Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-24
EARL SHAFTESBURY,S SUICIDE.
How q NObleman Ended His Life I'm q
London Cab.
From the London Standard. April 18th.

From the London Standard. April 18th
The Earl of Shaftesbury committed suicide in
London yesterday afternoon by shooting him
self with a revolver while riding in a cab In Re-
gentstree He engaged cab in the upper part
OF Regent street shortly after o'clock and di-
rected the cabmen to drive down the street.
The driver did SO, and on reaching the lower
end of the street was told by the Earl to return
This the man did, and when the upper end of
tine street was reached His Lordship again d.
rected the cab to be turned round. This was
done several times, and when the cab was near
Oxford street, about 4:3O o'clock. the driver
heard shot. He jumped down. and the Earl,
who was unknown to him, said: ats all right,
Gabman; drive on" The man replied: "Yes,
l know it's all right; but what is this?"
pointing to q bullet hole in the front part
Of the cab, near the glass panel, on the
much to- drive on" He was hoWeyer abo e t1 TO
mount the box again, when a second report was
heard and this time the unfortunate man shot
policeman who had heard the first report came
up and told the cabman to drive to the Middle
sex hospital. crowd gathered round the vehi-
Gle, but the earl was not recognized until the
hospital was reached a few minutes afterwards
There the policeman and the driver of the cab
carried the earl who was still alive into the in
patients ward and summoned the assistance of
the house surgeon, DIR. Bartlett, but Lord
Shaftesbury was juss breat thing his last and was
beyond all surgical aid, the bullet having pene-
trated the brain. An intimation of the occur
renee had been sent TO the friends OF the earl
anu IN u SnOTt Time the countess OF ShafteSbury
arrived, followed by his lordships butler. The
weapon used was a siX-chambered revolver
The position Of the first shot indicated that IL
had been fired accidentally, but the situation of
the fatal wound showed that the second shot
was fired with q very deliberate aim. The body
was removed to the mortuary of the hospital.
According to the statement of the cabman
the deceased engaged the vehicle about 800
O'Clock at a spot nearly opposite York House
stores. in Waterloo place, piccadiIly Circus;
collected, and carried an umbrella He in
structed the man to drive up Regent street.
Having proceeded as far as the Langham hotel.
the driver looked round in order to ascertain
where to pull up. Lord Shaftesbury beckoned
with his hand for the man to proceed. When
the man to drive back again. On returning to
Regent street the deceased asked the driver
how much the fare each way would be and the
latter replied, IL do not know, sir" The de-
ceased then said 'Say one shilling each way."
and the cabman closed the bargain. The de-
ceased remained in the cab and was driven to
York House Stores. The cabman here descend.
ed and asked his lordship whether he would
like to ride anywhere else. In reply the de-
Immediately altering his intention he added.
"Never mind; go up Regent street and I'll stop
you" The man drove on to Oxford street, where
he looked around, but the deceased did not take
any notice. He leaned back in the cab and rested
his legs on the front seat, with his umbrella be-
tween his legs and his hands grasping the um-
brella. When they were nearly opposite the
Polytechnic institution a revolver was fired i'm
side the cab. The driver, jumping down, said,
SONClhoIs Whdt oic YOU up Inc uecedSeO
replied. IAN right, cabby. it's gone of in mis-
take" The man thought otherwise, and said,
"Good mistake on your part, governor, If you
happened to shoot me" whereupon Lord Shat
tesbury put in the rejoinder. II didn't intend to
shoot YOU" The driver minated that he did
not want "any OF those games" in his cab, re.
fused to take the deceased any further and
threatened to call q policeman. The deceased
then said, "DOn't be SO silly as that; drive me
on and will give you fiver," but the driver
replied II don't want any of your flyers; your
flyers won't satisfy my life." The deceased
then put the revolver aside and a police consta-
bic appeared on the scene at the same time.
Before, however, the officer had time to inter-
fere, the deceased fired the second shot.
Lord Shaftesbury was born In June, 1881, |
and sat in the house of commons for Hull from
1857 to 1859 and for Cricklade from the latter \
year to 1865. He married in 1857 the only |
daughter Of the Marques OF Donegal and has |
left one son, born in 1863, aud five daughters.