The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1879-08-23 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE AT A WORMIOUSE.—An inquest was held at the Islington Workhouse, on Friday, relative to the death of James Tompkins,. aged 73, an inmate, who committed suicide by jumping out of a window. It appeared that the deceased was formerly a watchmaker, and was in business for himself, but through misfortune he was reduced in circumstances, and some four years ago was obliged to become an inmate of the workhouse. He had often threatened to commit' suicide, and on Wednesday week, about half-past eleven the deceased was found lying on the gravel path of the garden. He was picked up and taken to bed, and, in answer to Dr. Cowan's questions, he said that he threw himself out of the window because he wanted to die, as he was tired of his life. He expired on Monday last. The Jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.  The Society for the Propagation of th Gospel in Foreign Parts has recently received, in new subscriptions, donations, and legacies, the sum of .£11,053.  The foot and mouth disease has broker but among the sheep upon the farms in Cambridgeshire, and so extensive is it that in regard to Bottisham a special order has been issued.  -During the session which has just closed there have been no fewer than 237 divisions taken. Sixty-one were upon the Army Discipline and Regulation Bill, and ten upon the Public Works Loans Bill.  EXODUS TO THE HARVEST FlELDS.—Numbers of Irish men and women started from London on Monduy, to tramp down to the corn districts in Kent and Surrey in search of work in the harvest fields. At present, however, the reaping and mowing of corn have scarcely commenced, and the season is much later than usual. This class of labourers generally goes hop picking after the corn harvest. The agricultural statistics for Ireland for the current year show a decrease of the acreage under all crops of 82,217 acres as compared with last year. There is an increase in the acreage under wheat, barley, beans and peas, mange!, beet root, and flax; and a decrease in oats, bere and rye, potatoes, turnips, cabbage, and green crops, vetches and rape, meadow and clover. The returns of live stock show an increase in horses, mules, asses, cattle, anl poultry; and a decrease in sheep, pigs, and goats. An extraordinary accident happened on Friday, at Halstead, to Miss Elizabeth Heath, aged thirtyone. The sufferer is the daughter of a retired gentleman, of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, and had for some two months been staying at Halstead with her aunt. About two o'clock on Friday morning groans were heard, and upon one of the servants going to a spot at the bott:im of a flight of stairs he found Miss Heath in a popl of blood, and suffering from dreadful injuries to the bead. In answer to questions put to her she said, "Oh, I believe I was asleep, and fell down the stairs." There was a candlestick close to her, the candle being extinguished. She had been known to walk in her sleep ttvice before. On one occasion she was seen walking about her father's house after midnight, and was subsequently seen to open a door and walk into the garden, being then fast asleep. She has received a severe shock, and her face and head are very badly cut.  A correspondent of the Times calls attention to a danger which exists of a wholesale importation into this country of the Colorado beetle. It is the practice to sell the surplus hay with which the cattle imported into this country from America are supplied, openly on the quays in Liverpool, in order to lessen the cost of transit. The writer says that as the Colorado beetle abounds everywhere in Canada, the hay pressed for use on shipboard must contain many of them, or their ova at least. The writer suggests that this fodder should be destroyed by fire, for, if thrown into the water, vast numbers of the beetles reach the land alive, and they even cross broad rivers in thousands. Once introduced into a country their extirpation is very difficult, if not impossible, for fowls will not eat them, and as they breed twice or three times a year they increase amazingly, and they are as destructive to the potato as_a swarm of locusts.  A painful sensation was created in Whitchurch, on Saturday, on it becoming known that that morning Miss Hamnet, of Prees, Shrewsbury (for many years residing at Whitchurch), a maiden lady of independent means, had died from the effects of taking a dose of Battie's vermin killer on Thursday niuht. It appears that some few years ago Miss Hamnet was induced to take some shares in an iron mine in Yorkshire. For a short time she received a dividend at the rate of £l2 per cent. per annum. Before long, however, the mine became a losing affair, and several "calls" were made on Miss Hamnet. A fortnight ago there was an Aber call of £3O for the purpose, it is said, of winding up the estate. This so preyed on the mind of Miss Hamnet that she committed suicide. Dr. Bowers, of Prees, was in constant attendance on the poor lair, but all his skill failed to save her life. EXCITING SCENE AT THE BIRMINGHAM HOBE' Strow.—The Birmingham and Midland Counties Horse and Hound Show was brought to a close on Friday. There was a larva att,ndance-o witness the jumping competition. During a contest Erin, a remarkably bold fencer, after cleverly clearing the water jump, took the fencing at the end of the ground near the luncheon pavilion, clearing the spectators, who were standing five or six deep at this spot. No one was seriously injured by this somewhat astonishing leap. One gentleman received a slight kick in the back part of his head. The rider a young lad, was quite unable to control his horse, which Lubsequently felt an inclination to repeat the performance. It is estimated the animal must have cleared about thirty seven teet. Miss Pollard, who rode Confidence was accidentally thrown after safely jumping the ditch. The horse appeared to stumble when gaining his footing, and Miss Pollard was thrown on her head. There is no douht that her hat saved her from sustaining any serious injury. She immediately remounted and cleared the fences in an admirabl style and was loudly applauded.