The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-05 00:00:00

SUICIDE THROUGH DISTRESS.

VOTE or CENSURE BY A JURY.—Yesterday morning, at
ten o'clock, an inquest was taken before Mr. G. Mills, Deputy-
Coroner, at the Grey-hound, New Compton-street, Soho, on
view of the body of Jonathan Butler, aged 44, a tailor, who
committed suicide.

It was provedin evidence, that the deceased, who, with his
wife and six children, lodged at 17, Phcenix-street, Soho, got
up on the morning of Tuesday last, and hung himself, but was
but down before quite dead by Mr. Hingwell, his landlord, who
immediately sent for Mr. Cooper, surgeon, Moor-street, and
that gentleman said he would be on the spot in a few minutes;
but not coming fur some time, Hingwell sent again, and the
reply was as before. Having waited fully twenty minutes, Mr.
Marshall, surgeon, of the same street, was called in, and he
failed in restoring animation, remarking that if he had been
sent for sooner the man's life might have been saved.
It was shown that the deceased and his family were in great
distress ; he could only get police work, and earned less than
eight shillings a week, with eight mouths to feed and backs
to cover.

A good deal of indignation was expressed by the jury at the
conduct of Mr. Cooper, and that gentleman was sent for. He
said, when the first message arrived he was dressing up stairs,
and that he had desired the messenger to obtain other aid, as it
would be same time before he could attend.
This statement was immediately denied by several witnesses.
Mr. Addams (the foreman) then observed, that Mr. Cooper's
explanation had but confirmed the opinion entertained by him
previously. He would ask Mr. Cooper whether, as an act of
humanity, it was not his duty to have hastened with all speed,
like Mr. Marshall, to render his assistance. Had he done so,
the life of a fellow-creature would most probably have been
preserved. He (the foreman) was not disposed to compromise
such facts, and he should, therefore, recommend his brother
jurymen, by a show of hands, to manifest their abhorrence of
such unfeeling proceedings.
The jury assented to the proposition, and unanimously held
up their hands.

•Mr. Cooper, with considerable emphasis, replied.
The jury found, " That the deceased hung himself, being al
.he time in a state of mental derangement."

We copy the following capital jell (1' esprit from the
playbill of the Haymarket pantomime :—" The public is re-
spectfully informed that the little dog mentioned in the original
story, has been omitted, for fear the animal's attraction might
render the manager liable to the penalties of the 2d and 3d of
Victoria, cap. 47, sec. 56, by which it is enacted, that no person
within the districts of the Metropolitan police, shall " use any
dog for the purpose of drawing or helping to draw," &c. &c.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OIENGLANII.--
It is the intention of the Council of the Royal Agricultural
Society to give premiums of 50 guineas each for the best prize
essays during the present year, on the agriculture of Norfolk,
Cheshire, Essex, and Wiltshire.
ANTI-ROOK LEAGUE.—A meeting was held in the
Council Chamber, Dumfries, on Wednesday, to declare war to
the knife against the poor crows of Nithadale. The attendance
is said to have been great. Some farmers said it cost them 101.
yearly to herd their crops ; others, that the crows did them
101. of damage ; others computed the damage at 10,0001. from
crow depredations ! A Committee was appointed to wait upon
the proprietors of rookeries, requesting them
to check the in-
crekse of crows--a request which, we doubt not, the lairds of
Dumfries-shire will at once accede to after the recent mag-
nanimous anti-rabbit speech of Sir Robert Peel. A subscrip-
tion in aid of the object of the meeting was entered into, when
the subscribers generally gave 2s. 6d. each.—Galloway
Register.

The Toulouse journals of Saturday remark that
that town had been for 18 days in a continued fog, while Mar-
seilles and its environs had enjoyed an equal duration of fine
clear weather.

•
THE GREENACRE TRAGEDY.—Sarah Gale, the com-
panion of the notorious Greenacre, and who, for the robbery on
his unfortunate victim, was sentenced to transportation, is liv-
ing at Port Philip as assistant in a confectioner's shop. She
is described by a person who recently saw her in that colony as
having regained her health and looking very comely ; her hag-
gard appearance at her trial showing the relics of a countenance
of considerable prior attractions.
Tim Mun PAVEMENTS.—The authorities of St.
Marylebone have given notice to the inhabitants, that, if the
Local Act of Parliament is not complied with as far as regards
the cleansing of the foot pavements every morning, the penalty
for neglect to do so will be enforced.
UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE..--OX-
FORD, JAN. 3.—HAMPDEN, APPELLANT, V. MACMILLEN.
—The delegates in congregation met this day at one o'clock,
when the Master of University College, the Chairman,
pronounced the judgment of the Court.—''hat the amended
libel was wrongly admitted, the delegates bring of opi-
nion that there were no allegations en the face of the
libel on which any legal duty Was grounded, for the brea2ll
of which an action on the case for damages would lie ;
they, therefore, reversed the judgment of the assessor in the
Court below, and ordered the amended libel to be dismissed,
Mr. Macmullen paying the costs of both parties. Mr. Cary,
en the part of Mr. Macmullen, gave notice of further pro-
ceedings, by an appeal to a higher Court—that of the dele-
gates in convocation. The decision of the Court has afforded
the highest satisfaction here, except to the Tractarian party.
THE QUEEN DOWAGER.—Her Majesty's nephew,
Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, with the Rev. Canon Wood
and his amiable bride, spent the Christmas with her Majesty.
Her Majesty, with her usual liberality, has been dispensing
her seasonable benevolence to an immense number of poor
families in the vicinity of Witley Court, and in several in-
stances she has personally relieved the wants of the indigent
up
with the title,
terman,
and distressed at their humble dwellings,— Worcester Citron.
heavilyterno n
laden
ACCIDENT ON THE RIVER.--Yesterday af-
ternoon,
then
William Gibson, on board of her, she ran foul of a tier of simi-
lar barges moored in the river, nearly opposite to Somerset-
wharf, and the collision was so violent as to throw him over-
vi btharegoeo Mary,,a ndA wninthe was coursing eoomneinigigh
named
over-
board. No immediate assistance was at hand, and conse-
quently the poor man, who has left a very large family, was
lost. It is a singular fact, that notwithstanding every effort
of the river police, accidents are continually occurring in this
particular part of the river.
RAILWAY FARES.—NOTTINGAM, DERBY, AND
LEICESTER.—An alteration in the mode of eharging the rail-
way fares between Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester, of a very
advantageous kind for persons having occasion to pass between
those towns and return the same day, has just been male by
the Midland Counties Railway Company. The abatement
in the amount of the two fares for going and returning is about
one-third of the usual charge.—Derby Reporter.
THE CAMERONIANS.—On Saturday forenoon many
of our citizens were attracted and delighted by a drill of the
gallant 26th Regiment, now in the Castle. The whole
corps, with the exception of those on duty, were marched
by their distinguished commander, Colonel Moun-
tain, C. 8., from the garrison to Queen's Park,
and from thence to the Hunter's Bog. Here the
regiment piled arms ; and were then marched to the top of
Arthur's Seat, where, at the suggestion of the Gallant Colonel,
they gave " Three Cheers for Auld Reckie..,
They were then
marched over the hill to the verge of Duddingstone Loch, and
homeward by Sampson's Ribs, and along the ss Radical-road,"
to the nortli end of the valley, where having resumed their
arms, they returned to the Castle.—Edinburgh Paper.
EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.—On Saturday last,
as a young man named Isiae Bridden, in the employ of Mr.
Redfern, carrier. was proceeding from Bakewell to Cromford,
with two single horse carts, when he got to Matlock.bridge he
endeavoured to untie the halter that fastened the hinder horse
to the front cart, and acgidentally got his thumb entangled in
the halter, when the leading horse Lria,de a 'Ridden turn, and the
rope pulled his thumb quite off.—Derby Riporter.