The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-16 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE

An inquest was held yesterday, before Mr. Curry, on
view of the body of George Reed, a tin-plate worker,
aged 21. The deceased married an interesting looking
young woman, about five weeks ago, and, so far as it ap-
peared, they had lived happily together. They resided in
Dinorbin-street, Windsor-street. On the morning of
yesterday week, he complained of his head being very bad.
Mrs. Esther Stephens, his sister-in-law, told him to bathe
his head in cold water, which he did. While doing so, he
ground his teeth a good deal, and seemed somewhat dis-
tressed. After washing, he took his breakfast, and then,
after stating that be frit refreshed, sent for a sheet of
paper, and wrote a note, of which the following is a copy,
to a publican of his acquaintance, in Mersey-street :
" Sta,—Please to forward, by my wife, the sovereign I
left with you, on Saturday.—Yours, &c.,
" CALAIS'S TINMAN."

The deceased was in the employ of Messrs. Challinor
and Calais. His wife took the note, and while she was
away. he wrote the two following notes :
DEAREST WIFE,—Ere you receive this, my journey
to another world will be begun. Sorry am Ito leave you
on a wide world. Your brother will protect you; more
he cannot. Tell him to write to my friends on your be-
half; they will do something now that I am no more.
Forget me, my dear Mary, and forgive, though I have
acted as I have done, for I have a heart that could never
beat more true towards you. Farewell ! Prepare to meet
your God, that you may not follow me to that d—d
region where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing
of teeth. Tell that I have a spark of gratitude amidst all
nay vices, and that I felt grateful for your kindness ; but
let it not be said of me I cowed in the dismal hour. On
the contrary, I die as I have lived these last few years.
My last thought is on you, my very dear Patty (Mary).
Farewell ! farewell! to all eternity.—Your husband,
" GEORGE REED."
The other note, addressed to his wife's brother, was as
follows :

"DEAR WILLIAM,—Take care of my wife; God will
reward you if no other person does. I mean, to protect
her from insult. It may he a torment to me to see you
all happy in heaven, while I am in hell with cl—d spirits,
shut up in torment.—Your. unhappy brother,

" G. REED."

These two notes the deceased silently put into his
pocket, while his wife was absent with the note for the
sovereign to Mersey-street, and he then went up stairs.
In about two minutes afterwards, a report of fire-arms
was heard, and, on Mr. Stephens going up to deceased's
room, she found him in a sitting posture on the floor, and
bleeding profusely from the right temple. A pistol was
grasped in his right hand. He was conveyed on the same
night to the Infirmary, and died there yesterday morning.
The day before his death, he exhibited great wildness of
manner; complained of his head, and beat himself with
his hands. He had been much depressed in spirits when
he left his work on Saturday night week, He then said
several times, " I will do it," but did not particularise
his meaning. His wife had seen a pistol in his hand on
the Thursday previous to the fatal act. and he then told
her that he had been using it by shooting at a cock through
the shop room window. It also appeared from the evi.
dence of the young woman, that he had latterly been in
comparatively reduced circumstances.

Mr. M'Sheen, house surgeon of the Infirmary, said,
that when deceased was brought, he found a lacerated
wound in the right ear, the exterior part of which
was nearly blown off. He also found a fracture of the
right temporal bone. He next examined the internal
wound, and found in it a small pebble stone. Some si-
milar stones bad been found in his pocket, as also a piece
of stick, which, it appeared, he had used as a ramrod.
The brain was much lacerated, and this, and other inju-
ries, were the cause of death.

The coroner, in summing up. expressed his own opi-
nion, from the nature of the letters produced, and the
general conduct of the deceased, that the case was one of
temporary insanity.

The jury concurred, finding a verdict to the effect, that
the deceased shot himself whilst labouring under mental
aberration.

THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM-SHIP,

We have stated in our summary of the American news,
brought by the Halifax steamer, that this noble steam-
ship arrived out at New York on the morning of the 29,h
ult. The following is an abstract of her log :—" Left
Coburg Dock, Liverpool, at 9.55 a.m., on the 9th of May,
came north of Ireland, and to the time of clearing the
land, at 3 a.m. of the 10th, the ship averaged 111 knots,
or nautical miles per hour, part of the time under canvas;
then met a strong westerly wind and cross sea. Broke
the guard of the after air pump on the 13th, and have
been altogether six days without steam—sailing with the
screw disconnected. The new rig answered well, making
nine and a half knots at times, close hauled, and eleven
and three quarters a point or two free. This only for a
short time, as the wind very soon hauled against us.
Since the temporary guard has been working, we have
gone at less than half speed. The passage, therefore,
under the circumstances, has been excellent. I find the
Belgie keels have lessened the rolling materially. Crossed
the banks in latitude 45, and saw no ice. Rounded
Nantucket Shoa!s soon after noon on the 28th, and passed
Sandy Hook at 9.15 a.m., 29th, making the passage in
twenty days."

The following very gratifying letters were presented to
Captain Hosken shortly before the vessels arrival at New
York :

" Great Britain Steamship, at Sea, May 28th, 1846. I
" To Lieut. Hosken.

IW-f-airgii,---1- have been requested, as chairman of a
meeting of passengers held on board your ship this day, to
forward you the enclosed ; and with every good wish,
" Believe me, sincerely yours,
(Signed) " THOS. BOYS FERRIS."

" ' Great Britain Stean
" To Lieut. Hosken, R.N.

Lip, at Sea, May 2Sth, 1846

" Dear Sir,—At the termination of our voyage. we cannot
forbear expressing to you our sense of the efficiency of your
ship, and our confidence in her realising, the expectations of the
Company, together with the kindness and consideration we
have received from you and your officers.
" The performance of the vessel during the first few days
promised us a very short passage, which we have no doubt
would have bean the case but for the accident which befel one
of the air-pumps--an accident which has no manner of con-
nexion with the peculiar propelling power applied to this vessel.
It has, however, served to manifest her superior sailing quali-
ties.

Nor can we refrain from alluding to the perfection exhi-
bited in her interior economy—the great profusion and excel-
lence of her supplies, and the admirable style in which they
have been served up to us.

" ' With every good wish for the success of the vessel, and
with great esteem for yourself,
" ' We remain, dear Sir, youri, very truly.
(Signed) "' Thos. Boys Ferris, Geo. W. Bell, Wm. Collins,
R. H F. Smith, J. W. Seward, W. Richardson, G. T.
Pell, R. W. Cerringham, Chartan Emerson, P. Charlia,
John Hersly, J. D. Doubleday, R. Torrance, J. Warren,
C. S. Savini. C. Favayer, C. W. Vicarino, John Wrae,
The Count Ber&igi (Peer of Hungary), B. Woodhead,
B. B. Atterbury, (being the whole of the male passen-
gers.)' " . .

It is thought that the Great Britain would not letive
New York on her return trip until the 9th instant, in
consequence of the unavoidable delay experienced in her
outward voyage. She would otherwise have left on the
6th.