The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1832-12-01 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

SUICIDE IN THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION/ COLDBATH-FLELDS.  Yesterday afternoon an inquest was taken before Mr. Baker, the Coroner, and a respectable Jury, in the Committee-room of the House of Correction, on view of the body of Thos. Hollis, who had been committed to that prison from Bow-street, on Thursday last, on a charge of forgery. John Spurling, one of the turnkeys, stated that the deceased was confined in one of the state-rooms, and never left it except for about ten minutes on Thursday and Friday. Whenever witness visited him in the room he found him writing, and he seemed in profound thought, but betrayed no symptoms of agitation. He was searched when brought in, and his knife taken from him. Witness locked him up on Friday evening, about ten minues before five o'clock, and he then appeared as calm as usual. He refused to have the prison allowance, except the bread, and sent for half a pound of beef, and a pint of ale the first day, and the same quantity of ham and ale on Friday. He, at his own request, had two extra rugs to keep him warm, and had coals sufficient to keep a fire during the greater part uf the night.  Mr. Cheatertod, the governor ef the prison, stated that on Saturday morning, at seven o'clock, witness went round the state-rooms, accompanied by Hoare and Spurling, and when the deceased's cell was opened, he was seen suspended by his neck by a silk handkerchief, from a staple in the wall used for hanging up beds. There was not a cell in the prison in which there was not a similar staple, and the bars of the windows afforded in equal facility for sell-destruction. Witness had not the remotest suspicion of any intention on his part to destroy himself, but he was searched in the usual way when brought in. Hoare 'cut him down, and he was found quite dead and cold. Both his hands were found tied with a handkerchief, and brought down under his thighs. In a letter addressed to witness was one enclosed, addressed to "Mrs. Hollis, 93, Mill-street, Belfast, Ireland." The letters were here put in and read. The Ann was simply requesting witness to inform the Magistrates if Bow-street, that his lodgings were at No. 11, Shaftesburyplace, Pimlico. The following are extracts of the letter to his wife :  "My dear wife,—Can any one imagine my feelings while addressing this letter to you? By the time it reaches you the dreadful fate that has befallen me will have been exposed in the public newspapers. I had flattered myself that everything was going on smoothly for my appointment as Lieut.-Colonel of 126 n Pedro's Ist regiment of Dragoon Guards, when I unfortunately met a man named Beardsworth, a horse-dealer in Birmingham, from whom I purchased a horse with a 4".50 note, which afterwards proved to be a forgery, and he took me to Bow-street, where I was publicly examined before the Magistrate', and remanded to this place, to give time to the people of , the Bank of England and others to probecute me."  "I have one great consolation, and that is, that you and my dear children cannot be implicated in my conduct; therefore neither your relations nor the world can with justice reproach you." [Here fullotvs a most minute description of the articles te had left at his lodgings, and amongst the rest, a genuine £.5 note, and another originally of the same amount but ‘t bich had been cut out, and the word "ten" put instead; and another with the word fifty inserted, but which had been a ten.] "When you receive this I shall be out of the miseries of this world. You I leave as protrectress to those pledges of our mutual affection, our beloved children.  "Fate has decreed that we should behold each other no more. It is a hard task to we to write these last lines. I shall encounter but very few more of the frowns, or taste more of the bitters which this world produces. "Your brother or sisters will, I hope, interest themselves in your behalf at the East India-house, as also your money in the funds. Employ some professional man about the notes alluded to in my portmanteau. The original pieces of the £lO and the gli-are in the lining of a small lid, which takes down on the top pot.'  ."Adieu for ever, my dear wife; my dear childreu, accept the last farewell and blowing from your father. "