The Sun. — 1839-10-21 (London, England)

ANOTHER SUICIDE AT THE  MONUMENT.  grace. The Chaplain of St. Anne's Society Schools, who, with the secretary, the master, and the house steward, were in attendance, then handed to the Coroner one of their books of the proceedings of the Society, from which Mr. Payne read an entry as follows :—" Robert Donaldson Hawes—father a coachman of good character—mother a widow, father having died insane." The ColtoNEß (to Mrs. Hawes)—ls this correct, that the father of the deceased died insane ? Witness (in a low tone)—His father destroyed himself.  A Juror—Have you any reason to suppose that the deceased was in any degree harshly treated by his master ? Witness—l never heard him make any such complaint. Mr. M'Donald, surgeon, of No. 23, Princes-street, Cavendish-square, was next examined : He said, the deceased has lived in my service since June last,and left it on Friday morning, having received warning to do so a fortnight or three weeks previously. My reason for discharging him was that he had no desire to do anything. I have spoken to him very often on the subject, not wishing to discharge him, but without avail. In my presence he always appeared a quiet modest boy, and I would not have parted with him could I have kept him. My other servants, however, complained that when down stairs with them he did more mischief than can be conceived, and at times was very violent in his conduct, on one occasion threatening to murder the housemaid. This however, I did not know until after he had destroyed himself. On the occasion of which I have spoken, he jumped down the area and attacked the housemaid, who resisted him ; when he became calm on her promising him not to tell witness or his mistress. He would also, while cleaning the windows, stand recklessly on one leg, and on Friday morning, just before he left, I was informed he had attempted to throw himself out of the window. In consequence of that I called him to me, and having spoken to him seriously told him I must get rid of him immediately, and I sent him off. On my going into the parlour to Mrs. M'Donald she said to me, " suppose the poor boy was to go and destroy himself;" when such an idea struck my mind for the first time, and I instantly seized my hat and hastened off in the direction of Hyde Park Corner, thinking I might see him in his way to Chelsea ; but, after waiting there for upwards of two hours, I returned home without meeting with him. By a Juror—l am decidedly of opinion. that he was of unsound mind. If I told him to do two things, be was sure to forget one of them. Juror—Then you think he was of weak mind ? Witness—No, I do not say so. I think he was of unsound mind, and not of weak intellect. He could answer rationally, and wrote a very good hand. Afte:. Miss Moyes had precipated herself from the monument he frequently spoke of the occurrence to the servants. He was much given to reading, particularly on subjects relating to murders. My servant is in attendance. The deceased has never complained to me of being in any way unkindly treated. I always considered him as religiously inclined. Seeing him rather melancholy, I have frequently asked him if he had anything pressing on his mind, to which he invariably replied in the negative. On Friday morning, when he left, I spoke to hint very kindly, and instead of his saying " Good morning," I he hung down his head when he passed out. ISarah Stretcher, servant to the last witness, examined. The conduct of the deceased out of his ma:, ter's sight has been very bad lately. He has behaved very unruly. He threatened on one occasion to murder me. That was one day last week, and it was because I spoke to him about his work. We, however, afterwards got very good friends, he promising to attend to his work, and I that I would not tell his master. On Friday morning I was in one of the upper bed-rooms, as was the deceased, when he threw up the window, and attempted to throw himself out of it. I seized him by the collar and presented him, on which he burst out into tears. I did not ask him why he made the attempt. He then went down stairs. On Thurday he said to me, " Sarah, I suppose you consider I owe you a spite ;" to which I replied, " Oh, no, Robert." The