The Sun. — 1858-09-07 (London, England)

CHARLES T. M'CLENECHAN, SECRETARY TO JOINT COMMITTEE OF COMMON COUNCIL OF NEW YORK. Sir, I beg that you will convey to the Common Council of the city of New York the best thanks of myself and of the officers of this ship for the honour they have conferred upon us by their kind invitation of this day, which it will give us most sincere pleasure to accept if the permission solicited from the Admiralty should arrive in time. If not, we shall carry back with us to England their kind message, as the first-fruits of the united labours of American and English naval officers. JOSEPH DAYMAN, Commander, H.M.S. Gorgon. St. John's, August 13, 1858.  MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE at EDINBURGH  The additional partieulars which have transpired. in connexion with this painful case since yesterday (Friday) morning, do something, though not much, so far as they can be relied upon, to dispel the mystery in which it is enshrouded. The old gentleman who accompanied Miss :Moffat from London was brought up again yesterday and further examined in the Procurator Fiscal's office. He describes himself as Thomas Gray, a retired merchant, in easy circumstances, residing at Monastery-house, Poplar-road, London, near the West India Docks, and from his statement it appears that the young lady who has met such a frightful end was the daughter of his sister (not of his niece, as formerly stated) who married Mr. Moffat, a tailor in Camden-town, London. Mr.. Gray has been a widower for the last two years, during which period his niece lived with him, and acted as his housekeeper. He was much attached to her, and left her £loo.a year for life in his will, which he would readily prove by sending for that document from London, and producing it. They came down to Scotland merely on a pleasure excursion, and during the passage down in the steamer she was much fatigued. He could not understand her motive for committing suicide, but she had been nervous and in very low spirits for some time back. They had drunk toddy together on several occasions since coming to Edinburgh, and he thought the Scotch whisky had increased her disorder. It is said that on taking up their lodgings in Mr. Russell's, on Monday evening, they brought part of a bottle of brandy with them, that they subsequently got in a bottle of whisky, and that nearly all this liquor had been used by them principally in the shape of punch or toddy. We mentioned formerly that the deceased had expressed some uncomfortableness at Mr. Gray's conduct towards her, and her suspicions that he had drugged.her toddy. The medical man viewed these suspicions as nervous excitement ; but we understand that these and other circumstances had rendered Mr. Russell dissatisfied with his lodgers, and determined him to get rid of them as soon as practicable. However this may be, all the circumstances of this melancholy case, so far as they have hitherto been elucidated, point unmistakeably to the conclusion that, whatever the disposing cause, the deceased met her death by her own hand. Mrs. Dunlop, who was seated in a room immediately below that occupied by Miss Moffat, and who heard the fall of a heavy body on the floor at 12 o'clock on Wednesday night, listened to hear if any person came to lift it up, but no footstep was heard, and, from the position of the rooms, it appears indisputable that any struggle or even footsteps coining or retiring at that hour would have been heard by a person below. Mr. Gray, we may mention, has never been, properly speaking, in custody, but has from the first voluntarily placed himself under the surveillance of the police. Further and probably concluding examinations will take place to-day before the authorities.—Edildorryh Courant.