The Sun. — 1846-08-31 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF COL. THORNTON, CHARGED WITH UTTERING FORGED NOTES.  On Saturday, during the early part of the day, Inspector Tedman, of the D division, entered the Marylebone police-court, and communicated to the magistrate the fact of a prisoner having committed suicide in the station-house of that district. It appeared that a person, who gave his name and address " Charles Walter Thornton, 3, Hartland-terrace, Kentish Town," was taken into charge for having offered at the shop of Mr. Bennett, watchmaker, of Oxford-street, a 51. note, supposed to be a forged one. Inquiries were at the same time made, and Mrs. Harding, jeweller, of Holles-street, Cavendish-square, and Mr. Bishop, bootmnker, of Connaught-terrace, identified the prisoner as having passed 101. and 51. forged notes upon them. Two other similar charges were established, and these were found to form portions of an extensive system of fraud which has been for some time in practice. On the prisoner being searched when he was taken into custody, a forged Si. note and two genuine Si. Bank of England notes were found upon him, and 91. in gold. At his lodgings a quantity of valuable jewellery was discovered. Shortly before one in the mornnig, on a police constable entering the cell, he was found quite dead, having strangled himself with his pocket-handkerchief. The deceased was about forty years of age, and had at one time held a commission in the East Indian army. On Saturday an inquest was held on the body at two o'clock, before Mr. Wukley, M.P., at the Marylebone workhouse. Police constable George Henry Mackrell, 110 D, was first called. He said he was on duty on Friday night at the police station in Marylebone-lane. About one o'clock yesterday morning he was directed by Sergeant Brown to go round the cells. On arriving at that one in which deceased was confined, he saw that a silk handkerchief had been passed through the bars of the little opening in the cell door, and hitched on to the belt on the outside. On opening the door the deceased was found hanging with the silk handkerchief round his neck, and quite dead. Thomas Hooper, police constable 213 D,.stated that he took the deceased into custody at eight o'clock on Friday evening fol. endeavouring to pass a forged 51 Bank of England note at the shop of Mr. Bennett, in Oxford-street. On his arrival at the station, he said he could easily account for the possession of the note, and a person who had received one, residing in Princes-street, having been sent for, caine and identified the deceased, who had purchased some jewellery and given her a forged note. He was locked up in the cell at nine o'clock. He was then in a perfectly sound state of mind and quite sober. He gave his name as Charles Walter Thornton, of 3, Hartland-terrace, Kentish- town. Mr. Inspector Tedman here produced the property, which was found on the deceased's person at the station, and that subsequently found at his residence, most of which had been proved to have been obtained by means of forged notes corresponding with that on his person when taken into custody. On his person were found a forged 51. note (in addition to the one he had at tempted to pass with Mr. Bennett), two good 51. notes, eight sovereigns, one half-sovereign, eight half-crowns, two sixpences, two gold brequet chains and seals, a small box, containing two purse, slides and rings, and a bead purse. There was also a 'diamond ring on his finger. At his lodgings, found in a jewel case, were one 10/. note, good, four brooches, five coins, some gold Indian coins, one gold eye-glass, nine seals, one silver pencilcase, one silver toothpick, two gold union pins, three rings, and one eardrop. On these articles being produced to the coroner, many of the tradesmen present stepped forward and identified the various articles which they had sold to the deceased and given the change for the forged 5/. notes, and which they also produced. The notes in question are anything but good imitations, being apparently lithographed. They all bore date the 3d of March, and were backed by the deceased with the name " Woodman, Ronsford." Mrs. Mary Thornton. the widow of the deceased, was next examined. The unfortufiate lady was supported into the room by several of her friends and accommodated with a chair. She appeared deeply affected. She said she had been married to the deceased six years, and resided at 3, Hartlard• terrace, Kentish-town. He was a colonel in the East India Company's service, but had only recently returned from Egypt, where she had been with him. She knew nothing of his affairs, but always understood that he was a gentleman of independent property. He was at home all day yesterday up to five o'clock, when he went out, saying that he should go to billiards. He was then in excellent health and spirits. He had never complained of pain in the head, or threatened or attempted to destroy himself. He was a very temperate man. He had no relatives living. They had all died in India. She could not account for his possession of the forged notes. Mr. Thomas Warren, of 3, Commercial-place, Kentish-town, said he had known deceased for several years. About three months ago he returned from Egypt, and since that time he had resided in Grove street, Camdentown, and his present residence. There being no further evidence, the Coroner at some length dwelt upon the melancholy circumstances of the case, and explained the law as related to cases of insanity and felo-de-se. The room having been cleared of strangers, the jury for some time deliberated, and ultimately returned a verdict; " That the deceased hung4liwtself, but hi what