, 1859-08-05
FRIDAY, AUGUST S, 1859.

11ox--A CALI FOE oRSTnrATHY.-YeSterdaY Insrn-
ing Coroner James was called to hold m inquest
on the body Of = man about forty years Of age.
named Edmund L. Griffith, lying dead II his
lats rtsidenee, No. 80 West Jaekson street,
under circumstances that indicated suicide.
The inquest developed most melancholy In
stance Of sudden yielding to depressing circum-
stances. and Drawing death rather than to buffet
fortune On this side the grave. Deceased
was in the employ Of tue Illinol. Central Rail
road Company as Baggage Aaster. He WIS re-
specially connected, aud was formerly from
New York. where his parents reside He leaves
wife and four children, in circumstances Of
utter destitution. lie WAS q man Of good habits,
a. We learn, and esteemed BY those who knew
him. Some three Jears OF more since be was
the proprietor Of = small country store in Lea
Centre, in this State In this business he failed,
and his affairs, though not very extensive, were
hope'essly involved.
lie came to this city, and has been in tho EN-
ploy Of the Railroad Company as abore, At
salary Of sixty dollars per month From this il
would appear he has been largely drawing on
standing obligations, and in these depressing
circumstances be had suffered deeply in mind.
4 few days since he was susd in q Justice
: Court here, 70. sum Of about eighty dollars,
and execution issued, which was partly satisfied
By garnishee Of his last months wages, eco.
Griffith attempted to adjust the matter with the
creditor, ind secure some part Of the wages for
his family the coming month, who would be
Otherwise penniless. The arrangement between
the parties was not effected, and the garnishee
was executed The debtor On Wednesday pro-
cured two ounces Of laudanum md took the
same, tho first information Of which deed was
his being found in anarcotised condition. Medi.
cal aid was summoned, aud every means used
to relieve the unfortunate man, but without
avail.
We are not sufficiently advised Of the ci:cun-
stances to pass any opinion upon tbetransaction
between creditor and his debtor, other than to
believe it one Of the ordinary and not unusual
Of enforced collection Of debts in this case
acting upon mind worn down and rendered
over sensitive by harrassment and reEerses, uu-
til the desperate purpose Of self destruction was
conceived and executed. From the testimony
before the Coroncr's Jury they were led to in
corporate in their verdict their estimate Of the
influence Of the process Of gsrnisbee and the
necessities Of the family As tho moving cause
Of the rash act.
The case vii! certainly bear the general COM
nent that in the relations Of debtor and creditor
there il o "highcr law," compliance with
which would nerer load any memcry with pos
sible connection With, or responsibility for. a
despair which has added this unfortunate family
to the list Of " the widow and the fatheriess."
1t has certainly given them grounds for sympa.
thy, genuine and material in its manifestations
REcoanEa's Corn1.-1n the Recorders Court
yesterday, was on trial The case against the
parties Wnshburn, dlias Yofk, aud Mrs. Smith.
charged with conspiracy 10 extort 800 from 4
man, a astranger, ut the house IF illfame kept by
tbs woman. 1t was giren to tie jury Mt the
close Of the afternoon session. In this case, Us
on thatof the day previous, the Court and public
prosecutor had similar occasion to refer to the
injurious effects upon public justice which hare
grown ont Of la1 mud pernicious management Of
the jail In tlis casa it was shown that every
facility seemed. perhaps moro hecdlessly than
eorruptly, to hnve been given to parties without
tbejail by free and unrestzaincd communication
with the prisoners, land not in the presence Of
officers Of the jail,) to corcoct false defense
Tie Witnesses Oh the stand did not swear to The
same state Of facts As before These abuses
vero strongly nnim1d.erted on by Recorder
Wilson, who erjoincd it upon the sheriff to pay
more attention to tho affairs ut the jail.
About 10 o'clock the jury in The conspiracy
case eame in with a verdict acquitting Mrs.
Smith, but finding W&shburn, alias York,
guilty, and fixing his Term OF Imprisonment ut
i've years in the renitentIary.
The following indictments were found By the
GrandJury:
Tho.. Hennessy and James Summers, riot;
John White, burglary; james Ryan, larceny;
Hugh Larian, assault with deadly weapon;
Philip Pfeifer, larceny; frederick PaJle, lar
ccny; Conrad Herbst, larceny; Charles kal1le,
assault with deadly weapon; johanna Burns,
larceny.