The Sun. — 1825-09-09 (London, England)

SUICIDE.—Last night an Inquest was held at the Queen's Head, St. Martin's-le-Grand, on the body of Mr. John Philips, aged 33, the proprietor of an eating-house, in St. Martin's-leGrand, who l,Reg himself. The deceased formerly had an extensive business at Charing-cross, which he disposed of, conceiving he could.carry on a more lucrative trade in St. Martin'sle-Grand. He took bills in payment for the Charing-cross business, but .the first one, when it became due, a few days since, was dishonoured. He conclUded that he,should have to take them all up, and although he was generally of a cheerful and happy disposition, he fell into a profound melancholy.— The Jury returned a verdict of " Insanity."  Last night an Inquest was held at the Norfolk Arms publichouse, in Leigh-street, Burton Crescent, on the body of James Bighorns, who was killed on Tuesday last by a sugar hogshead falling upon him. Dennis Ivers stated; that he was waggoner.to Messrs. 'Hicks and Co. merchants, Borough. On Tuesday, about three o'clock in the afternoon, he was unloading four hogsheads of sugar and one tierce of coffee, at the shop of 3lr. Pratt, grocer, in Judd-street. The deceased who was apprentice to Mr. Pratt; was assisting, when, as he was endeavouring to lower the rail-board of the waggon to let down the first hogshead, deceased, supporting the hogshead with one hand, suddenly slipped down, and the.cask fell over him. He did not know what caused the young man to slip down .; he immediately helped Mr. Pratt and John Crosson to take the body from under the hogshead. It appeared to be lifeless, and blood was gushing from the eyes and ears. Deceased never spoke .or moved after the accident, and was quite dead .in a few minutes. Crofton Cooper, Esq., a surgeon, residing.in Judd-street, deposed that he saw the body about a quarter of An hour after the accident. He did not examine it professionally ; but had no hesitation in giving it as his opiniou:that it was the undue pressure on the head and chest which occasioned death. The waggoner, upon being further questioned, said, that he had been seven years in the business, and never knew of an accident•happening before. He thought two men were quite enough for, the work of unloading a waggon with sugar hogsheads, It was not customary to send. more than one man, .the carman; upon such occasions. The body did not exhibit a single mark of external violence beyond a slight scratch on the cheek. The following verdict was returned :—" The jury return their verdict-of accidental death, and consider it highly improper on the part of the merchants • in not sending a sufficient number of persons to unload the waggon, it having been stated in evidence to the jury that it is not customary to .send more than one man, viz. the carman, with each waggon, except in cases nearer home."  Yesterday evening a Coroner's Inquest was held, by Tno- I HAS STIRLING, Esq., at the Cherry Tree, Bowling-greenlane, Clerkenwell, on the body of Frederick Smith, a tine boy, fire years of age, whose death was occasion by his falling or rolling off the foot pavement into the carriage-road, as three loaded drays belonging to Messrs. Combe and Delafield, were passing. Under the last of these drays the deceased fell, and the wheels going over his body, crushed him in so dreadful a manner, .that he died while he was being carried to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. By the evidence, it appeared that the drayman was driving very steadily, and walking by the side of his horses, did not see the deceased, and was not conscious that any accident had occurred until the 'road was atartred at the obstruction of the wheel. The road is extremely narrow, and the footpath consequently very dangerous ; and, by the evidence of a hackney-coachman, named Thomas Davis, who was driving his coach, and following the drays, it was clear no fault was attributable to the drayman. 'l'he Jury having viewed the body, which was literally crushed to atoms, returned a .verdict-of accidental death.