Glasgow Courier. — 1853-08-04 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

PRUSSIC ACID.  A shocking case of suicide, by taking prussic acid, occurred at Carmarthen on Thursday, which, from the respectability and position in life of the family of the deceased, has attracted a great deal of attention. From inquiries since made, it appears that the unfortunate man, Mr. W. S. Harris, was the son of Mr. Harris, an ex-M.P. for the borough of Leicester, and he himself was a member of the Town Council, and largely engaged in the stocking trade. The deceased has left a widow and six children to lament his loss. It seems that he laboured under an apprehension that his embarrassments were of an irretrievable character, which was far from being the fact; that he left his home on Monday last for Rugby, where he wrote a long and wandering statement of his affairs to his friends, and went from Rugby to Swansea, whence he wrote to say that his body would be found at Carmarthen. It appears that the night before he conanitted the rash act he arrived at Carmarthen by the train at 11 o'clock. He put up at the Boar's Head, and called for a glass of spirits and water, and after remaining some time in company with several commercial gentlemen. he retired to bed, requesting the chambermaid to call him at about 8 o'clock, which she did, but, receiving no answer, after knocking loudly at his door for some time, she became alarmed and called her master. Mr. Morgan, the landlord, finding the door nnloeked, at once entered the chamber, and found the gentleman a corpse, and lying across the bed undressed. The superintendent of police was at once sent for, who, after some delay, succeeded in discovering the name of the deceased under the collar of his coat, and also a note on the Leicester bank. He at once proceeded to the railway station and telegraphed a message to the superintendent of Leicester, requesting him to ascertain if any person of the name of W. S. Harris was known in that town, and if no, for his relatives to communicate immediately to Carmarthen, as he had been found dead in his bed. Before this communication could be received •at Leicester, a message was despatched by the friends of the deceased there, addressed to tile mayor of Carmarthen, requesting immediate search to be made for Mr. Harris, and if found to cause care to be taken of him until the arrival of his friends at Carmarthen. Some of his connexions subsequently arrived and identified the body. All the circumstances connected with the unfortunate gentleman's decease lease no doubt of its being by his own hand, as a bottle of prussic acid was found by his side, and in bed alongside of the deceased wrs a Riese tumbler. In his pocket was a draught on the Leicester Bank for Zo3 odd. An inquest has been held on the body, and subjoined is an abstract of the evidence adduced. Mr. David It. Morgan deposed to the deceased having come to his house as stated abdve. He said the firm IA belonged to was in the wholesale haberdashery line, and remarked, We have not been in the habit of coming to this country for several years.' He spoke in a coherent way, and witness did not notice anything peculiar in his., manners. He took two glasses of whisky and water in the course of the evening—nothing else. He was not in drink or any way excited. The witness narrated the circumstance of his having been called by the chambermaid the next morning, and his going to the room where the deceased was with Mr. Suweroft. Mr. Sowcroft took a small bottle off the dressing table, which was marked in print 'poison,' and exclaimed, This is the thing that has done it.' The deceased was on his back in bed, with the bedclothes, which were quite smooth, drawn up to his chin. His hands were clinched and leaning on his chest, his legs straight, his face very pallid, but other. in natural. A glass tumbnr was found by his side in the hod. Witness went for Mr. Williams, surgeon, and brought him with him, as also a policeman. Mr. Williams examined the bottle, and said it had contained prussic acid. The door was not bolted. Frances Davis, chambermaid, deposed to showing the deceased to bed about a quarter to two in the morning. She told hint she was very sorry to show him that room, but if he was there another night he would get a better Deceased • "e no anawar, bat, an. her wet do mo Well tor. me.' LA a mall pew p.m),  _