The Sun. — 1862-09-26 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF MR. COHEN.  We have to record, says the Sheffield Independent, the death, by suicide, of Mr. Benjamin Cohen, of High-street, jeweller, who, our readers will recollect, was arrested on Wednesday last on a charge of feloniously receiving gold and silver watches, stolen from Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, jeweller, nearly five years ago. The premises of Mr. W. R. Raynor were entered by burglars during the night of Dec. 11, 1857, and watches and jewellery taken away to the value of £1,200, the loss compelling Mr. Raynor to give up his business. No clue could be obtained to the stolen property until about ten days ago, when information reached the Sheffield police that several of the watches were in the possession of Mr. Cohen. This information was communicated to Mr. Ray nor, who came over to Sheffield, and, armed with the authority of a warrant, searched the premises of Mr. Cohen, in company with Detective-officer Brayshaw and Inspector Jonathan Wood. Nineteen silver and nine gold watches, of the value of about £2OO, were positively identified by Mr. Raynor as part of the stolen property, and a further number of from 50 to 60 watches were believed also to have formed part of the booty, but could not be identified, being watches sent to Mr. Raynor for repair. Mr. Cohen was apprehended, and was taken before Mr. Dunn at noon on Thursday, on the charge of being in illegal possession of the 28 watches identified. The case was adjourned to give the prosecution an opportunity of completing their case. Mr. Cohen appeared in a greatly excited state, and at the intercession of his advocate, Mr. Broadbent, Mr. Dunn agreed to release him on bail to the amount of £5OO, secured by two sureties, as well as the prisoner's own recognisances. Mr. Cohen remained in custody until Friday evening, when substantial bail being tendered, he was released, and returned home. His excitement had greatly increased during his detention. He frequently said it was utterly impossible he could outlive the prosecution, and we are informed that from the time of reaching home he was confined to his bed, and persistently refused to take any food. Though he gave such emphatic expression to the opinion that he could not outlive the prosecution, ,'and though he was evidently in a state of the greatest excitement, his friends seem not to have been under any apprehension that he would attempt to take his own life, He was nevertheless closely watched. Mr. Henry Jackson, surgeon, was called in and attended Mr. Cohen regularly. During a brief absence of his family and nurse on Tuesday morning about 7 o'clock, Mr, Cohen succeeded in possessing himself of his razor, which would appear not to have been removed from his room. With this implement he inflicted terrible gashes in the abdomen. Considerable reserve has been maintained as to the nature of these wounds. We are assured, however, that the principal wound extends in great part across the abdomen, and that there are three other gashes at right angles with it, eachofawfeailuls alsokin calledd, some of the wounds severing not only the skirno,f and and issued flesh the abdomen, but the peritoneum or inner lining, and literally letting out the bowels. Mr. Cohen appears to have made no communication to his , attendants, but his writhings and the for, p of blood quickly revealed what had taken place Mr. Jackson was immediately h se o Nva attended h. ih . T alonghe m medical eiat ih gentlemen lkl Mr. . Tinsley,a ttended to the wounds thepromptitude, but twhietyh were;uettm soesttesrkriilhl,lecaarec, haanrdacter that from the first no hope was entertained of Mr. Cohen's re'cowry. lie lingered, Louver, until a few minutes A  before ten o'clock in the evening, when death put an end to his agony. The case is an extremely melancholy one, whether viewed in relation to the wealth and position of the deceased or his tragic end. The case against him was necessarily much weakened by the great lapse of time, but against this was the large extent and value of the property, and the consequent necessity of giving a very clear explanation of the manner of becoming possessed of it. Mr. Cohen's explanation was that he bought the watches from a man who represented himself as Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, stating that he had come purposely to Sheffield to dispose of his jewellery for Sheffield goods preparatory to going to Australia. This story received some confirmation from the fact that the watches still bear the name of Mr. Raynor and other evidences of his ownership, which one would have thought Mr. Cohen would have removed had he suspected the honesty of the person from whom he purchased. Be that as it may he so shrank from the ordeal of a prosecution as to take his own life.