The Sun.
London, England, 1821-04-11 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY OCCUIIRENCE.

' ConoNta's I NQU EST.—Yesterday afternoon an
I Inquisition Was''htdd before J. H. GELL, Esq. in
' the Organ Room, adjoining the Jerusalem Chatu-
• ber, Dean's, Yard, Westminster, on view of the
body of Henry Joshua Rowley, son of Admiral
Sir.C. Rowley; and one Of the scholars belonging
to Westminster School, who died Yesterday
morning,, from the bruises received by falling
from a window the preceding day. As soon as
the Jury had been sworn they took a view of the
body, and, on their return, the •following evi-
dence • was adduced :-,---Master;- Percival Walsh
was The first witness. examined. He deposed,
that he was one of the scholars in Westminster
School belongt-ig to the 4th form ; the deceased
was in the 61h-form he-always considered him
of sound•mind-and intellects ; he had not seen
him on the morning .of the accident, llis bed-
room was on the first flOor,haek part of the house
'of ‘S ti roik , where he and the dedeased
bn.irded. He was in the passage abont half-past
eight o'clock, When he heard something fall, and
then he heard Price, the glazier, say,- " For
God's sake send for a doctor, somebody lies in
the area," or words to that effect. At this time
the glazier was coming dowin stairs.• Witness
-rap out immediately, and saw the deceased ly
ing in' the area. The glazier then went into
the area alone: and he • (witness) fell .back, ter-
rified at the sight ; he afterwards returned
to the _school, and informed Mr. Preston, the
Usher, of what • had occurred. When the
accident happened the deceased should haVe
been in school, -and witness was positive he ,
had not been there that morning. lie Was re-
quested by Dr. Goodenough to call Rowley ; but
not finding him in his room, he-asked the house-
keeper to halloo him, which she did while here-
mined on the ;round-floor; but 'there was no
answer. Just after this it was he heard the gla-
zier, Price, exclaim, .0. for God's cake send for a
doctor."—Dr. Goodenough,-. Head' Master of
Westminster school, deposed as follows. It is
the custom fOr a return to be -Made every morn-
ing in the school -of the absent boys, as soon as it
can be made out, after I enter the room. On
Monday morning the name of =the deceased ap.
peered in the list. Upon my doming to the fourth:
form, I -inquired of Mr:..P'reston the Usher Of
that'form and•alSo Usher of MrS,Stillfox"sboard-
ing-house, whether he had" Mr. Preston's leave of
absence, and -finding he had not, I sent Walsh of
the forth fora to look for him and send hirn into

school:. Walsh returned 'in a. few -Minutes With
an account of the melancholy event: The de-
ceased had•been more than twelve months in th-c
school, and upon fir St-coming was placed on the
shell form very high for' his Age, and in a fore♦
very few boys are put on their -first coming to
school. The deceased ativays condtitted hirn7
self uniforinly w&hl and: with • aistinc-

tion in the: form, :and! had not long 'since
-been examined by. the -Doctor for his removal
into the,. sixthjorm,, and;;went through that-ex'.
amination.with very- considera=ble Credit,—During
the time •he aye's:in:the Sixtliform, :Up to .the
meat of his decease, he had invariably conducted
himself in such a Manner as tonierit,- and to re-
ceive,- his freqiient 'and decided commendation,
who looked, upon Jilin its a bOY': •N''.e. ry great pro-
mise. His inte Hect Was at AM imeg, according to
the best cif,his ebservation„ remarkably sOund,
distinct and acute ; and his manners were always-
gentle, 'and agree-able-..c and he might
he reckone'd 'to hive been terms with
him. lie had bad no task punishment, threat,
or apprehension of -.pttnishment, in any shape
whatsoever, • nor -had. he any reason to expect' or
apprehend.anY.Pnbishrnent on.acconnt of his .ab;.;
sence that'. mornings 'on . the.supposition of his
being at his boarding !louse. Sending for the
boys ender the circumstances.of absence, similar
to those of the deceased, is a constant practice.—
Mr. Wm. Prickett, an apothecary, stated, about
half-past S o'clock on Monday morphig he attend-
ed the deceased, and found him. perfctly insen-
sible, lying on a bed he examined him, and
found a Wound in the back part of the head, and a
compound.frecture on the right leg ; he attended,
the deceased till he died, which took place about
twenty minutes after nine o'clock yesterday:
morning: :Understanding that Mr. Astley Copper
and Mr. White, two su,rgical Gentlemen, were
sent for, he bled him in the interim, and during
the performanee of that operation Mr. White
arrived ; he then assisted Mr. W. to bafidage up
the leg, and- proceeded to exarrifne what injury
was done to the head, in doing of which it was
discovered that a small part of the brain had es-
caped through the cover-of the frame, and that
a very considerable fracture had also taken place
in the bone. The deceased was afterwards at-
tended Nr..Aitley Cooper. Witness has.no
doubt whatever but that the injuries,he described
were the cause of hii death.—G..W. Rickets,
Esq. stated, he had known the deceased from.
his infancy. On. Sunday last.witnesabreakfasted
with Sir Wm. Rowley, 'in Lower Grosvenor-.
street, when' the deceased was present ; he.ap-
peai•ed ih very 'good spirits, and-he asked him
several questions 'respecting his school-fellows
at Westminster, all of which he .answered
in his usua.l lively manner. Sir William,
Rowley, uncle of the deceased, fully corrobo-
rated the former Witness's testimony respecting
the "boy's manner and behavicsur. The deceased
had attended hini (Sir William) to church I
on

Sunday, and afterwards went on a visit ta his
maternal nnCle.• An Evening 'Paper of,Mnday
was produced, containing an account of the ac.

cident, whieh Sir Wm. observed had been given
incorrectly, and had caused the greatest lensation

. _
among the deceased's friends and relations.—Mr.
George Preston, usher of the boarding-house,
deposed that he gave the deceased leave ou Sa-
turday to go and see his friends, who appeared
highly delighted. On Sunday night be Nvet:rt
round the room, it was about half past eleven

o'clock ; and on examining the bed the deceased

was there, and apparently fast asleep ; he does

not conceive that his mind was in the slightest

degree bordering on a state of -derangement.—
Price; the glazier, was repeatedly called for, but
did not appear. A messenger was dispatched fOr

him, and 0n his return stated that he was not to
be found.—The Jury then deliberated for a con-

siderable time, and on the return of-the,Coronor,
some observations were ►nails respecting the
man's absence, or what his evidence might amount
to. Mr. Preston stated, that
.he would acquaint
the Jury what he, Price; had informed him.--
'His evidence, it appeared, would prove imma-
terial. The Jury then returned the following
verdict :—" That the deceased came to his-death
by a fall from• a window, but how it was occa-
sioned there was no evidence-to