The Express. — 1866-06-18 (London, England)

SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF A DANCING MASTER IN FETTER-LANE.  INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.) This afternoon Mr. W. J. Payne, the deputy coroner, held an inquiry at the White Horse Tavern, Fetter-lane, touching the death of Thomas Burris, aged 32 years, who was supposed to have committed suicide. Mr. S. l'yne, White Horse Tavern, said that the deceased lived at his house for, the last six weeks. He was " hard up," and he was a supernumerary at theatres. On last Saturday morning he was found in bed ill. A doctor was sent for, but he did nothing for him, but said that the parish doctor ought to be sent for. When a second doctor came the man was dead. Witness did not believe that the deceased bad enough of food to keep him properly. The deceased was ill in bed all Friday. Samuel Cleveland said that the deceased told him that he was a native of Manchester. He said that he was by profession • dancing master. He used to be employed at the Italian Opera. He was very badly off, and on Thursday last witness gave him his tea and two tickets for the theatre. Witness told him he could sell the tickets and get a little money. On last Saturday witness saw him lying insensible on the bed, and Mr. Stone, a doctor, was sent for. He said that the deceased bad taken laudanum, but he did nothing for him. He said, " Send for the parish doctor," and he then left. Witness tried to rouse the deceased by holding him up in the bed and shaking him. While doing so, three bottles, which bad contained laudanum, were discovered under the deceased's pillow. They were labelled " Harwood, chemist, Manchester." Coroner—Do you mean to say that the doctor did nothing for the man who was lying in an unconscious state after he had taken laudanum ! Witness—Yea, sir. Coroner—Then I suppose common humanity made you send to a second doctor ? The witness said that the deceased expired before the  second doctor had time to come. Arthur Pope said that he heard Mr. Stone say to Mr. Pyne, when he was looking at the insensible man, " Are you going to pay me for this"" When he received an answer in the negative he left, although he believed the deceased was suffering from the effects of poison. It was I then half-past 9 o'clock in the morning. The deceased died at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. A parish order had to be got for the parish doctor. Dr. Reed, parish doctor, said that be received the order for attendance on the deceased in usual oourse. At first he did not know it was a poison ease and he was going to take the ease on his rounds, and he did not go to see the deceased at once. A second message came, and witness went and found the man dead. The post mortem examination proved that the calm of death was the effect of laudanum poisoning. The deceased's lungs were diseased, and he might have taken the laudanum to alleviate  pain. Coroner—When Mr. Stone came and allowed his pocket to interfere with his humanity would remedial measures for laudanum poisoning have been beneficial? Witness—Yes, but I cannot say that his life would have been saved. for the laudanum was acting upon a con. sumptive man. Prompt measurer ought to have been used when the man was found suffering from poison. The Coroner said that the parish reliev -ofacer's order was very imperfect. There was nothing about it to indicate that the case was an urgent one. An unfortunate man had been left for several hours in a dying state in a large hotel, surrounded by people, and centre of London. He felt certain that Dr. Stone would yet regret his conduct upon the occasion. The jury returned the following special verdict, "That the deceased expired from the mortal erects of laudanum poisoning, but whether the deceased's death was canoed by design or accident there is no evidence to show, and the jury say that parish orders granted by relieving offloars ought to be more explicit, and that in all such cases the word 'urgent' ought to be written on the order, and the jurors further say that they regret that Dr. Stone did not give more attention to the deceased when be was called in to attend him."  At a recent masquerade ball in Chicago an angel with wings wore spectacles: