The Sun. — 1828-07-11 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY INQUEST.  An Inquest, which occupied until ten o'clock laSt night, commenced yesterday afternoon, at five o'clock, before Thomas Higgs, Esq. and a respectable Jury, at the Workhouse, in Portugal-street, St. Clement Danes, to inquire into the death of William Lawrence, aged 45, a bookbinder, who hanged himself in St. Clement's watch-house, where he had been confined upon a charge of a nameless nature, preferred against him by three boys, named Wm. Cropley, John Heron, and John APCormack. Thomas Izlefair, a watchman of St. Clement Danes, about three o'clock that morning was calling the hour in Little Shire-lane, when he heard a call of watch. He turned round, and hastened in the direction of the call, and found the deceased with three boys opposite New-court. One of them, named Cropley, said, " I give charge of this man." M'Cormack said, " Yes, its all right ;" and the third said, 'lam a witness." The deceased seemed confounded and half drunk, and was in great terror and a►arm, and said, " Its false ; its no such thing;" but he did not make any charge against the boys. He, however, said he was under Coventgarden Piazzas with some females when they accosted him. He was locked up on this charge. At ten o'clock yesterday morning, the witness came to the watch-house to take him to Bow-street, and found him hanging by a yellow handkerchief, quite dead.  Mr. Samuel M`Dougal, of No. 33, Stanhopestreet, proved that the deceased lodged for the last 13 years in his house. lie was a very honest worthy man, but was addicted to drinking, and when in liquor, in witness's opinion, he was completely insane. Juror—Was he a man of proper conversation  Witness—Very much so. He was a man of very superior acquirements, and well read. William Ingrain, a constable, stated, that the deceased was brought into the watch-house about three o'clock, charged by two boys, and another as witness.  Mr. Clarke—Before be was charged, did you ask him his name or residence ? Witness—l did both, and he answered me directly. He appeared confounded, and said, " I know what will be the consequence; if I.go before a Magistrate I am a ruined man." . Witness said, " This is a shocking charge." He replied, "Oh yes, I am innocent of it," and burst into tears. Witness asked him why he went with the boys. He said, " I met with the boys in the street ; but what they say is false." Witness then asked him why he gave them money. He said " I thought they were cold." Witness said, one of the boys said he had received two-pence halfpenny, and the other fourpence tiree-farthings. The deceased said, "I gave them some halfpence." The witness told him he must take the charge before a Magistrate.  A Juror here declared the deceased had been most disgracefully treated ; he had been foully accused by three thieves, and then was left in a state of the most horrible anxiety of mind to commit suicide. A person said it would be proved the boys were of extreme bad character. A gentleman who had Icnown the accused ten years considered him a man incapable of such conduct. The depositions before the Magistrate of the boys, Cropley, M'Cotmack, and Heron, were here read. .  Cropley was here produced. He was in a most ragged condition, has no place of abode, or residence whatever. He commenced his statement by saying he had met the deceased at half-past ten o'clock, in Covent-garden Market—(Mr. Higdon proved the deceased was in his house taking his supper at that time.) Cropley was most rigidly examined by the .Jurors, and his answers left not the slightest doubt but his statement, as regarded the unfortunate man was false in every particular. Mr. Clarke to Cropley—Were you ever at the bar of the Old Bailey ? Cropley--Yes ; I have been there.  Mr. Clarke—What for ? Cropley--For bacon. Mr. Clarke--What was your sentence ? Cropley --Sevenyears.  Mr. Clarke--How is it that you have not passed that sentence ? Cropley—My father got me off. Mr. Clarke—Were you ever flogged in gaol ? Cropley—Yes ; for the same thingMr. Clarke—How often? ; but it was for the same thing. Mr. Clarke---110 you know this man ? (Wheatley, the officer.) Cropley—No, Ido not. Wheatley—Why, you young scoundrel, you know me well enough. Cropley--1 don't, so help me God.  John APCormack, the second boy, then detailed his deposition. He admitted that he had run away from a collier. He positively, denied having hatched up the charge against the deceased; but admitted he was acquainted with the boy Cropley. The deceased, he said, was drunk. John Heron, the other boy, was next called. Being a Roman Catholic, he was put to a most extraordinary test upon being sworn; he was made to kiss a wooden cross on a desk, in addition to kissing the Bible, and then obliged to bless himself with the sign of the cross. This being done, a Juror (a butcher) observed, with great satisfaction, " Oh, its necessary, because he's a cross cove." This boy turned out, on a lengthy cross-examination, to be as little worthy of belief as his obdurate companions, and grossly exaggerated and contradicted the others in many parts of his statement. After a discussion of great length— The ConoriErt charged the Jury upon the evidence, and pointed out the admission of Cropley that he was a villain, therefore his evidence could not be received as at all worthy of belief in any respect. It was clear that the unfortunate deceased had destroyed himself in a state of agony of mind produced by this charge, which he knew would blast his reputation for ever. It would be the province of the Jury to come to a proper conclusion. ghaimvese tlhfe infollowing a state of o The Jury-room was then cleared of strangers, and verdictf. temporary Theinsa n deceasediafter a deliberation, which lasted a considerable time, hanged The three boys are in custody. t  It is said that another explosion took place at the Tunbridge Powder Mills on Thursday morning last about five o'clock, and though the building (containing only about 421bs. of powder) was completely shattered, no lives were lost.—Brighton Gazette. As a proof of extraordinary instinct, it has been remarked of the hen ostrich that she will roll a few eggs some distance from the nest, and crack the shells; these, by the time her young come forth, being filled with maggots and other insects, form the first repast of her infant brood.