The Sun. — 1851-01-01 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.  Very early on Monday morning, about three o'clock, the inhabitants of Upper North-street, Brighton, and its neighbourhood, were alarmed by piercing cries from several female voices of " Murder" and "Police," and in a short time a few members of the police force, with the stragglers home, whom the festive season made more numerous than usual, discovered at the spot whence the cries proceeded the dead but still bleeding body of a man, stretched on his back in the middle of the road.  One of the neighbours, named Wootton, was the first on the spot, and at his request Mr. Richardson, surgeon, promptly made his appearance. His aid, however, was unavailing. The man had suffered from a fatal wound which severed the wind-pipe and principal arteries, and death must have been instantaneous or nearly so. From inquiry made on the spot and in the immediate neighbourhood, and likewise of the police, we gleaned the particulars which we subjoin : The deceased was named William Henry Marshall. He was a butler out of place, and his age was about forty years. His last engagement was in the family of Captain Preston, a magistrate, where it appears he was not comfortable, and his wife states that he had several times stated his apprehension that he should in consequence take his own life. This service he had left about eighteen months, and ever since he had been in a low way. Within the last few days he had ob• tained temporary employment at the family of Mr. Lawrence, an eminent surgeon of the place. Here he had conducted himself remarkably well. He appeared elated at the circumstance of his having at length obtained employment, but Mr. Lawrence, jun., believes that he neither slept nor drank during the time he was in the house. He was as usual on Sunday night, and at eleven o'clock turned off the gas from the main.  At three o'clock in the morning of Monday his wife was awoke by a knocking at the door, and having descended the stairs and ascertained that her husband was at the door, she admitted him into the house. On opening the door she observed that her husband was almost in a state of nudity. He was even without his trousers. What did he return home for in that state ? she inquired. He replied "To kill you," and suiting the action to the word, he seized her by the shoulders, and then grasped her throat. Nearly naked as she was she rushed into the street, followed by her husband, who caught her in the middle of the road. They there struggled together till she fell, and he upon her. She raised the cry of " Police," and a lodger that of "Murder and thieves," and the wife then effected her escape. As she ran off she saw a razor in his hand, and he having raised himself again fell. She then returned to him and found the blood gushing from a large gash in his throat, and a razor lying he3ide him. By this time assistance came to the spot, and the surgeon was sent for, and soon arrived, as stated above. But death speedily followed the infliction of the wound. An inquest was held in the evening at the Windmill Tavern, before Mr. F. H. Gell, coroner for East Sussex, when the above facts having been elicited in evidence, the jury returned a verdict " Temporary Derangement."