The Sun. — 1858-01-14 (London, England)

SUICIDE OE A BANK MANAGER AT BOLTON.  A painful sensation was created at Bolton, on Monday, by the intelligenCe that Mr. R S. Barlow, of Snow-bill, manager of the bank of Messrs. Hardcastle, Cross, and Co.' Bolton, and a gentleman highly respected in the neighbourhood, had committed suicide. It appears that Mr. Hardcastle had arisen early in the morning and gone into his bath-room, where he had blown out his brains by discharging a gun at his head. He had flied the gun between lis knees and moved the trigger, it is supposed, with one of his toes. The probable motive of the unfortunate gentleman was disclosed iu the following evijence, given at an inquest held by Mr. W. S. Rutter, county coroner, on Tuesday. Mr. Thos. Lover Rusbton.iaid he was connected with the deceased as a partner in the banking firm of Hardcastle, Cross, and Co., of Bolton. Mr. Barlow was managing partner, and. had been so since the death of his father, in 1849. A few weeks ago the deceased came to his (Mr. Rushton's) office in a state of great agitation, and said that he bad come to tell him of his unfortunate involvewent with a person to whom he had lent a large sum of money. He also said that he had mentioned it to one of the other partners. This led the company to investigate the general affairs of the bank. The partners had a meeting on Saturday last, and they had a conference with Mr. Barlow as to what he proposed to do with the account iu question. The deceased expressed great regret at the state of the account, and said that he had been led into it little by little, and that nobody could tell the misery he had endured in consequence of it. This led his partners to ask -how be stood in his own personal affairs ; and he told them that he had borrowed a few thousands from a friend, which had to be paid back on the 15th January. He was told that he would not be allowed to pay this mony out of the bank, and that he ought to make goodthe other loss, as it had been shown to them that he had been warned against the party alluded to. He said that if there was a loss he would take it upon himself. He said, however, that lie could not pay it then. He was asked if he had any proposal to make but he said he had not. He was iu a state of extreme agitation and distress of mind. This was on Saturday afternoon, between two and five o'clock. No conclusion was come to at the meeting. When it was broken up. Mr. Hardcastle and witness had an interview with the deceased immediately after. Witness said to him it was a pity ha had not made some proposal with, as it was a matter of great to the meeting, as if he had offered to do anything the partners required he would have been He said, " I thought I had done so ; I thought I had told 3- ou that I would leave il.eeguireenttlyto myself entirely iu your hands." Witness told him dealtall be had not done so, but that he would say so now, lie (Mr. Rushton) would communicate it to certainly, them. He said, " 011 • will leave myself entirely in their hands." Witness said he was glad of it, for he was sure they would be lenient with 1 • cm. This appeared to soothe him, for up to that time he had been quite hysterical. Mr. Hardcastle and witness then shook hands with him, and in parting witness made an arrangement with him to meet the party who owed the money to transfer some property which he held as security to the bank. They were to meet witness at his office at 10 o'clock on Monday scorning. This was to transfer the property to the bank, that they might make the best of the account. Mr. Rutter—Did he mention the person's name Mr. Rushton—Oh, yes, the matter is well known, and I don't see any reason for concealment ; the person is Mr. Joseph Holden, the builder. I don't think it was so much the loss of the money that affected the deceased as the feeling that he had lost the confidence of his partners. He was a man of a high sense of honour. (Mr. Rushton was much affected in speaking of the character of his friend.) He had the means of meeting the loss ultimately, but not then available. The loss on the account would be about 15,0001. ; but he felt, more than this, that he had lost the confidence of his partners. I never saw him after that evening. The jury found a verdict of. " Temprall insanity."  An application undevrtortohat reeepnpt 11129 A:4 'tr. presented to the Sheriff on Saturday by a resPect•srlooking man, for authority, in terms of theeet, being into and detain his wife in heina a lunatic selleiv.a:Da s.l„cilicto tuihe etsatuatbosry°. described by the certifying uuteerlyy frantic, n the oande nai:aang se cause of her qinsanity, the remarkable newer was—". The failure of the Western 334021c1"—akoyom Daily Mail.