The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1890-10-04 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

SUICIDE IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.  England's national cathedral (says a London correspondent) was desecrated on Sunday morning by one of that class of tragical ' events which, whilst exciting the pity of mankind, cannot but arouse, under circumstances such as those that attended the suicide on Sunday, a sense of profound indignation. Why is it that men weary of this world's existence, so often select for the scene of their exodus a place or a time that makes their self-wrought murder an exceptionally revolting spectacle? St. Paul's- cathedral was tolerably full by the time the Rev. Prebendary Ayton had ascended the pulpit. Shortly afterwards, when the preacher had barely terminated the introduction of his sermon on "Humility," the report bf a firearm startled the congregation, inducing everybody to turn in the direction whence it came. The sound was not loud, though it was evident that a shot had been fired ; but no groan or cry escaped a presumably wounded man. Fully four seconds elapsed before another report was heard, and this time there was no longer room for doubt that a crime had been committed. After the discharge of the second shot it seemed to me from the spot where I was seated that somebody had been murdered ,but no cry for help was heard. For the few seconds during which the terrible deed was being enacted the sacred edifice was enwrapped in profound and expectant silence. The preacher interrupted his discourse, and his hearers, most of whom had stood up, were, as it were, rooted to the ground with amazement. But there was not a trace of panic. Presently those whose duty it was to attend to the matter arrived, and the victim of his own act was carried out of the cathedral. He had selected a chair not far from the pillar which is exactly opposite the so-called "stairfoot" door leading to the gallery. But,seated at some little distance from his immediate neighbours, there was no possibility of restraining him from fully carrying out the object he had had in view by preventing his discharge of the second shot; and up to the moment when he had fired the first barrel of his revolver he had attracted no special notice. The body of this wretched being was conveyed by the police in a hansom cab to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, as the functionaries of the law entertained a hope, a vain one, as it seemed to me, when I saw the victim's face, that life was not quite extinct. He was an individual of about forty years of age and of sallow complexion. After a brief interruption the service was continued, but a sense of intense horror pervaded the whole congregation, wards attracted by morbr where the fatal deed signs whatever of what As the police immediately none of the cathedral any detail beyond the shot himself. It was promptitude of action fussiness and noise on tb with the removal of melancholy event was m est commotion or distuil  and  Lumbers  were  curiosity to the spot I committed, though no d occurred were visible. took the matter in hand, iuthorities were aware of Lere fact that a man had doubtless owing to the and the absence of all 1 part of those entrusted le dead body that the attended by the slightto public order.  was  had  mere  !bance  The Bishop of Lick&ll nearly a hundred Noncr in his diocese at the  on Monday entertained 'ministers resident  ceedings commenced witi which his lordship spoke and this was followed 1 quently by a short servi preacher being the Rev. CADBURY'S Cocos..---" Of economical nature, _free sugar." --Health,  , Lichfield. The proa devotional meeting, at on the subject of unity, by luncheon, and subseice in the cathedral, the Canon Curteis. ' full strength; of a highly from lidded starch and