The Sun. — 1847-04-23 (London, England)

APRIL 23, 1847.  SUICIDE OF SIR H. WEBSTER. Mr. Bedford, the coroner for Westminster, and a jury of 19 inhabitants of St. George's parish, assembed at the deceased's private residence, for the purpose of investigating the melancholy affair. r. eston, of Fenchurch-street; was present to watMch theW fa proceedings on behalf of thefamily of the deceased. The jury, after being sworn, proceeded to view the remains of the deceased. The body was lying on a mattress in one of the front rooms of the second floor— the same apartment ordinarily occupied by the deceased as his bed-room; it presented a ghastly appearance-a jagged wound extending across the left side of the throat. The proceedings commenced with the examination of Robert Filson, footman in the service of the deceased, who said—l saw my master last alive on Sunday night, when he retired to rest. At 7 o'clock the next morning, in obedience to my master's instructions, I went up stairs and knocked at his bedroom door. lie asked who was there? I told him who it was. He made no reply, and as he sometimes did not like to be distui bed I went down stairs again. In about 20 minutes I went back and knocked at the door. I asked him if he had taken his medicine? but I got no answer. I went up again as near about half-past 8 o'clock as possible. At this time Lady Webster came out of her room, and asked me how Sir Henry was, and whether he had taken his medicine? I told her I had been to the room three times and could get no.anssver. She then went herself and knocked at the door, and asked him to let her in. He muttered something, but we could not make out what it was, and then she said the door must be br ken open. Sir Henry and Lady Webster generally occupied separate rooms. I broke open the door in Lady Webster's presence. On entering I found Sir Henry lying on his face on the ground, near the foot of the bed. I pulled up the blind, and on turning round saw that Lidy Webster was in the act of coming into the room. I immediately prevented her. I saw blood on the floor as soon as I entered; there were tracks of it nearly across the room from the direction of the window. I took a pillow from the bed and placed it under Sir Henry's hE ad. He spoke only once after I saw him, and then merely said "he was cold." I saw a small knife lying on the floor near Sir Henry—a clasp knife. There were two doors to the room in which Sir Henry slept; both of them were tried, and found fast before- we attempted to break open the one. On Sunday night Sir Henry appeared in his usual health. We had only arrived from the Continent on Friday evening last, having been travelling for the last seven months. About seven weeks ago, while in Paris, I first noticed a difference in Sir Henry's manner. He then appeared to be unusually excited, and was more free than usual in his manner. He afterwards became very unwell, and suffered from lowness of spirits. He kept his bcd while in that capital one day, or a day and a half. I never recollect his having done so before. A Juror—Have you heard, or do you know of your own know/edge, that the deceased had lost a very serious sum of money by a recent steeplechase ? Witness—l have no knowledge of any such circumstance. A Juror—Had you any knowledge of the knife with which the act was committed? Witness—l never saw it before. The