The Sun. — 1845-02-19 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF MR. L. BLANCHARD.  CORONER'S INQUEST. On Monday evening Mr. Carter and a highly respectable jury assembled at the Spread Eagle Tavern, Canterbury-road, Lambeth, to inquire into: the cause which led the late Mr. Laman Blanchard, the well-known contributor to the metropolitan periodicals, to commit suicide.  The jury, upon beim sworn. Proceeded to the late rocidence of the deceased, No. 11, Union-place, Canterbury-road, to view the body, which was lying in the bed-room.  Upon the re-assembling of the jury, The CORONER stated, that what they had to inquire into would be the state of the deceased's mind at the time he committed the act of self-destruction, and upon the evidence adduced they would find their verdict accordingly.  From the statement of the nurse, it appeared that about twelve months since the wife of Mr. Blanchard was attacked with illness, which, in the end, terminated in insanity. At different periods Mrs. Blanchard's disease became more confirmed, when, about two months since, while sitting in the drawing-room, she exclaimed to the deceased that she was afraid she was attacked again, and shortly afterwards her intellect disappeared. On that occasion Mr. Blanchard carried his wife up to her bed, from which she never rose. From the period of the death of Mrs. Blanchard up to last Friday evening, the deceased had been observed to labour under a great depression of spirits, and that to such an extent that he was afraid to be left alone of a night, so that when the nurse departed, his youngest child, a lad about eleven years of age, slept with him. The result of the loss of Mrs. Blanchard, acting upon the susceptibility of the mind of the deceased, created a disorganisation, which ended in the prostration of the nervous system, and Mr. Blanchard became subjected to fits. In the course of last Friday he sustained two attacks, from both of which he recovered, and at the usual hour, which was son,between nine and ten, he retired to his bed-room, accompanied by hisand attended by the nurse. The deceased, as was his usual custom, performed his devotions, which he concluded by the Lord f his 's Prayer, and at that time he appeared to be in the full enjoyment o , left theintellects. room, The nurse, on the termination of the evening pus c of his parent, r_ aYeemmitted suicide, and within three minutes afterward ssh the dtheceits The boy, on seeing the blood Ka hold of his hand, exclaimed, "Oh, from e sprang towards him, and catching father 1" when the deceased fell, and had ceased all probability died. Medical of Mrs. Blanchard. aid was called In, but the deceased It was farther stated that since the de a thto the deceased had been most desponding, and, although giving existence to those charming pieces which pleased all who read them, he was sinking under a moat painful state of mind. The CORONER, at s stage of the proceedings, remarked that the sou of the deceased who, it appeared, had slept with his father since the death of Mrs. Blanchard, was in attendance ; bUt from what had come to his knowledge, he felt satisfied that no additional information could be arrived at. The jury said they were perfectly satisfied, and returned a verdic ra ry t, That the deceased destroyed himself while labouring under tempo. insanity." It is to be regretted that the deceased has left four children to lament his untimely loss.  THE HOUSELESS Poou.—The asylums in Playhouse-yard, East Smithfield, and Ogle-street, continue crowded with unfortunate visitors, men, women, and children, although the Committee are daily engaged in indeavouring to procure admittance for the sons is applicants to their several parishes. The influx of destitute Perso great, that the benevolent individuals engaged in conducting the affairs of the charity have been obliged to make a pressing appeal to the public for assistance in saving their fellow-creatures from Perishing. They have relieved this season upwards of 10,000 persons, at an expense of 1,5001., and their funds have become frightfully diminished. •