The Sun. — 1838-08-23 (London, England)

CORONER—But the operation was attended with instant death ? Mr. Babington replied it brought on spasms, which were ,he cause of dissolution. Mr. Stocker, apothecary to the hospital, was of opinion :hat the proceeding of Mr. Babington in the case in quesion was perfectly correct, and he should have acted the  same way. The Jury, after some further discussion, exonerated Mr. Babington of all improper treatment, or ill-usage, and returned a verdict of .‘ Accidental Death." On Tuesday afternoon an inquest was Sold at the Horse-shoe and Magpie, -Bridge-street, Westminster, before Mr. HIGGS and a very respectable jury, on view of the body of Mr. John Fester Thorpe, a respectable tobacconist, residing at No. 3, in that street, who committed suicide under the circumstances stated in the following evidence : Jelin Vincent Edsell lived as shop-lad with the deceased for eight or nine months; he was in an extensive way of business, and latterly kept very late hours. His master left home yesterday morning on business to the city, and returned in a cab about half-pest one o'clock. He then appeared to be much excited, and in about half an hour witness heard the report of a pistol, and found that his master had shot himself with a horse pistol through the head, as he stood by the side of his bed. Medical assistance was immediately rendered, but it was of no use, as the shot had instantaneously proved fatal. The deceased had a short time before been speaking to his broker, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Smithson, a solicitor, who were consulting, with him on the state of his affairs, which appeared to be very embarrassed. Mr. Walker and Mr. Smithson both stated that the affairs of the deceased were much embarrassed, and that his brother had come up from the country with a view to settle with his creditors, which he had effected by offering his acceptances at the rate of 10s. in the pound. This seemed to annoy the deceased, who considered " his honour to have been compromised" by such an arrangement ; and although he affected subsequently to think better of it, and be quite reconciled, it produced such an excitement in his mind that he blew his brains out. His creditors were perfectly satisfied with the arrangements which had been entered into, and nothing could be more kind than the treatment he had received from his mother and brother, who, although the heaviest creditors, consented to forego their claims, in order to enable him to pay his other creditors. The deceased had latterly been associated with idle characters, keeping late hours and being frequently in a state of intoxication, to which causes his insolvency was to be attributed. Mr. Eubel, a gentleman who lived in the upper part of the house with the deceased, stated many instances of the irregular hours kept by the deceased, and the indifferent character of the persons who constantly visited the shop of the unhappy man. Maria Painter, the servant of a tavern in the same street, which was much resorted to by the deceased, stated that he was perfectly sober on Sunday night when he went home. Several of the jury who were neighbours of the deceased corroborated the witnesses as to the bad character of the associates of the deceased, to his late hours, &c. ; and that there could be no doubt that his embarrassments were occasioned by his intemperate habits. Verdict—Temporary Insanity. Yesterday evening an inquisition was taken before Mr. Stirling, in the Board-room of the Middlesex Hospital, on view of the body of a foreigner named M. de Ghessele, residing at No. 15, Upper Charlton-street, who committed selfdestruction in a very determined manner. It appeared that the unfortunate man, who was a professor and translator of languages, had been for some time past in a low desponding state of mind, and on Sunday afternoon was observed deliberately to open the window of the third floor front room in which he resided, mount the sill, and precipitate himself into the street. He was picked up insensible, and bleeding profusely, in which state he was conveyed to the Middlesex Hospital, where he died shortly after. Verdict—" Temporary mental derangement."