The Express. — 1850-02-06 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE AND MURDER.—AI inquest wee held on Monday evening, before Mr. A. H Eat. 114 i, coroner for Beth, on the body of • man about 37 years of age, named Edmund Francis Hunt, who committed suicide by jumping into the river Avan with his child, a little girl about two years and a half old. The deceased was • plasterer by trade, and an honest and industrious man, having worked for one master upwards of twenty years. His wit.% however, had • great predilection for stealing, and has several times been epprthended on charges of shoplifing. The pot felbw seems to have experienced great anxiety and sorrow "on aceotint:of his wife's conduct, and upon the last occasion of her apprehension, three or four months sito, he declared that if she again brought him into similar disgrace, he would do away with himself. On Saturday night last as he was returning home a neighbour informed him that his wife had been again apprehended on • charge of shoplifting. Hunt immediately hastened home. At the inquest his son, Edmund Hunt, dappled ' am thirteen years of ago. and am the ablest child of the deceased Edsant Francis Hunt. I have two younger hero' hers at home, and another brother, a baby, who is with my mother at the police station. My mother was taken to the station-house on Saturday night, but I do not know for what. My father returned home about one o'cloi 1. I was sitting up for him. I think he was tipsy when he came In, because he brought home a can of beer with him, and he never did that helm but once, and then he was tipsy. As awn as father came home, be asked " Where's mother ?" and I told him I did not know. My little sister, who was up stairs in bed, then called out " Father!" My father told me ta go up stairs, end fetch her. When I went up stain my father was sitting by she fire in the front parlour, but wh.n I came down with my sister, he was sitting by the door of the back perkier which door leads down by two pairs of Mope to the river. I gave him my sister, and asked him to come up to bed. He gave my sister a drop of beer, and told me to go up to bed, and said he sheadd not see my face any more. I went up to bed, cad when I was in bed I bead my father go out and shut the back-door. I then heard him say something to my sister, but I could not understand what it was. My enter was two-and-a.half years old. She was my only sister, and my father was particularly fond of her. He liked bar better than all the rem of us, and &ten had her brought down stairs to him when he muse home. On Sunday morning, when I came down stain, my father's hat was upon the table, the candlewick was in the wash-house, and the gate leading to the water waa open. Father was not angry with me when he asked where mother was, but seemed kind to me. My mother has been taken up before for stealing. My father at those theca wee almost out of his mind. It was further shown that souse neighbArre, having become acquainted from the children with their father and sister's absence, their suspicions were aroused, and the river having been dragged, the body of the unfortuaate mu was pulled up about 60 yards below las own bone,. Hie arms were folded over his chest, as *ones embrneieg something. The water was very dash at the time, and the Odd mast have been swilled eat of her father's arms, the body having been discovered in the rte. r on Monde y, eighteen miles below when that of the father was found. The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary instioky." The woman was oe Mohday committed by the City magistrates to take her trial for shoplifting at th • neat sessions.