Star. — 1830-05-08 (London, England)

THE AUTHOR OF " LACON."  It is melancholy to reflect that men of the greatest genius are frequently the victims of their own waywardness, vices, or indiscretions. The most brilliant talents are too often eclipsed and rendered useless to society by errors of conduct. There is, perhaps, no human being now living who affords a more striking example of the truth of these remarks than the Rev. C. C. Colton, late rector of Kew, and author of one of the most valuable works in the English language, exclusively of many other scattered and fugitive productions. This gentleman, it may be remembered, disappeared under very mysterious circumstances about the time when the murder of Weare by Thurtell and his associates caused such an extraordinary sensation in the public mind. It was well known that the Rev. Mr. Colton was in the habit of carrying large sums of money about his person, and that he was not unaccustomed to visit those dens of iniquity commonly called " hells," in some of which he had met with John Thurtell. These circumstances, and the re ports which obtained circulation of that criminal's murderous plans, induced a very general suspicion that the reverend gentleman had been inveigled and destroyed by Thurtell and his companions. Thurtell, however, on being questioned a short time prior to his execution on the subject of Mr. Colton's remarkable absence, denied all knowledge of what had become of him, a denial that turned out to be perfectly true. Mr. Colton, by gambling and other extravagances, had become involved in debt to a very large amount, principally for jewellery, and unable to meet the demands of his creditors, he embarked with the utmost secrecy for the United States. He continued in America for a considerable time, and afterwards returned to Europe, but not to England. He took up his abode at Paris, and there became known to the frequenters of No. 9, and other gaming saloons of the Palais Royal. So successful was he in his speculations, that in the course of a year or two he acquired as much as five and twenty thousand pounds sterling, and happy would it have been for him if he had then forsworn gambling for ever, and invested his money, as he often talked of doing, in the American funds. He collected a considerable number of valuable paintings ; and his lodgings in the Palais Royal, though the interior sufficiently marked the eccentric character of the owner, afforded a great treat to the admirers of the finer arts.— But inveterate attachment to the gaming table rendered him some time since a beggar. He became the victim of a conspiracy, and the fancied security with which he conducted his operations was the fatality by which he was ruined. Outlawed in England he made a vain attempt to prevent the deprivation of his living at Kew. He lost it by a decree of the ecclesiastical court. He is now living at Paris in the most pitiable circumstances—a melancholy example of the vice of gaming. With a mind eminently endowed by nature with the stores of inexhaustible learning—with powers of conversation of the highest order —with talents and acquirements fitted to adorn any rank or station—he now prowls for a subsistence in the vilest haunts of the French metropolis.—Northern John Bull.  An attempt was made on Wednesday night, by some of the prisoners in Newgate, to escape from the gaol, by cutting up their straw mats, of which it was intended to make ropes of sufficient strength for the purpose ; and these were to be thrown across the outward wall, by means of a piece of lead, and held, of course, by persons in waiting. The prin,,however, was disclosed to Mr. Wontner, the Governor, in sufficient time to prevent its execution, and information of the attempt having been conveyed to the proper authorities, Mr. Sheriff Ward, and Peter Mallard, Esq. a magistrate for Middlesex, went round to the different wards of the prison, and, in conjunction with the Governor, means were adopted to prevent a repetition of the attempt. On Wednesday an inquest was held before Mr. Stirling, coroner for Middlesex, at the Sun, public-home, Lisson-grove, on view of the body of Mr. Jeremiah Wilson, who committed suicide by hanging himself. Mr. Frederick Pillon stated that he lodged in the house of the deceased, who was a baker in an excellent business, and was a married man with a large family. For some months past the deceased had been in a very dejected state of mind, the cause of which witness was unacquainted with. Several of the relatives of the deceased had been similarly affected. On Monday afternoon witness was alarmed by violent screams from Mrs. Wilson. He ran ont and met her in a pitiable state of agitation. She exclaimed, " Oh, for God's sake, Mr. Pillon, run up stairs to the bed-room, my husband has hanged himself." Witness did so, and discovered the deceased suspended to a rail of the bedstead. He instantly cut him down, but life was quite extinct, and medical aid, which was instantly procured, was of no avail. The widow was stated to be in a condition of mind bordering on phrenzy, and the jury declined wounding her feelings further by calling her before them. Several witnesses were examined, whose evidence satisfied the jury of the state of mind of the unfortunate man, end a verdict of " Temporary derangement"was returned.