The National Register. — 1818-02-16 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.  lariday night at eight o'clock, an inctcst was held ia tl.e parlour of the lipase of Dr. 'Thackeray, No. 81, IVisuprie Street, beihre Mr. Stirling, on the body of S'r Richard ('roft, M I). The people in attendance ee.deavoured to keep out the Reporter, nut sccieg that an absurd atteinie to suppress the truth lituat lead t laisstatemensa and wiAarreliensions ten times more i than the truth With difficulty, however, the fidlowiug circumstances were collected, which lay before our readers, with the deepest regret for e fate of the unflxvinate deceased. Sr Richard had been called in to attend the secli:chement of Mrs. Thackeray, the wife of the Rev. Dr. Thackeray, of No. 86, Wiraaole street, Cavendishscare, on Sunday last. The 'Lady's labour was tediunts, and on Thursday morning her situation became aritical, that Sir Richard wished to have further needi:al ads ice and assistance. Anther Gentleman hayken called in, it nas their joint opinion that the tesult would prove fatal. This desperate aspect of the arse was observed to have thrown Sir Richard into great agitation. An apartment in the fhor above that occupied by Mrs. Thackeray, was appointed thr the residence of Sir Richard. In this chamber there were two pistols belonging to Dr Thackerav, hanging within men. Sir Richard retired to bed about half past twelve o'clock 0:1 Thursday morning, about one o'clock Dr. Thacke.-ay heard a noise, apparently proceeding from the room occupied by Dr. Croft, and sent a female servant to as. certain the cause; she returned, saying she founl the Doctor in bed, and conceived him to be asleep. A short time after a similar noise Was heard, and the servant was again sent. She rapped at the door, but received na answer. This circumstance created alarm, in consequence of which the door of his apartment was broken open. Here a shocking spectable presented itself. The body of Slr Richard Croft was lyi..g on the bed shockingly mangled; his arms extended °vet his breast, and a pistol in each band. One of the pistols had been I with slugs, the other with ball. Both were discharged, and the bead of the unfortunate gentleman was literally blown to pieces. Drs. Latham and 'Lillie, and Mr. Finch proved the deceased had, since the death of the Princess Charlotte, laboured under mental distress.. He had repeatedly been heard to say, that "this lamentable circumstance weighed heavy upon his mind, and he should never get over it.  The Jury, having heard the whole of the evidence adduced, retired about ten o'clock, after the Coroner (Mr. Stirling) had summed up the evidence with suitable comments. About eleven o'clock the Jury returned the following Verdict—" The deceased destroyed himself while in a fit cf temporary derangement."  ANOTHER HORRID MURDEtt.—On Saturday Right, a little before 9 o'clock, a man appeared before Mr. Hicks the sitting Magistrate, al llow.street, and stated that his daughter hadbeen murdered about three quarters ()fan hour beftwein his owu house, by a man of the ttame of William Aitch. In stating this the Milli was dreadfully agitated Magistrate dehired him to compose himself, that he might be able to relate the cirenmstenects, that no thee might be 10.4 in making esertione to parsee anti secure the murderer. After a lit Ile time lie teoveted himself, and related that the deceased, his daughter, suit tied a malt of the name of William Aitch some months sinre, who represented himself to be a Mail of eotisidelillile property ; and, to prove which, he produced rititigs se. all of which had tinned out to be a mere fabriyeti 111 l , to deceive himself and his daughter. .\ tier the die. covery, it wits aseet tattled that William Aitch wits a married OM/. and, OA Ida ',s ife was living at the nine lie mat lied his daughter; and, its s•on,equettee of the disco% cry, % Ohm)) Aitch was a pet chi nit don a charge of bigamy, mail taken it/ the 01liee in Hattou eslrden, where, attar undergoing as e...ateitettioti, he was discherged. He •lIJ vet state all s: hat g•otaild v.as discharged,•hut said, that both Hill ale• ceased dan;;lster mill his first wile appeared against Slim. Ili: deceased (laugh Isr islet-tied home to live %still Isiah He stated tits tome to be deltas Minton, a carpenter, residing at Mitlle•es Ilovital. On that everting (Saturght his danglitt•r was its a room .on the first Iltoor, v. hen al..ttiou o,ntictit, a it i. 1.41 or het's, went to her and told Iscr a soiNoll al hr (hir wanted to speak to her. In about at,. I' Was dusts ter left the t .out to go down stairs kcaril a 11111,.. in alt.