The Sun. — 1844-12-31 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.  SUICIDE OF A FATHER, AND ATTEMPTED DaSTRUCTION OF AN ONLY CHlLD.—Shortly before noon on Saturday last, a great sensation was excited in the neighbourhood of Lower Whitecross-street, Cripplegate, by the p.evalence of a rumour that a newsvond,r, named Noh Flood, carrying on buiine-s xt N 0.50 in th:it street, a most respectable and thr4 ing tradesman, had poisoned himself, after having attempted to destroy the life of his daughter, a child not inure than eight years of age, a circumstance which, as the sequel will prove, was discovered after patient investigation to be too true. It appears that on Tuesday last the unfortunate man followed to the grave the remains of his wife. Upon the Saturday morning after her funeral he was observed to be unusually dejected, and begged of a female of the name of Scott,- who lodges, with her husband, at a neighbouring cornchandler's, to look after his shop and his daughter while he went to the several offices fit his weekly supply of newspapers and periodicals. Subsequently to this period up to Friday last, he exhibited the same deep melancholy, and upon one occasion he said to his child, " Katherine, shall you and I follow your dear mother, and go with her into the grave ?" Upon another occasion he said to Mrs. Scott, " You have been very kind to me, and so has your husband, since the death of my imp wife; di-die first, see that lam properly buried, and follow me to the grave; if either of you die before me, I will do the same for you." On Friday night, just before closing his shop, deceased appeared to be very melancholy-, and quite in a desponding state. He was heard to " I wonder how lam to get on to-morrow ; who can I leave to take charge of my business at home while s t.e.0.t0 supply my customers ?" About eleven o'clock tb.2t night he closed his shop, and in the morning of the ensuing day (Saturday last) a Mrs. Smith, to Iv:26m he was in the habit of supplying a newspaper daily, thinking he was very late, went to the shop, and I was surprised at finding the shutters closed. Wondering what could be the matter, she went up stairs, and after having informed the neighbours of the fact, she went to the door of the sleepingroom, to which she was attracted by the piteous cries of a child calling upon her father in the most imploring manner to " awake." Upon trying the door of the room it was found to be fastened on the inside. Assistance was immediately procured, and upon entering the room the poor fellow was discovered upon the bed, apparently in a dying state, from the effect of some narcotic poison, a bottle which had contained laudanum lying beside him, and his daughter unable to move from the effects of a similar dose, her extremities being partially in a paralysed state. Medical assistance was sent for, the stomach pump was had recourse to without delay, and some portion of the stupifying liquor was ejected. Other remedial measures were tried, but the patient appearing to be sinking fast, immediate steps were taken for his removal to the hospital of St. Bartholomew, where he was received about two o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday. Notwithstanding the utmost exertions of Mr. Reid, the housesurgeon on duty, and the utmost attention on the part of W. Lawrence, Esq., and other eminent men connected with the establishment, it proved that the deadly draught had done its work, and deceased expired within an hour and a half of his admission. Remedial measures were resorted to for the recovery of the child, through which she so far recovered as to he able to give an account of the tragical occurrence, which she does with the most artless simplicity, and with a degree of intelligence far beyond her years. Upon the table in the room was found a letter folded, of which the following is a copy My wish is to be iitifiefl with my poor wire; and Mr.,.. Scott, ofsl, ‘Vhitecross-street, and Mrs. Kingsmill, living at a cornchandler's, just by St. Giles's church, at the top of tiolborn—tbat these two persons bury me, and they shall have all my goods. (Signed) " N.