Glasgow Courier. — 1857-06-23 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1857.  SUICIDE BY A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER  PROM GLASGOW. STELE/NE, JUNE IB.—An inquest was held this day in the Abercorn Arms Hotel, by J. Hamilton, Esq., coroner, and a respectable jury, on the body of Robeit Chalmers,. traveller in the employment of the firm of Collins & Son, paper manfaeturers, Glasgow. From the evidence produced it appeared that the deceased came to the Abereorn Arms Hotel by the van from Letterkenny, on Saturday evening last. The waiter observed nothing in his manner which would lead him to believe that he meditated self-destruction. The deceased had some conversation with him in reference to a travelling bag of which he appeared to be very careful. Having procured • label, he addressed it to Mu. Chalmers, 18, Little Hamilton Street, Glasgow, and gave it in charge to him,* the nine time handing him two half crown., which be said would clear the way of the bag if he should not be alive In the morning. He then asked to be &rented to an apothecary's, and having given him the necessary directions, he went out, and he (the waiter) sew no more of him that night; however, it appeared that he returned to the hotel and slept there; on the following morning he got up so early as five o'clock, and walked about for some time, after which he returned to his bedroom and remained there until one o'clock, when he came down to the commercial room; he then had some bitter beer and smoked a pipe, his asked the assistant waiter, a lad named William Gordon, if there was any place in the neighbourhood where he could bathe, but he did not go to have a bath; he again retired to his bedroom, and during the day he partook of no food, as he complained of being Ill; near to six o'clock the deceased rang the bell, and Gordon, on going into the room, found him in a stooping posture, the blood flowing from his arm, and a large quantity of blood upon the carpet; a razor was lying near to him with blood upon the blade. When Gordon went into the room he said, 'Look at this, what I have been doing to myself;' he (Gordon), assisted by the other servant., bound up the wonnd until they procured Mr. Symth, the superintendent of Eames' medical establishment, to dress it. Mr. Smyth deposed to having seen the deceased at Mr. Eames' about a quarter past 8 o'clock on Saturday evening; he asked him Tor a composing draught, and complained of being 11l from recent excesses. He was about preparing the draught, but the deceased declined to have it, and asked to be supplied with a quantity of laudanum, which be said made'him all right when similarly affected. 'The qua/silty he desired was greater than he went.] give, and he ultimately supplied him with two drachma, which was not an overdose for persons in the state he then was. Was called in to see him on Sunday evening; found a gash wound on the outside of the left arm imrnedia ely over the elbow joint; the veins were cut, but the artery was untouched. Whilst be was dressing the wound the deceased evinced great anxiety to know if he would succeed In stopping the blood, and seemed to regret what he had done. His attention was called to three empty phials which were on the dressing table in the room. They had contained laudanum, and deceased told him he had taken the contents of them, but his stomach was in so iritated a state that he threw it off again. Witness had a good deal of conversation with the deceased. He was in a very depressed state, owing to his having lost some money (about £l2), and not being successful In getting orders. He seemed to regret the act which he had done, and desired that a Presbyterian clergyman should be sent for. Deceased lost in all between thirty and forty ounces of blood, and the witness stated that the cause of death was exhaustion occasioned by loss of blood. Witness had been in attendance on him from Sunday evening up to the time of his death, which took place at two o'clock on Wednesday morning. The laudanum be took had nothing to do with causing death, as there was none of it in the system. R. Little, Esq., M.D., first saw the deceased on Monday morning, and fully confirmed the evidence of the former _witness as to the cause of death. _  The jury found a verdict in accordance with the above facts. Every attention was paid to the unfortunate young man from the commit/Mon of the rash act until he breathed his jut by Me. Sims, the proprietor of the hotel, and his family. He has left a mother and two sisters to deplore his melancholy fate.—Correspondent of Saunders' News-Letter.