The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1826-04-25 (London, England)

SUICIDE.  A most melancholy act of suicide was committed by Mr. Wee! Gibson, head gardener to Henry Peters, Esq. of Betchwoeth Castle near Dorking, on Thursday, the 20th instant, the particulars oo which, as related in evidence before Henry Woods, Esq. Coroner for Surrey,and a Jury composed of some of the principal inhabitant* of Doting, on the 22d instant, are in substance as follows : Mr. Edward Arnold, Mr. Peter's bailiff, deposed, that the de. ceased had been in the situation of head gardener at Betchworth Castle, for many ♦errs, and possessed the fulldst confidence of hi* master : that on Wednesday, the 19th instant, the deceased desired him to come into hN cottage in the Castle gardens, where he eon. stantly resided and slept, when he for the first time told the witness that he was in a great deal of trouble, by reason of a connexion 1.0 had formed in the coal trade, and that he had list all that he wise possessed of ; that the witness endeavoured to console him tinder his misfortune, hut his grief appeared to be increased while r'. marking that he hid not only involved himself but some of has friends, and that his mind was so much hurt and his spirits brakes down, that he could not remain in his service, which latter eh. cumetance he requested the witness would immediately corn. munitmte to his muter in town, and 'chief) he accordingly did on the following morning, viz. Thursday last ;on the evening id which day tie returned with a letter addresssi to the deceased. and about a quarter past six o'clock proceeded to the cottage to deliver It, at the dour of which he rapped repeatedly, and then called out the deceased's name; but receiving no answer, he ass preparing to leave the spot, when he heard a report se of a pistol, within the cottage, and at the same time some. thing falling on the ground ; that being much terrified, he, without ascertaining whether the door was unlocked, hurried to the Castle to call Philip Bridger, the carpenter, who, with the witness, immediately went to the cottage i and on Bridget's look. nog in at the window from whieh.the report proceeded, he thought  he saw the ear of a person as well as a coat lying on the floor ; that still, without attempting to enter, and wishing to have other per. sons present, they called Philip Aria, another servant at the farm. house, as well as Benjamin Budd, the shepherd, whom they net on the road thither ; when, on their all arriving together at tne cottage, the door was found to be unlocked; they then repaired to the deceased's chamber, where they d•acovered him lying prostrate on the floor, at the toot of his bed, quite dead, with a pistol in his hand, the room being covered with blood. The witness then went fur a surgeon. The feelings of the Jury were strongly excited by the production of I,lr. Peters's letter, which contained expressions, not only in every way calculated to soothe the mind of the deceased under his calamity, but tu assure him, in ternit of marked kindness, of his master's future assistance and protection. Evidence was then gone into confirmatory of the above testimony, as well as evidence of the conduct and actions of toe deceased on the day preceding his death, affording ample proof of the diseased state of his mind. Mr. Hart, surgeon, of Dorking, on his examination, state/ that, being sent for, he went to the deceased's cottage on Thursday even. ing, and bound him lying at the foot of his bed, his head being deluged in bleed ; that upon examination he discovered a jagged sort of opening on the right side of his head, as if a bullet had perforated his ear; and that he held in his right hand the pistol produced to the Jury, with his forefinger on the trigger. He afterwards discovered a flattened bullet on the floor, opposite the orifice oldie wound. la a corner of an adjoining room he found another pistol unloaded, corresponding with that produced to the Jury. The Coroner bovine briefly addressed the Jury, they instantly pronounced a verdiet—•' That the deceased shot himself while labouring under temporary mental derangement."  Thursday evening a widow woman, living at Ashton Clinton, of the name of Boarder, expired sutklenly. She dwelt in a cottage with her daughter, and it is said that a married man, who had paid attentions to her daughter that were disagreeable t, both, entered her cottage it, a state of intoxication. The daughter. to avoid him, ran out of the house : and the poor woman, having pushed the intruder out, and lokced her door, went to the house of a neighbour, where she expired soon after her arrival, having previously declared that the man had used no violence towards her. She is supposed to have died from the bursting of a blood vessel.—. Bucks Gue,tte,  Saturday last, a greyhound dog, in a highly rabid state, war seen to bite several of its own species in the village of Ryton, Durham; after which it took its way towards the adjacent village of Crowerook, evincing on the road indisputable symptoms of by. drophobia. Two gentlemen (a Mr. Atkinson and a Mr. Jilartito having noticed its peculiar behaviour, followed it till it entered tha house of a weaver in Crawerook. where, after displaying a good deal of activity and courage, the above gentlemen destroyed it. One of the gentlemen had a favourite dog bitten by it, which was immediately shot.