The Express. — 1846-11-16 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF MR. ALSAGER. We have to announce the demise of the above gentleman, who expired at an early hour yesterday morning, at his residence in Queen-square, Bloomsbury, from the effects of injuries inflicted by his own hand on the morning of Friday, the 6th in,t. Mr. Alsager's official position and high standing in the commercial world as city correspondent of the Times newspaper, was such as to occasion extreme surprise when the painful fact first became known ten days  since. For two or three days snbsequent to the dreadful attempt being made, Mr. Alsager was considered by his medical attendants to be going on fasourably, and sanguine hopes were entertained that his life might be saved. On this assumption we have hitherto purposely avoided making any allusion to the painful affair, but now that the world has closed upon the unfortunate man the same motives for concealment no longer exist. Mr. Alsager retired to rest at his usual hour on the evening of Thursday, the sth instant. On Friday morning he was tailed at 8 o'clock by one of his domestics, whom he answered in a collected manner, and was shortly afterwards heard to leave his bed. Huff-an-hour elapsed and her master not coming down stairs the servant again knocked at his bed-room door. On this occasion Mr. Alsager called to her in a tremulous voice to " come in," and upon opening the door the girl observed her master resting against the side of the bed with blood flowing from an extensive wound in the throat, and a smaller stream issuing from his left arm, one of the viens in which had been divided. The young woman instantly gave the alarm, and medical assistance having been sent tor, the unfortunate gentleman was plead in bed and the best n cans at hand used to stanch his wounds. On the arrival of the medical men the usual appliances in such cases were adopted, and the unfortunate gentleman continued to go on favourably for some days. On recovering from the state of syncope into which the immense low of blood had thrown him, Mr. Alsager conversed freely with those few friends admitted to see him. His remarks were, however, confined to general subjects, and he abstained from making any allusion to the rash act which he had perpetrated. lie did, however, more than once, in reference to his weak state, express a hope that he should soon be better. During the early part of the week, and up to Thursday last, the unfortunate gentleman continued in a composed state of mind; so mach so, indeed, that on Wednesday last he executed his will, and affixed his signature to the document in a firm hand. On Friday unfavourable symptoms first appeared; inflammation presenting itself around the principal wound. Every effort was made to arrest its progress, unhappily in vain; and after lingering in great torture for more than 48 hours during the greater portion of which time the unfortunate gentleman was in a state of delirium, Mr. Alsager breathed his last at two o'clock yesterday morning. For some few hours previous to his decease he was in a calm state of unfo mind, and his last moments were perfectly tranquil. rtunate gentleman had attained his sixty-sezenth year. He has left a family of eight daughters and one son to lumen the loss of an indulgent and excellent father. With regard to the motives which influenced the deceased to the commission of the dreadful act, which has terminated so fatally, all remains a mystery at present. The inquiry before the coraner, which is appointed to take place this day, may probably throw some light on the matter. Rumours of unsuccessful speculations in corn as an instigating cause have oozed out through the weekly journals; but it is believed they are entirely unfounded. One fact is generally understood, viz., that Mr. Alsager had ceased to hold the appointment referred to in the early part of this notice for some few days previous to his attempted suicide, but whether this had anything to do with the melancholy affair, it is of course impossible to conjecture. It should, however, be added, that the day on which the deceased attempted self-destruction was the anniversary of the death of his wife, to whom he was most devotedly attached.