The Sun. — 1817-01-04 (London, England)

CORONER :5' I NQUES IS.  SUICIDE. Thursday night 'an Inquest was held at St. Thomas's Hospital, before T. SnaLT6H, Esq. •Cornnerfor London, on the body of Hugh Doyle, 'a "boy, aged only 13 years, who put a period to hit existence by blowing his brains out. John Murphy, of Old-street-road, said,jhe was a neighbour of the deceased's tither, wi.O is a traveller, and lives a feW doors from w itness's' house. Oa Thursday, the 26th of December last, he met him at thehaek of his home,- talking to his landlord ; they walked a little way, when the last mentioned person left them ; the hthev- of the tleerasvil titers informed witness his son had robbed. hint of some money. They returned to the back of the house, and tound 'the deceased here, when his father calkd hint a rasca4 and a villain, and reproached hint for hilt improper CODduet. Witness said, Well, Sir, this is a pretty thing yon hate been doing, .robbing your father, &e."' and gave him some good advice, to which he'paid nor a•tention, but walked away, and went Into the house. Winless anti the deCeased's titer (Mr. Doyle) Ixent into an adjoining pntilie• house, and had a pint of porter, but had nut been there Jong before a school-fellow of one of Mr. Doyle's sons came running, in, and said Master Doyle's ear was bleeiling.very melt ;. they, went. to the honie inuuediately,• and ,t6.their astonishment found .the deceased lying on the floor in'a state of insensibility, and weltering in I,k bloosk po,:ket pistol ;svas lying by his side, which bad' been ilisebargeti hr his ear. A brace of pistols were always lying loaded on the mantle-piece, when Mr. Doyle: Was its town. Very few perSoiss heard the report of the p;stol. Some blacksmiths were at tie door for Christmas,liq%es', as Mr. Doyle kept a 'intake, with whose assistance they pat the deceased gently into a chair, and then to bed, The only words by ottertA all the titne-were, " Pray do' not• hint me." A medical Gentleman as' sent for, who blvd him, anti ordered him to he kept quit! The unfortunata•yonth wins taken to the hovitul tin xt day, lie had'heard the de• ceased was a very bad boy, and behaved its a very (140beThent maitour to his parents, who Were very indulgent to him.  111 r. Doylc, rather of the deceased, Said, his decease l sou been apprenticed to a 111t1SiC string-, In..lkee, in which. bosiness' there is a great deal of brimstooe used; this had so materially injured his that he was obliged to put him tinder the 'bands of a medical man, and he recovered ; he was persuaded not to, send him to the 'above business any more, but to bt ing hint up its a butcher, and he was to have left him hr iiitort time. On Cloris,tmas.tiaylast witness's wife dined (It'd friend's house in the tummy, (where the was, to have staid some time) and witness dined at a friend's, ;caving only the deceased a.l the servant to mind the house. The next morning, on going to his drawer,' he missed a 'considerable qiiantit y 01 silver, and in the presence of the last witness, charged the deceased with the robbery, which was confessed ; be reproached him with his shameful behaviour, and threatened to send hint to sea ; • he paid no at. tention to him, but walked away. He was of a very morose disposition, and whenever witness or. Ilia wife asked hull anytituestions, he would gristlier sharply, or not at all. Mr. Thomas Taylor, a dresser of the hospital, said, the deceased was received into the Hospital on Friday evening last; the ball was close to the right ear, and the pistol must have been pat to that ear, as the flesh was moil lacerated. Be Was bled, arid every attention paid to him. The Sur. genii who examined hint could feel the fractured bone, but not the bull ; the temple bone had been forced downward toward the angle of the muscle near the neck. He was sometimes sensible and sometimes delirious, but never informed witness what his reason was for committing the desperate act. lie died on Triesday,evening, and attar his death the head :was opened ; the brain WAS disco. vered to he very Much !njuted.. A female belonging to the Hospital stated, that during the deceased's confinement he • had been very penitent, and was frequently praying dermas ly for .forgiveness of his sins. ,The Coroner having read over the whole of the evidence, the Jury retired to aliotber room, where they remained about halt au hour, and on their return,  'Die Foreman stiited to the Cmoner, that not having heard the slightest: proof of the dereasi.;,d'ainsauity, •t we've of ahem agrecd t,n a loenliet of lido de se, hist that on the contrary side, the other four (the Jury was coinpu,cll, SIXtVcII pcions) were of. opinion he committed the act in a fit of mental derangement, uhc.n The Coroner replied, that whenever a Jury is composed of mole.thrin twelve, it OVCIVO of that Jury were of one (Tinian, it .wasistifficiunt,; .and a Verdict. was lecortlitiglygi.otnt of--14 Pelt) de sr~, • Mr. SHELTON w;ls tlbota to leave the room, wheii applicatiuu w made by the (Levi:4lyd); .4L •• thus., thtongi, the .of Another person, lin Ilk consent to the removal of the body for into went, when Mr. S. said, that however •paiutlit the Verdict might be to the feelings of the portal, he was obliged to refuse his setrtest.