The Sun. — 1835-11-27 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.  An inquisition was held before Mr. GELL, at the Albion Tavern, Beak-street, Regent-street, on Wednesday afternoon, on the body of John M'Kerrell, Esq., a gentleman of large property, formerly holding a high situation in the civil establishment of the East India Company at Madras. Dr. James Johnson had attended the deceased professionally for the last four years, and always for the same malady—namely, an extraordinary state of delusion under which he laboured every alternate day, accompanied by most dreadful horrors and depression of mind. He did not feel himself at liberty to mention the precise delusions under which the unhappy gentleman had laboured, as he had made a solemn promise, prior to their being professionally made known to him by the deceased, that 4 would never divulge them to any human being. He migFf, , however, state that they had not the remotest reference to any act of moral guilt, or to any circumstance in which the community could have an interest, but turned on an idle circumstance, equally unimportant to himself and to others, but still were capable of producing a most extraordinary horror of mind. He last saw the deceased on Sunday, the 15th instant, which was one of his " good days," for the deceased used to designate the alternate days ".his good day and his:bad day ;" and it was a most singular fact, that the veg_day on which he committed suicide was one of his " goO days." On his " bed days* he would not see -any on't; not even witness. The deceased occupied 'apartinents at Mr. Vie- kery's, 154, Regent-street, where, when at home, he led a very retired life. He had latterly been absent at Cheltenham, and it was Wordy after his return thence that witness last saw, him,.,.when he enjoined witness not to call again until' the. tenth day ne*t ensuing. The act of suicide was committed on the very day before the 10th. Yesterday morning, in consequence of Mr. Vickery calling en him and making a communication, witness went to the deceased's apartments and found him lying with his clothes on in the :sitting room, with his face downwards, and quite dead. There was an empty phial, labelled, " prussic acid," and an empty wine glass standing on a table close by. Both had evidently recently contained this deadly poison, and from the appearance of the body he had no doubt it was the sole cause of the deceased's death. The delusion was a species of monomania, leaving him on all other points perfectly sane at all times. The malady occurred with undeviating regularity every alternate day ; whether travelling by sea or by land, or however circumstanced, the deceased declared his attacks were always precisely the same as to the period of occurrence and duration. They commenced Is hen he woke, and never left him all the day through. The deceased described the disease to have had its rise about four years ago, immediately-after the first election for the Borough of Paisley, when he was a candidate for its representation, but was defeated. It was not so severe at first, but has been gradually increasing in strength ever since. The deceased was a highly educated Gentleman, of very superior intellectual powers. He bad seen very few men equal to him. Doctor Robert Lee, physician, of Golden-square, was called in after the deceased's death, and saw him about seven o'clock the same evening. He had no doubt death was caused by prussic acid. An empty phial and wine-glass which had contained this poison were lying on the table, and by their side was a sealed letter, addressed to Mrs. Vickery, which Mr. Vickery took up and broke the seal, in the presence of witness, and read.—The letter was here produced. The following is a verbatiM copy  " 154, Regent-street, Nov. 24. "My dear Mrs. Vickery,—My mind is so completely unhinged by long suffering, that I have at length determined on committing suicide. I have written to my family to inform them of my intention, and my brother will probably proceed to London as soon as my letter is received. Keep my keys in your possession till his arrival, and then deliver to him my effects. He will settle all my accounts. I wish you and Mr. Vickery health and happiness, and that your family may pros per. I am, truly yours,  " J. M'