The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1856-02-12 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DOCK COMMITTEE.—The weekly meeting of this -committee _ _  390770  was held on Thursday; Mr. C. Thirner in the chair. On the recommendation of the sub-committee of works, the tender of Messrs. Thomas Vernon and Son, for the construction of two wrought-iron girder bridges at the north coal railway, for g 3,630, was accepted ; the tender of Messrs. John and Thos. Johnson, for supplying steam and house coal for a period of two years, was also accepted; also that of Mr. Daniel Chadwick, for supplying marline, Le. On the recommendation of the sub-committee of the marine department, a final grant of £V.O was made to the widow of Colin Edwards, late second master of the Crosby light-ship, and a new boat of twenty-one feet was directed to be ordered for the Crosby light-ship. The harbour-masters' sub-committee recommended the payment of 20s. to William Martin, a gateman at the Prince's Dock, for saving the life of a woman who had fallen into the lockpit. The sub-committee also reported the resignation of John Postlethwaite, a dock gateman, who had been appointed piermaster at Barrow. A. communication was read from Mr. Robert Lamont, acknowledging the receipt of a note from Mr. Mason, informing him that the harbour-masters' sub-committee would give instructions to have the shed on the south side of the Clarence Dock whitewashed if he agreed to pay the cost. As he could not find that other parties paid for similar work, he requested to know what the cost would be. After some. conversation, the secretary was directed to inform Mr. Lamont that the cost of whitewashing the shed would be £l4. The hut lately used by the medical inspector of emigrants was directed to be removed to the end of Prince's Dock, for the use of the pilots, on trial. The usual circulars soliciting tenders for printing and stationery were ordered to be sent out. A note was read from Mr. R. S. Sibbold, requesting permission to place on the landing-stage one of his ship communicators and life buoys. Referred to the marine committee. This concluded the business. DISTRESSING SErICIDE.—On Friday, an inquest was held on the body of Mr. Robert Mather, 56 years of age, a retired merchant, residing at No. 68, Mount-pleasant, who committed suicide by cutting his throat. Mr. James Cooper, surgeon, the medical attendant, gave evidence that for several years past the deceased had been subject to periodical attacks of epileptic fits, which were brought on by an injury to the head which he received by a fall from a horse. On Tuesday last he was attacked again, and had seven fits during the day. On Thursday morning, when the surgeon saw the deceased, he found him very much depressed and low-spirited, refusing to take his food, and stating that he knew he should not live long. Deceased intimated to his attendant that he had taken something the night before which would have effect in a few hours, but refused to say what he had taken. The surgeon was quite satisfied that he was then labouring under a delusion, that he had not taken anything, and cautioned the family not to leave him alone, to prevent the possibility of anything taking place. This was a little before noon on Thursday. About a quarter-past six o'clock the same evening the doctor was sent for in haste, and was informed that he had cut his throat. On going into deceased's bedroom he found him lying extended on the floor, with a razor firmly grasped in his right hand, the point of which was in a wound in the throat, which extended in depth nearly to the vertebram. He was quite dead, and there was a foot-pan at his head which contained a very great quantity of blood. Mr. Cooper had no doubt but the wound in the throat was the cause of death, that it was inficted by the deceased himself, and that he was out of his mind when he committed the act. —Mr. Thomas Woollam, a cabinetmaker of Mulberry-street, whose workshop adjoins the garden of the deceased's residence, said that a servant came to him about a quarter to six on Thursday evening, and asked him to force open a door. He went to the deceased's bedroom door, and found it fastened on the inside. Having procured a ladder he placed it against the bedroom window, and sent up one of his young men to open the window. The young man went up and partly opened the window, but was afraid to go in. Mr. Woollam then went in through the window, and found the deceased lying in a pool of blood on the floor. The door was found to be bolted with what is called a night bolt. He then gave notice to the family of the occurrence. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased destroyed himself whilst rncler temporary insanity.