The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1826-04-03 (London, England)

THE BRITISH PRESS.  DISTRESSINC: SUICIDE•  We regret to annonnee the death of a highly respected irAl iv i d n al , 111 r. Plaistowe, of itickusanawonn. Herta,' under 'cireutlisilances most painful ta his immediate connexions and triends. Mr. Plats:owe was an old resident of that town. and for some yenta had occupied a large paper mill there. etnplloiing about sixty persons in that department, and in apiculture. He was an active tudividual anti had filled at dillerent perieds the various parish offices, aril indeed at the time of hie death teas one of the churchrrardeas. On Friday morning he rove at his usual hour and took breakfast with his family. Ile then proceeded from the parlsnr, having secreted a breakfast knife, and went into the harness room, where he very deliberately at down on a renal, onhattoned his coat, which he always wore dose up to the throat, took off tit 3 cravats, and gave himself a severe • stab in the !hroat. He then walked, the blood Sowing ell the wry, across the yard, a distance of about t'XI yards. and stepping into a boat usually lying at that spot threw himself into the mill head. This last eircun.stance was observed by a child of one of In. manufacturers, who ran into the mill and said that Air. P. had fallen into the water. Assistance was Immediately afforded, aati he was taken oat after the I _ 'pee of three or four minutes, at which time life was not extinct. A mnateager nay sent off into the town for medics' assistance, but brfore it arrived he ceased to breath. livery possible means of resuscitation was resorted to by the highly respectable professional p s.sons suaimuned, but witheut effect.e His earthly career was closed. An express was tent off to Hertford, requiring the attendance of the Coroner .(:Ilr. Hooke), end in the evening he arrived. A Jury were inunrdsately summoned, and they proceeded to view the body, after which they examined three witnesses, by whim) testimony it appeared, that for some time past Air. Plaistowe had evinced a considerable depression of spirits. walking .with his arms feldete, and indulging in exclamations of" What is to become of me;" the whole tending to show souse heavy calamity, imaginary or real, to be pressing on his mind. The Jury, without hesitation, retarned ft verdict of " Insanity." Mr. Plaistowe was twice married, anti at lb; period of his death bad seven children living by both marriages. It is hardly possible to conceive the sensation occasioned by the promulgation of this fatal intelligence in Rickmanswerth, particularly as it was the day of the annual meeting of the perish officers to settle the accounts of the year. It is needless to observe. that • meeting, pro forma, took place, and that a short adjournment was immediately, deter. mined on. It is supposed that the late failures have tended to produce this calamity; but as Mr. Plaistowe was entirely the dullesttory of his own secrets, every thing as let rests upon supposition. He was sixty-one years of age, and considered one of the strangest. minded men of the neighbourhood in which he resided. As a master he was beloved by his workmen, and in his conduct as a parish officer we are given to understand his conduct was exemplary.