The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-18 00:00:00

EXHUMATION OF THE BODY OF

LIEUT.•GENERAL GEORGE DICK.
BATH, AUG 16 —Yesterday afternoon an inquiry
commenced in this city before A. H. English, Esq., the
Coroner, as to the death of Lieut.-General George Dick,
whose demise, it will be remembered, took place as far
back as the 15th of March, 1844. From what has trans-
pired during the last few days, a considerable sensation
has been created amongst the fashionable circles o' Bath
and Clifton. The deceased was a gentleman of large
fortune, who formerly resided at Clifton, but towards
the close of his life he went to reside at Bath, where he
kept a large establishment, and moved in the highest
circles of, society. The present inquiry was instituted,
as will be seen from the introductory remarks of the
Coroner, at the instance of his eldest son, George Dick,
Et.q., who fills an office in her Majesty's civil service in
the East Indies, and who has come from Mazoompore for
the express purpose of causing it to be made. At the
time of General Dick's death the only members of his
family residing with him were his own daughter, a Mrs.
Brigdall, whose husbaLd formerly lived in this city, but
is now out of England, and her son (by a former mar-
riage), a Mr. Thomas. At the period that Mr. George
I left England a will existed in his favour. An
affectionate correspondence was kept up between himself
and parent till the time of his death, after which a will
was produced, leaving the General's property to the
grandson, Mr. Thomas. The death of the General was
rather sudden, and this fact, together with other circum-
stances, have tended to raise a suspicion of foul play.
At three o'clock in the afternoon the coroner and jury
assembled at the Cemetery at Bath wick, for the purpose
of witnesing the exhumation of the remains of the
gallant officer, and of proceeding with the inquiry. Mr.
Ilerapath, the eminent analytical chemist, and Mr.
George Barrette, surgeon, attended to make a post
mortem examination. Mr. George and Mr. Dick (sons
of the deceased) were likewise present, as were also Dr.
Cardue, Dr. Daniel, and many other members of the
medical profession and resident gentry of Bath, Clifton,
and Bristol.

The jury having been sworn atd taken their seats in
the chapel of the cemetery, the coroner said they were
assembled under circumstances of a distressing and ex-
traordinary character, to inquire as to the death of Gene-
ral George Dick. Although a very long time had elapsed
since his demise, yet circumstances had come to his (the
coroner's) knowledge which rendered it imperative in
him, in the faithful discharge of his office, to cause the
present inquiry. The death of General Dick took place
in that city as far back as seventeen or eighteen months
ago; circumstances accompanying it were such as ren-
dered it exceedingly desirable and proper that aninquest
should have been held at the time, and had the par-
ties by whom the deceased had been surrounded acted
with discretion and propriety an inquest undoubtedly
would have been instituted. He (the coroner) was acting
now at the earnest request of the General's eldest son, a
gentleman of the highest character and respectability,
who was in India at the time of his father's death, and
who had at great sacrifice of time, feeling,. and money.
come to England to have the matter investigated. In
ordering:the exhumation of the body he (the coroner)
believed that he was acting in the strict discharge of his
duty: Of course there were circumstances besides Mr.
Dick's inlormation to justify the course he had. taken.
From the period w hich had elapsed since the death;•the
chances of discovering whether it had been caused by
violence rested. on a poasibility. Still if it had been pro--
duced by some desenptien of poison traces might.yet be
found, and. Mr. Herapath, whose fame as an analytiCal
chemist must be well known to them all, was present to
remove and examine the stomach and int*stines. Mr.
Barrette, the deputy coroner for the coun'y, would make
pOt
,rno tent examination of the body, arid it would be
nrat,satisfactory,as well to Mr. Dick as to the parties in-
directly accused, should the body be finind in such :a state
of prePervation as to enable them to arrive at the cause
of death.. Mr. Dick had good -reason to be dissatis-
fied with the conduct of that part of the family which
resided with his parent at the time of his death,
and` to whom the prOpriety of bolding an inquest
was made at that period. Mr. Thomas, however, inter-
fered, and said there was no necessity for it, and that
the body of his grandfather could be buried without
one. A certificate bad been given by two doctors that
the deceased had died from apoplexy, but on those gen-
tlemen being summoned, they could give no reason for
that opinion, except that the General died suddenly, and

whilst with some of his family. Unless the cause of
death could be ascertained, it would be useless entering
into any inquiry touching the other circumstances, and
therefore he (the Coroner) would have the examination
made at once. It was possible the deceased might have
died from the agency of some poison. If arsenic had
been employed, they might detect its presence ; he be-
lieved, however, that when arsenic was used, the death
was seldom so sudden as it had been in this case.

The Coroner and jury then proceeded to the tomb,
from which the coffin was taken, and opened in their
presence.

The remains having been identified, the inquiry was
adjourned to afford time for the post inortem examination
to be made.

Tan STA rillOPB MARL—The Memoirs of Lady
Hestor Stanhope continue to excite the most intense interest.
"During Mr. Pitts lifetime (observes the Chronicle) she was
Pattered and honoured by all the higher classes, and especially
by the princes, princesses, and the Court circle, and she was
pretty nearly worshipped by the place-hunters. Her influence
with her uncle was great, and she used it generously. But
while she thus, according to the proverb, made a number of
ungrateful pernms, she, at the same time, made a multitude of
enemies among people of rank and consequence by her own
course of conduct, which was upon occasions supercilious and
arrogant to a chigree. and by her unfortunate facility of saying
sharp things wish the most stinging effect. She certainly pos-
sessed a rapid and deep insight into human character, and her
remarks upon the distinguished persons with whom she was
acquainted, as wrell as the many travellers who visited her at
Joon, are always pointed and searching, if not always just. As
it may easily be presumed, she idolized her uncle's memory ; yet
it cannot be fairly said her praise of him was exaggerated. All
the passages relating to him in her statements and reminis-
cences are of striking interest, and she has been able to do jus-
tice to him against common belief in many instances. She
admired the lofty abilities of Fox, and entertained astrong per-
sonal regard for him. She liked Home Tooke and Sir Francis
Burdett. Canning she hated as the most insincere, deceitful,
and falsest of human kind ; but she admitted his powers.
Castlereagh, Liverpool, Huskisson, and all Pitt's colleagues and
followers, except Lord Melville, she despised and derided. The
Prince of Wales she thought to be the falsest of the false, but
expressed the warmest esteem for the Duke of York and his
younger brothers. Her strictures upon the character and con-
duct of the Duchess of Devonshire, and other she-politicians
and intreguantes of the day, are spiteful in the extreme, but
rresestahly amusing and forcible."
.1 HE GREAT YORKSHIRE STAKES.—There is no
trath in the report of the death of Mr. Reed, the nominator of
Miss Elia.

THE HARVEST IN FRANCR.—The weather is be•
ginning to inspire apprehensions for the safety of the crops
No very material damage has yet been occasioned by the in-
clemency of the season, except in localities which had been
ravaged by storms; all will depend, however, on the turn the
weather will take in the course of the next ten days. Should
it set in fine, there is still every prospect of a good harvest ;
but, if the rain continue, all hope will be at an end. Vegetation
throughout France is late by at least three weeks; and towards
the north the wheat is still green. August, this year, con.e-
quer.tly, represents the month of July of other years. The
quantity of rain is inferior to that which fell in July of the cala-
mitous year 1816, when it rained during 26 days consecutively;
nevertheless, should the quantity exceed nine centimetres be-
tween the 26th of July and the 16th of August next, the con-
sequences will be disastrous. It is calculated that every hour's
rain entails a loss of 1,00.000 f. on the country. The rye,
which presented a fine appearance, has been cut down nearly
everywhere; but it is liable to become heated and rot, from the
excessive electricity of the atmosphere. The humidity is par-
ticularly ominous in Belgium, whence orders to the extent of
500,0(X) hectolitres'
of wheat have been already sent to Eng-
land, Marseilles, and Dantsic. In the south of Russia a great
drought prevails, and the crops are also seriously menaced.
From the wine districts the accounts are still mere lamentable.
NEWCASTLE COW HILL. OR I.AAIMAS FAIR.-- file
Cow Hill or Lammas fair for horses and other cattle was held on
Tuesday, on the Moor, and was numerously attended by sellers
and buyers from various parts of the country. The stock
shown were fully equal to rrevious occasions, both in kind awl
quality, and a considerable amount of business was done. Cows,
of which there was a good sh,,w, were in demand, and prime
beasts brought 15/. to 161., second-rate 111. to 121.. and in-
ferior about 8/. Pigs of a superior kind sold bri,k.y, and good
prices were obtained. The average, for pigs wei,:hing eleven
btoues, was 31. lOs. to 41. ; for small pigs, 17s. to 18s. each ;
and for bacon the average price may be stated at 7s tier stone.
The show of horses was also large and sales brisk. As usual the
best arrivals changed hands on the previous day (sionday ), at
the market commonly held in .our e.reets. The prices were,
first class, animals, 401. to 50/. ; second class, 201. to 30/. ;
and third-class, of which few were sold, at a very low figure.
There was also an average show of sheep and lambs which met
with a ready sale at fairish prices.--Tyne Mercury.,