The Sun. — 1862-03-08 (London, England)

THAMES.  EXTRAORDINARY FREAKS 'AND SUICIDE OF A LUNATIC.—This morning, on Mr. Selfe taking his seat on the bench, he was informed that a German named Carl Schulger, or Friedtig Hartyman, for there were some doubts about his real name, who was remanded from this court on Friday morning, had committed suicide the same afternoon in the Clerkenwell House of Detention. The case was one of a most extraordinary description. The unfortunate man was charged on the police-sheet with burglaa iously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Mr. Cornelius Edward Garman, surgeon, of No. 1, Carlisleterrace, Fairfield-road, Bow, with intent to do grievous bodily harm. It appeared that on Thursday night,shortly before eleven o'clock, Mrs. Garman and a female servant named Emma Mayhew, were in the sittingroom on the ground-floor, when they heard a feeble knock at the street door, which was followed by a very loud and violent knocking, such as any ono would give when a house was on fire. The knocking was accompanied by loud and piercing cries of murder. Fortunately, Mrs. Garman and her servant did not open the door, but put the chain up inside and bolted the door, which was partly glazed with stout plate glass. Both mistress and servant then retreated into the drawing-room, from which they could see the German kicking and beating at the door with great fury, and calling out "Murder ! murder 1" Mr. Garman called for the police, but long before any assistance came the unfortunate man smashed the glass in the door, broke the door itself, and at last forced it bodily in, and it fell into the passage with a loud crash. The lunatic then proceeded along the passage armed with a long and bright dagger•knife, with a spring back, and entered the back parlour, where there was a light, burst open the foldingd oors, and entered the front parlour. The screams of Mrs. Garman and her servant, and their appeals for assistance, were increased, and fortunately at this critical moment, and as the lunatic was about to ascend the stairs leading to the drawing-room, a police-constable, named Rushton, 113 K, entered the house. The foreigner, who was in a state of frenzy, rushed towards him with the dagger-knife in his hand, on which Rushton struck him a heavy blow on the head with his truncheon and knocked him down. Rushton then fell on the maniac, wrested the knife from him, and convoyed him to the station-house. On searching him a gold watch and chain of considerable value, £2 Bs. 2d. in cash, and a passenger's contract ticket for a voyage from Germany to America via London were found upon him. The unfortunate man was in a very excited state when he was brought before Mr. Selfe yesterday (Friday) afternoon, and said that people were following him along the streets to murder him, and he sought a refuge in Mr. Garman's house. It was elicited from him by a German police-constable named Klasher, No. 312 K, that he was a native of Albertstadt, itt Prussia, and that he landed in England ou Thursday morning. Mr. Selfe, after listening to a long incoherent and rambling speech from the prisoner, said he was undoubtedly insane, and remanded him to the House of Detention until Thursday next, at the same time directing that he should be watched. A few minutes afterwards Roche, the gaoler of the court, reported to the magistrate thet the German had attempted to strangle himself in his cell, and as he had many other prisoners to look to, he could no longer be accountable for his safety. Mr. Selfe immediately gave orders for a cab to be procured, and the prisoner to be sent away to the House of Detention, in charge of two constables, immediately. Klasher, who acted as interpreter, accompanied his unfortunate countryman to the House of Detention, and explained the reason of the prisoner being sent there specially in a cab, and it was the magistrate's wish that he should be carefully watched, as ho had already made one attempt on his life. The suggestions of the magistrate were not attended to as they ought to be, for on one of the warders going to prisoner's cell two hours afterwards it was found that he was quite dead. He had committed suicide by strangling himself with his braces and handkerchief. Great blame is attributable to the prison authorities for not taking more care of the unfortunate lunatic, or placing him under some sort of restraint.  Mr. Selfe expressed deep concern on hearing the melancholy tidings of the poor man's untimely death, and said the police and the officers of court had properly done their duty, and that the case was now out of his hands, and the circumstances would be investigated by a coroner's jury. The deceased was a powerful man, and in appearance about 25 years of age.