The Express. — 1868-09-05 (London, England)

THE CHIEF CLERKS IN CHANCERY.—Yeeterdny at the Rolls Chambers, Mr. Marshall, the Chief Clerk' concluded his ittings, and got through a list of 86 applications. He will be succeeded by Mr. Hawkins. Eirstoes FIRS EscArz Aocrozwr.—Last evenmg a number of new fire escapee, similar in construction and turned out by the same maker as obtained the prim medals at the Great Exhibition of MU and also at the International Exhibition. were publicly tested at the depot of the metropolitan brigade at Doctors-commons. The machines had been subjected to the preliminary test of three or four firemen running up and down them ; and then six men were sent up one of the machines, when it broke with a loud crash. Two of the men were precipitated head foremost down an opening leading to the basement of the old Prerogative-court, and are supposed to have received concussion of the brain. They were taken to the hospital, and it is feared are past recovery. Several of the others received flesh wounds and other injuries. DIsTKESSESO Lunkester held an inquest certerilay at the University College Hospital on the btslc of Walton Barnes, aged 54, of 26, Rutland-street, Hampstead-road. who. after becoming bankrupt through being called of as surety for a irked, committed suicide by taking an excessively large dose of laudanum. The widow of deceased, who was very much affected during the examinutien. stated that her husband, who was a cabinetmaker. Lad been in very low spirits lately in cote. sequence of their home having been broken up. Ho became security for a relation of his about twelve months ago, and when the money became due he was called upon to lay it, and was thus made bankrupt. He threatened to taie p0i,441, awl ou Tuesday last, after shutting his wife salt of doors, he carried his threat into execution. He had given way partially to habits of drinking, and his mind was probably the more easily thrown off its balance in consequence. After ridding himself of the presence of his wife the deceased (as was ascertained by -Lis subeequent statement) iiroceeded to six different chemists, and loirrlin,ed two pennyworth of luulinuin at each, thus avoiding suspicion by the smallness of the quantities purchased, and then mixing the entire shillingsworth with some rum, drank it. Atter taking the fatal dose deceased went up stains from the room in which he had taken the poison to a Miss Moore. who was visiting at the house at the time, and said to her, "Good bye, I am going away." "Where to i•" interrogated Mew Moore. " Out of the world in less than an hour," was the response, as the deceased retreated down stairs, followed by the young lady, who anxiously supplemented her former inquiry, by asking him whether he had taken anythin "Yes,' he replied, " and you can see what I have takeng. if you look in the next room." An immediate search in the next room resulted in the discovery of a small bottle labelled " poison," with several other bottles which had evidently been used. A medical gentleman, after examin• ing the bottles, forced an emetic down deceased's throat, much against his will, and then had him removed to the hospital, where he was, by order of the surgeons, walked up and down the hall fora great length of time, in the hope that the exercise would overcome the deadly influence of the opium, but in spite of all efforts to the contrary he expired the same night shortly before 12. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind."  THE DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT PORTSmorrn.—At the Portsmouth borough police court yester. day Thomas Gitlin, a private in the 33rd Regiment, recently returned from Abyssinia, and Amos Homett, a private in the Military Tram, were brought up ou remand. charged with steeling a gold watch, a gold ring, a pocket compass, and a silvermounted riding whip, with violence, from the person of Mr. A Marshal, a gentleman residing temporarily at the Isle of Wight. From the evidence adduced it appeared that the prosecutor met the prisoners in lit. eieorge's-square, Poetess, at a quarter to three on the previous Wednesday morning, and asked them to conduct him to the beach, in order that he might find a boatman to take him across to Hyde. They consented to do so, and walked with him for about ten minutes, when one of them tripped him up, and while he was on the ground they both tilled his pocket', taking the above-named articles, which were together of the value of 601. The prisoners, who had nothing to say, were committed for trial at the Winchester same for birOway robbery. '