased lying on the floor. I saw that
he had been shot. His waistcoat and shirt were burn-
ing, and his wife was kneeling on the carpet alongside
him, trying to extinguish the fire. The deceased ap-
peared to me to be quite dead. I saw a gun on the floor,
which had just been discharged. I can assign no motive
for the commission of the act.
Mr. Long, of Wangford, surgeon, said—l was sent for
on Sunday evening last to attend the deceased, who, I
was informed, had shot himself. I got to the house
about eight o'clock. He was quite dead. On examining
the body, I perceived a gun-shot wound under the jaw.
There was considerable hemorrhage. The shot must
have produced instant death, for the contents of the gun
ascended into the head. The deceased had been pre-
viously unwell, owing to a fall from his horse. I had at-
tended that morning and the previous day, when he com-
plained of being very low. lam of opinion that the
death of Easy, the other keeper, had a very serious effect
upon the deceased's mind. I saw that he was greatly
distressed about it.
Another witness stated, that when the deceased re-
turned home, he complained of being cold, and asked his
wife to get a fire. Whilst Mrs. Cucksey went into the
yard for coals the fatal shot was fired.
It was stated that the gun was suspended from a beam
under the ceiling by two hooks or holdfasts, one of which
was found on the floor, and from the ceiling being low a
person of the same stature as the deceased would pro-
bably have touched the beam with his hat, which circum-
stance raised a doubt in the minds of the jury that the
gun might not have gone off accidentally. They ac-
cordingly returned a verdict to this effect—" That the
deceased died from a gun-shot wound through the head,
but whether inflicted by his own hand, or the effect of
accident, sufficient evidence thereof did not appear to the
jurors."
The Coroner granted warrants for the interment of
the bodies, and the proceedings terminated.
It is reported that another of the gamekeepers has
since these disastrous occurrences been placed under re-
straint, cos ing to the alarming excitement which they
have created in the man's mind.

HARVEST.—The fen harvest is rapidly drawing to
a close in this neighbourhood, and never within the
memory of that antiquated gentleman, " the oldest living
person," has the wheat crop been so heavy and yielding.
The splendid weather of the last fortnight has likewise
enabled the farmer to stack it in the best possible condi•
tion ; as dry as if subjected to the process of a kiln. The
oats are, with the exception of a few pieces, also
gathered in, and are a much better crop than was ex-
pected, the condition being equally fino as that of the
wheat, and the straw unusually bright and good. The
coleseed, as a general crop, is far from an average one—
it is bad. A few pieces on the best land, and early
sown, form the exceptions.—Cambridge Chronicle.
The contemplated marriage between H. 'Purnell,
Esq., M.P., for Devonport, and the Hon. Miss Byng,
daughter of General Lord Strafford, G.C.8., is, we un-
derstand, fixed to take place on the 22d of the_ensuing
month.