The Sun. — 1857-12-22 (London, England)

MRS. MACDONALD.  'ardwick-place, Harrington-4 o'clock, Mr. Wakley heldYe as tne inquestday afternoon a t5,1l at Harringtonsquare, Hampstead-road, the residence of Mr. Frederick Macdonald, on the body of Mrs. Charwife, aged 34, who, afterlotte having Augusta i flinflicted Macdonald,seti eu his upon him and her servants, flung herself out of the second floor window. •  The jury were summoned and the panel sworn at the Southampton Arms Tavern, but in consequence of the inability of Mr. Macdonald, on account of his injuries, to attend to give evidence' the proceedings were adjourned to his house., The Rev. Mr. Jennings, M.A., the deCeased's br law, and other relatives were "presen,. - • Elizabeth Anson, servant to the deceased, said, during the last•three nights prier to Saturday morning she had slept on-the sofa in the front room on the sec end floor, on account of the restless conduct of her mistress, who said she could not sleep, as her mother was dying. Mrs. Macdonald's mother died on Thursday night, and she was aequaint?d With it "on Friday morning, and became much-excited. About half-past seven o'clock on Saturday morning she was awoke by the cries of her master, who cried out, "My Gad, my wife is getting out of th window." He jumped out of bed, and, with witness, rushed towards the window. Deceaied was partly on the window-sill, and she exclaimed. " It you comp near tne, , I will kill you. , I have this raz r." He seized her, and told witness to take the razor from her ' • but, in trying to do so, she Was cut in the hand and arm. Mr. Macdonald .vas still holding her while she bad only one foot on the inside of the windowsill, and all the rest of her body out, when, there being no sash line, the window-fell down upon his back. He called to her to lift it up while he pulled her mistress in. Fur a minute or so she was unable to move the sash,-and her master cried out " Police," and witless ran' to the blby who was screaming. She saw her master's hauds streaming with blood, and afterwards saw the deceased lying in the front area on her back. Wihles3 had beea but three weeks in the deceased's service and saw nothing strange in her conduct. Dr. Fraat r and Mr. Collins were called in, but the deceased died in about half an hour. On the Coroner desiring to examine Mr. Macdonald, Mr. Collin,. his medical adviser, was cut vela, sliokiegly, and he was in such a state that he could not be brought' down with safety. said his hind Dr. Fraser, of 15, Harrington-square, said, when called in deceased had beeu removed from the area into the kitchen. Both fore arms were broken, the tight having a compound fracture, and the lefc single fracture. One of .the spikes of the railings had entered the fleshy anterior part of the right thigh. She died. in about half an hour, Mr. Macdona'd's hands were bleeding, and left band and Iv, ist was cut right a ;ross the bac'T, the tendons and veins being divided. No doubt the injuries from the fall were the cause of death. Mr. Julius Collins surgeon, of Morn ington-place, said he had attende I Mrs. Macdonald and her family for four or five years past up to about six weeks back, when, under his advice, she was removed to a private lunatic asylum at Bow. He  certified for her to go there. She had continual delusions that 'she was poisoned, or about to be poisoned. A few days before she went to the asylum she s3nt for him, and declared some medicine she had been taking was poison, and she had taken it in mistake. She did not exhibit symptoms of a dangerous tendency calculated to make him believe she contemplated suicide. At the sanao time, however, lie-advised precautionary and watchful measures.  The first witness was recalled, and identified the razor as her master's. They had missed it about a week ago, and it could not be found anywhere. The deceased must have secreted it.  The Coroner said, with the evidence of the servant and that of Dr. Collins, he thought the jury had heard enough of this very deplorable catastrophe, without inflicting further torture on the unfortunate gentleman, the deceased's husband, to enable them to come to a conclusion.  The jury concurred with the Coroner, and immediately returned a verdie, " That the deceased cmunitted the shocking act which led to her death whilst in a state of insanity."