The Sun. — 1834-01-08 (London, England)

HALL.  On Tuesday morning, between two and three o'clock, as policeman 117, P division, was on duty in Acre-lane, Camberwell, he observed a man evidently labouring under great irritation of mind pacing up and down in front of some houses. The policeman, suspecting that all was not right, stood at some distance to watch the stranger's motions, when at length he saw him appioach a stall where prepared coffee was sold, and call for a cup of the beverage. When he was served with the coffee he stared around as if with the intention of seeing that no person observed what he was doing•, and then taking a large phial from his waistcoat pocket he commenced pouring the liquid it contained into the cup, and was about to swallow its contents when the policeman rushed towards him, seized his arm, and prevented him from taking the fatal draught. The stranger, on finding that his intentions were  frustrated in the first insiance, then endeavoured to convey the portion remaining in the phial to his lips, but in this attempt he was likewise disappointed, and the policeman, having reason to believe that the man centemplated self-destruction, immediately conveyed him away to the station-house. It was ascertained at the station-house that the policeman's conjectures on the subject were perfectly right, for on examining the phial it was found to contain laudanum, and that he had mixed up with the coffee a quantity of that deleterious ingredient, sufficient to deprive three men of their lives. The impression as to his intentions to destroy himself were further confirmed, when, on examining his waistcoat pocket, a note in his own hand-writing was found there, describing that he was about to destroy himself, in consequence of unhappiness of mind, arising from perpetual disagreement with his wife. He made a dying request of the finder of the note to have his body, wherever it might be found, conveyed to the residence of his wife, in order that she might have it decently consigned to the earth. The inspector on duty, perceiving that the man still exhibited great perturbation of mind, kept him there, and brought him up to the office yesterday morning, in order that the magistrates might deal with the case. When placed at the bar and asked his name, he made no hesitation in giving it, and said his name was William John Carr ; and he also freely confessed that he had procured the poison for the purpose of putting an end to a life which was embittered by the conduct of his wife towards him.  At this moment Carr's wife, a women quite old enough to be his mother, entered the office, and upon made acquainted with the circumstances, being neither betrayed or expressed any unpleasant feeling on the suljeet. She was asked by Mr. TRAIL', how long she hal been married to Nlr. Carr, and she replied that they had been wedded six months; adding that she was not surprised to hear that he had attempted to commit suicide, as he had previously made an attempt on his life. When questioned upon this point, the old wife described that when she first met Mr. Carr at Brighton he was smitten with her, and in consequence of her refusal to marry him he procured a large dose of laudanum, and, going down to the beach, swallowed it off. Ile was found soon afterwards lying in a state of insensibiltiy on the sea shore, and conveyed home, when his life was preserved by the stomachpump. Upon his recovery he declared that he had made up his mind to destroy himself in the event of her refusal to marry him ; and under the impression that he had a strong an l ardent affection for her, she at length consented to give her hand and her heart, and they were accordingly joined in :he holy bands of matrimony. Ere long, however,  she had ample reason to repent of her choice, for, instead of his paying her that attention which every married woman had a right to expect from her husband, he neglected her, sought after the society of more youthful dames, and in no way contributed to the support of the house. Owing to this conduct, and knowing that she had made a sacrifice, for she was neither so old nor yet so ugly as to preclude the possibility of meeting witli a congenial spirit to her own, with whom she might have spent the remainder of her days in happiness, and being in this disappointed, she had made up her mind never to live with her husband again. Carr implored her to change her determination, and declared that he should from henceforth act towards her in every respect so as to give her perfect satisfaction. The wife, however, was inexorable, notwithstanding Mr. MURRAY and Mr. TRAILL endeavoured to effect a reconciliation, aided also by the promises of Carr to behave better in future. The Magistrates, finding that Mrs. Carr still adhered to her former resolution, then spoke seriously to her husband on the subject of his attempt at selfdestruction, and advised him to separate from his %vile, and not think of committing an act which would hurry him into the presence of his Maker, unprepared as he must be at such a time. He was then liberated, but left the office very tin. happy in his mind.