The Sun.
London, England, 1818-02-14 00:00:00

" COSIONEICS INQUEST oN THE ik.DY.

"Last night, at eight o'clock, an Inquest was held in the par-
lour of the house of Miss Cotton, 86, Wimpole-street, Caren-
dish-square, before T. Stirling, Esq. Coroner fur Middlesex,
on view of the body of Sir Richard Croft. M.D.
"It appeared in evidence that the deceased had been sent for
to attend Al rs. Thackery in her labour at Miss Cotton's house.
Sir Rickard was observed to be very much depressed in spirits,
arid the Lady not being so near her time as was expected, he
retired to a bed-roilm, in which a brace of pistols had unfor-
tunately been placed.—On the servant going to call him a
niost shorkireg spectacle presented itself. ' The deceased was
found Icing on his back, his bead sbuttered to pieces, and the
body, the bed, and bed-cli-nes covered with blood. The
pistols lay by the side of the body, both having been dis-
charged.

" lioct or Latham and some ot her Gentlemen were examined,
all- of whom ;are evidence as to the depressed and dejected
stare of the deceased; and the Jury, under ail the circutn-
stances, ran:tied a verdict of Insanity."

(From The Times.)

" Last night, at eight 'o'clock, an Inquest was
held in the parlour of :he house of Miss Cotton,
of Wiinpole-street, Cavendish-square, before Mr.
St iriina, the Coroner for Middlesex, on the body
of Sir Richard Croft, M. D. .

[The people in attendance endeavoured to keep
out our Repot ter, not seeing that such an absurd
attempt to, s•tppres~ the tritill must lead to mis-
statements and
.mi,apprehensions te►► times more
injurio,is than the truth itself. With diffiulty,
however, the following circumstances were col-
lected, which we lay before our Readers, with the
deepest regret for the fate of the unfortunate.. de-
ceased] :

•‘ Sir Richard Colt, it appears, was sent for
from the country, to attend on a Mrs. Thackery,
a Lady who resided at Miss Cotton's, and who
was in labour : Sir Richard was observed to be
very much depressed in spirits, as it was supposed,
from fatigue and want of rest. Mrs. Thackery
being safely delivered on 'Thursday evening, Sir
Richard retired to bed at a late hour; but not get-
ting up at his usual hour yesterday morning, lint
servant went to his chamber to call bins, when a
most shocking spectacle presented itself to him;
the deceased lay upon his back, his head was
shattered to pieces, and himself, the bed, and
bed-clot lies, covered over, with blood two pis-
tols weir lying near him, both having been dis-
charged through his head : medical aid was of no
avail. Verdict—lnsanity."

(From The Horning Chronicle)
" Yesterday it was made known that Sir Rich-
ard Croft, the celebrated AccOuchenr, had died
suddenly at the house of a Lady in Witnpale-
street (Mts. Thackeray), whom he was attending
In chip'-hod. The circumstance produced no or-
(limn y senaation, as it was known that ever since
the fatal termination of the accouchcment of the
amiable Princess Charlotte, Sir Richard has la-
boured nosier the most severe mental affliction.—
The Inquest was taken at the house, No. 86, in
Wimpole-street, before Thosnas Stirling, Esq. and
a Jury of neighbours.
" be following circumstances were proved in evidence on
the Inquest :—On Monday morning early the deceased) was
summoned to attend the Lady of the Rev. Dr. Thackeray, of
81, Wimpole-street, Cavendish-square. He was in attendance
until Tuesday morning at eleven o'clock, when finding his
continued presence nut necessary, he went out for a time on
his other engagements. An apartment in the floor above
that occupied by Mrs. Thackerny was appointed for the re-
sidence of Sir Richard. In this chltuber there were two
pistols belonging to Dr. Tbacheray, hanging within the
reach of Dr. Croft. Sir Richard retired to bed about half-
past twelve o'clock on Thursday morning ; about one o'clock
Or. Thackeray heard' a noise, apparently proceeding from
the room occupied by Dr. Croft, and sent a female servant
to ascertain the cause; she returned, saying she found the
Doctor in bed, and conceived him to be asleep. A short tint(
after a similar noise- was heard, and the servant was again
sent. She rapped at the door, but received no answer.. This
circumstance created alarm, in consequence of which the
door of his apartment was broken open. Here a shocking
spectacle presented itself:—The body of Sir Richard Cs ott
was lying on -the bed, shockingly mangled ; his arms extended
over his breast, and a pistol in each hand. One of time pistols
had been loaded with slugs, the other with ball. Both were
discharged, and the head of the unfortunate Gentleman was
literally blown to pieces.
" Drs. Latham and Bane, and Mr. Finch, proved that the
deceased had, since the death of the Princess Charlotte, la-
boured under mental distress. He had repeatedly been
heard to say, that " this lamentable circumstance weighed
heavy upon his mind, and he should neverget over it."
" Mr. Finch said he was veil aware that the deceased was
labutning tinder a deranger4ent of intellect fur a comic:et-able

: o ani
tiv..e.past, and he slould not have reposed trust in 11,1 u -11
occasion since the lament. d catastrophe alluded to. , iing
"The Jury, which v•as summoned at eight o'clock, ";, -
heard the %%hole of the .evidence adduced, trtired ali°:t,:n-cli;
after the Coroner (Mr. Stiding) had summed up the e"" . r -
with vlitable comments. Abeut eleven o'clock the •Tor Y-e,
d blip
turned the following verdict :—" The deceased destror2- - '
~e;f while in a fit of temporary derangemnt." .
veredMiribs.o , . Lady v,a-
an occasional Assistant of Sir' Richard Croft. The cdu.
kept i4norant of the _fatal event, and is in a fair way of —1
Thackeray,uteigioe o'clock ay::ile'ardpap,s:nt)oorsiitiaiti,e,,,bs::a:l:,'' fi(lT:•bil..eriti;
we 1.

(From 7'4e f.s4 Press.) v, of
" We announce With great regret the tle3tl
that eminent Ph vsician; Sir Rico ,ird Croft, 13''1.
under the most painful and distressing •
stances.
" lie had been called in to attend the oecoticheincit ofstm
Thacheray, the wife of the Rev. Dr. Thacl.eray, of ;pile
Winile-street, Caveudish-square, on Sunday
Lady's labour was tedious, and on Thursday
situation became so critical, that Sir Richard wished ",
further medical advice and assistance, Another Geot"1":„,
having been called in, it was their joint opinion that thec.:,,,
suit would prove .fatal. This desperate aspect of !h.,l' . ,ot
was observed to have!, hrowii Sir Richard into great- 81;j•tiar-oarl
and in thi, state of mind he was shortly after shewn o
3ce
apartment where, unfortunately, there happened to he au,
lin m
of loaded pistols. hi a ient of sudden frenzy and irri"tb°cia
he seized the instrumeots of ,leaih,.aud dischargiog
both at once at his head, literally blew out his bialys,' (00
Inquest was licld last night at eight o'clocli, by lil'the
Sterling, Esq. Coroner for Middlesex, on the bodY °;'; of
deceased, at the house of Mr. Thacheray. The servaoilithe
the house were examined, and described the report re3s
pistols, and the circumstances under which the- bo('lds of
found. Doctor Latham, and sonic other intimate . -
it
the deceased, were also examined. Front their evideii•ceico
appeared that ever since the lantentid death of th" P.,1,111
that
Charlotte the deceased had suffered excessive aoxiell:0 At
his mind was every day leaving him; and that he
length reduced to a most distressed and despondirtg scia,ge
The inquiry lasted about two hours, and after 31 :too'
front the Coroner, the Jury returned a verdict .°„creeP
wiry., The Inquest was conducted with the greatest s't
.00
A beadle was stationed at the dour, to prevent the ,_°lt te°
of any persons ,except the Jury and witnesses. Au"- a °I,
o'clock a hearse arrived, to convey the body to the lt-spli
the deceased, in Old Burlington-street. He was in hissoate
year. Lady Croft, who survives him, has been OIL., is a
time in a very delicate state of health. Her LadYsircolo
daughter of the late Dr. Denman, and sister of Jr. Oc",
l tit°
the Barrister, who so greatly niistinguishra himself `'"aoils
late State Trials at Derby. He has also left three soo,ch
lte
daughter. One of the sons is in the Wtj,
served with great e,lat in the late war on the COntlllo.',;c de
" Mrs. Tii6clteray, we are happy to say, Wts sal('
livered of a fine girl yesterday by Air. patty. Itunrour'i
night, assigned as another cause for the. desperate actsnroe
deceased, the shame arising from the discovery (01" 41,g,arlf
ful act committed in his professional practice, at „l'auld I'o
period of his life, in assisting in the subStitutio6 -rumour
the injury of the righful heir. But we notice th's `
destitute
solely for the purpose of contradicting it, as totally pro-
of foundation, and unworthy of credit.—The sensa",,„ re
(Need by the death of the Princess Charlotte, with ti?; tbs
ports and speculations to which it gave rise, is fre'll.idaoo
recollection of the public-, and renders it wholly stir' wilt
to have recourse to any other expliation. Our roLdcrt'ine.s4
recollect that Sir Richard Croft attended her Royal •"15
on that fatal occasion."

• (From, The Moling Herald.) Oat
"We have the painful task of stating, we
this Gentleman died by his own hands, as„it
of insanity, yesterday morning about 101'c4 ia
three o'clock, at the house of Mjss Cott°ll'
Wimpole-street. •
•etiiis;
" An Inquest was held upon the body, yesterday t
from which the Reporters were generally excluded;
can state the following circumstances, upon sufficient au
city. nd •
" A sister of Miss Cotton, married to the Revere- us tor
Thackerav, who resides chiefly in the country, cattle torus
sonic weeks since, for her arcouchemeht, and was 9°7
with her husband, to Miss Cotton. The lab"ur „ Wit°
Thackeray was gie-atly protracted. Sir Richard 11-06641,
attended her, had passed great part of his "'teed 41
2f
house, since Sunday morning. Ever since the loniis.eir
at Claremont, he had suffered greatly in ,/eis istres,cv
traction of Mrs. Thaelieray's labour alarn,C" 4:1“, cir
hint excessively. On some of the family express"L' ~12n ,
it y, he struck his forettcad, and said-, 4* you arc
what must I he ?" Many other expressions escaped hi'occr
eating intense feeling, ainf apprehension, amountioe,con,
sionally almost to distraction. At other times he ww4;3ril
and Mrs. "; hacheray had no knowledge of his fei4“. • nto
yesterday morning he left her room, and Was slit wo
apartment, that he might lie down and repose himsere opt
had scarcely slept for several nights. Here uere,,l,,s,J
'instruments of his death. Dr. Tbackeray
keep loaded pistols by him, at:night ; a brace yr"el ghee
back of a chair. The unhappy Sir It. who, if he 1614,,i,
two hours longer, would now have- beettrejuicing iu
cess, shot himself through the head with one of theli';'',,red hif
is acens"-'OO ttle
46 At half-past five Mrs. Thaekeray was safely daTc;:infal°
a Gentleman, a pupil of Sir Rieltard, at..d she and 'lc'
are likely to do well.
" The deceased called npon Dr. Hooper, in —",,,,pt0t0
on Thursday evening, and did not then shew
of the extreme anxiety hat.was preying upon his 00.06,_
"At half-past ten, last night, a coffin was carneet.leur,ove
Cotton's house. At a quarter before eleven the )10" aiatel
tip from a neighbouring Mews,and the corpse svas
put into it., There had been some apprehension der, to pre
the watchmen in the neighbourhood were prePat, heori.'4;
serve order; but there were few spectators. '1;11.4a Or;
drove into Saville-new, and the body was carried 1",
house of the deceased through the garden entratie.t iu
young Gentleman and Lady of his family had first Icit
hackney coach.
" Dr. Thackeray is one of the King's Chaplains• nt
w " .Gtekt nohers of the Nobility and (;entry S s,"r,f 146'"
inquiries to Ilurlington-street,. as soon as the I:.e.P°r'•
enelanc'holy event began to cirenlate."

Sir RICHARD CROFT succeeded to the
ronetcy on the death of Sir HERBERT CBtlFflsif
Gentleman well known in the literary woild•
HiRBERT had been some years at the Bar, ibie
be quitted for the Church. On the Ironer° le
Affair of Miss RAY' and HACKMAN, he related 1,,:b
story in a work entitled tote and Madness,
formed an interesting miscellany, thoneh
principally to events of a melancholy' nettir:;l4
NVhen Dr, Jouxsox was writing the LTV °l`
'British Poets, not being sufficiently acquainted illt
mr,
the Biography of Dr. Youso, be applied I°
19
HERBERT CROFT
,(not then a Baroir!t) to °PP
the deficiency. Mr. H. CROFT wrote the jr-
,
les
quested, and has imitated Dr. JoHtcsoN's st;
lUut
well as to give a uniformity to the whole ° f
treasure of Biography. On the death of Dr. i°l4
SON, Sir HERBRRT was preparing to publish 8 noi
edition of his Dictionary, with the addition of 111%,r
thousand words. We had the pleasure of WWI ;.;
Sir HERBERT, and in visiting him in his spartgje!!
at Charing•cross, saw a room almost fillet'
MSS. intended for his stupendous undertalciiig:i,
We sincerely lament the fatal catastrophe "4)15,
has Pt tended the family ; and though it is iint it
Bible to apologise for the crime of suicide, Yel ose
is equally impossible not to SyniptAiii!;e in tir'ool
feelings of the tinhappv Gentleman, arising,
a" event that occasioned universal sorrow, wl.-
;liter subduing all fortitude in his mind, ha`", dt
it appears, produced sliolt a deiec of insan'deP of
mo
at length drove him to so dreadful a
putting an end to his miseries in this world'

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