Northern Times. — 1860-01-27 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SHIPWRECK ON THE, SUFFOLK. COAST AND Loss OF FIVE Lrvzs.—Aldborough Jan. 25.—About two o'clock. yesterday morning, the brig Pallas, of Shields, foundered on Bizewell Bank, during a very heavy gale of wind from S.S.E. Immediately after the vessel struck, the master and four of the crew took to her boat. The boat, however, was no sooner launched' than she instantly filled and capsized, drowning the five poor men. At break of day, when the wreck was for the first time observed from the land, the life-boat of the National Life-boat Institution, stationed at Thorpeness, was without delay manned and launched, and afterwards proceeded off through the heavy hreakets to the scene of danger' which was many miles from land., After an hour's hard toil the life-boat reached the wreck, and succeeded in taking off the rigging., in an exhausted state, ,the remaining three men, and in bringing them safely'on shore. Two fishing smack boats, with their accustomed readiness, previously tried in vain to save them. Almost benumbed with dold they had now despaired of being' rescued from their perilous position, and expected every moment to be engulphed in the boiling elements as their comradei' had been a few hours before. Their joy was therefore great when they' saw the noble life-boat riding majestically like a living being, over the rising billows approaching them, and shortly afterwards.taking them safely into its charge. EXTRAORDINARY Stricinn.--,-On Wednesday evening, Mr. C. Bedford, coroner of Westminster:held an inquiry at the workhouse of St. George's, Hanover-square, into the death of Mr. Franz Adolf Rienberg, aged thirty-one years, who committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart, at his apartments, No. 79, Tachbrookstreet, Pimlico, on Sunday,morning last. From the evidence of a large number of witnesses it appeared that the deceased had been employed as a clerk in a merchant's office in the city, and that during the time he bad been in England he had deeply involved himself in debt. He felt that he could not meet certain debts in an honourable manner, so he left his place of business, since which he has appeared much depressed. On Saturday night late Mrs. Dowley, his landlady, took him a glass of ale, and wished him good night. On Sunday morning, shortly after nine o'clock, she went into the sitting-room to draw the blinds, when she found him lying on his back on the floor in a pool of blood. Mr. Hewitt; a surgeon, was sent for, and he found deceased had been dead some time. There was a large wound in the breast iminediately over the region of the heart, and no doubt it was caused by a pistol which was found lying at his feet. The muzzle must have been placed close to the body; and the contents had. shattered the heart. Mi. Steadman, of Furnivars-inn, Holborn, said he knew the deceased,.and on Sunday night last he received an envelope from him, in which was written—" Dear Steadman,—l have shot myself. There is a longer letter for you and others, which please post to-morrow. The letters are on the mantel-piece.—Yours, &c." The letters we're produced in court, and, from their remarkable contents, created great sensation. That to Mr. Steadman was dated the 14th, and said, inter alia—" Some hours before you receive this, my life has been finished. An ounce of lead and one pennyworth or two Of powder—not a torture —did the needful. You may think this a rash step, but I am cool and collected, and not at all temporarily' insane, as the 'jury will be good enough to say— Do not read them this letter, as they maytakeoffence, and return a verdict for an example—l know nothing else will follow." The letter then went on to say that deceased was in debt ; and a postscript dated the 18th said, "But I do not like the pistol, it has only one barrel, but 1 am a .good shot—but no more nonsense."' Another •postscript, dated Simday morning, three o'clock, said, " I have looked out, the wind is blowing— lam as cool as possible—l am sorry for what lam obliged to do." The other letters were in the same strain, and a wish Was expressed that it should be said he died a natural death. The coroner summed up, and the jury returned a verdict "That the deceased committed self-destruction by slPooting himself with a pistol while Ina state of temporary insanity."