The Sun. — 1835-01-19 (London, England)

LOVE AND SUICIDE.—On Saturday an inquest was held at the Torrington Arms public-house, Mill-wall, before Mr. Baker, the coroner, on the body of William Fuller, aged 19, the son of a respectable barge-builder in that neighbourhood, who destroyed himself on Wednesday night, by stabbing himself to the heart with a knife. The deceased had formed an attanchment to a young woman, named Mary Alton, the daughter of the landlord of the Torrington Arms, and their intimacy had continued some time, when, coming to the knowledge of her father, he strictly forbade her to allow a continuance of the young man's visits. The deceased, on learning this, evinced the utmost distraction of mind, and on Tuesday evening an interview took place, and Miss Alton stated to him that she must abide by her father's commands. On that occasion he took out a knife and threatened to stab himself with, which she, after some struggling with him, during which her hand was severely cut, wrested from him. On the following night, finding him more calm, she told him her determination not to see him again, and gave him back the knife. He attempted to reason with her ; but finding she wes determined to obey her father's commands, he turned round, as she thought, to go home, when he instantly fell, and it was discovered that he had stabbed himself with the knife she had just given him to the heart. The unfortunate young man was taken into the house, and medical assistance procured, but it a vain--he died within five minutes of his committing the iatal act. The young woman has since been in a statc, of mind bordering on distraction. She was introduFed to the Jury to give her evidence, during which she seve!:dt times went into hysterical fits. The Jury returned a, verdict--That the deceased destroyed himself in a state of temporary insanity. BRAZILIAN FOREST ON FlRE.—This afternoon we were compelled to pass through volumes of smoke, so dense *Plat we were in no slight degree puzzled to find our way. We were informed that this was an event of common occurrence, and that it arose from the wood on each side of the road having been fired to clear the ground. We had the additional pleasure of learning that these conflagrations sometimes raged so violently as to unite in the centre of the road, and compose one volume of flame, in which case travellers were, of course. compelled to wait until its fury had subsided. I need I scarcely observe, that the prospect of forming a gipsey bivouac, in the midst of the smoke, was by no means inviting. So, after buffeting the loaded atmosphere very vigorously for some time, we succeeded in making good our passage, and heartily congratulated ourselves that the formidable element had not proved of sufficient magnitude to obstruct our progress. My readers can hardly picture to themselves the strange lustrous appearance which these forests on fire present ; the grandeur of the scene is not more remarkable than the consequences are serious. Instances have occurred when these fires have covered an uninterrupted oxtent of many miles, suspending all inter-commaieation until the devouring flame had subsided, On these occasions, the travellel% who risks 11;4 iJaiety In the attempt to pursue his perilous :wucney, 'Win, in all probability, perish in the nudertaking ; unfortunately, there are many examples of strangers, who have persevered in their onward tract, in the expectation of being able to pass through the dense medium, led on by deluSiIT !AVE* p 1 its brief continuance, but in the difficulty of respiration, unable to retreat or advance, they have dropped dead on the road, There is something very awful in the sound of the distant oraokling of the dry bamboos as the fire aelses them, when, as it expands the air in their hollow cavities, they burst on the ear in rapid succession like guns of a variety of calibre, from a pistol to small artillery, until at length the accumulating thunder, with its reverberating echoes in the depths of the forests, is like that of contending armies in the din of battle.—From Lieut. Holman's Voyage Round, the World. 1