The Sun. — 1866-07-17 (London, England)

ROWING MATCH FOR £2O.—A scullers' wager took place yesterday morning, the competitors being Bird and Miles, both plying at Greenwich, to row from the Halfway House to Greenwich Hospital. It was a very close match for some time, when Bird took the lead, maintained it, and won by a short distance only.  Supposed. Suicide by • a Military Officer in a West-end Hotel.  Last evening an inquest was held by Mr. C. St. Clare Bedford, in the board-room of St. James's Workho use, on the body of Capt. George Gordon Hope Jormstone, 4Q years of age, who was found dead in be td at " Gregory's Hotel," Rupert-street, Haymark. A, under circumstances thatled to the supposition tl la he had destroyed himself by poison. The jury having viewed the body in the deadhouse attached to the workhouse, Mr. Robert Hope Johnstone, residing in St. James's-street,, identified the body as that of his brother, who v zas fornierly an officer in her Majesty's 79th Highla,nC lers. Witness had also been in her Majesty's mill- Lary service. He had not seen the deceased for son le time. '  Mr. Normal' Buchanan, distiller, of Glasgow, but at present stayiug at No. 6, Craven-street, Strand, said he had kn,wn the deceased for the last 26 years. On Saturday morning he left the deceased about a quarter to two, as far as he could remember, and he never saw him happier. About halfpast 12 deceased had some gin-sling, and witness had some brandy and soda. Deceased complained of spasm of the heart, but after taking a cigar and some gin and water he recovered. An agreement was made that witness should call at his hotel in the morning at half-past ten, or deceased was to drive down to him at a quarter to 11. When witness left he said ho was quite well. He appeared to be perfectly able to take care of himself, and said he was going to see a friend. He saw nothing more of him.  By the Coroner—Witness knew that while deceased was in the Highlands last summer he carried a bottle of chloridine with him in his portmanteau, and used occasionally,to take as many as 20 drops at a time. The brother of deceased said he knew that large doses of medicine were taken by deceased, and he had told him he should not take double doses of blue pills and strong doses of salts. Witness knew nothing of the chloridine. From the character of deceased, he did not think he would commit suicide. Evidence was given that deceased returned to his hotel at half-past three, and ordered the waiter to call him at 10 next morning, and to supply him with some rum-and-milk. The servant-girl took in the rum-and-milk at the hour named, but as deceased appeared to be asleep she did not disturb him. A short time afterwards he was found dead in his bed. An empty bottle which had contained chloridine was found near the bed, and also a tumbler which had contained chloridine and water, and which still contained about 20 drops of chloridine. From the post-mortem examination it appeared that death was occasioned by an overdose of chloridine while in a state of intoxication.  The Coroner, after some difficulty in attempting to arrive at a conclusion, showed the jury that there were, according to the medical evidence, several causes for death, and, having descanted upon them, left the jury to consider upon their verdict.  After a short deliberation, a verdict simply of " Disease of the heart" was returned.