The Sun. — 1845-11-12 (London, England)

LAMB E TH. Mr. Keene, the Governor of Horsemonger lane Prison, waited upon Mr. Narton, to inform him of the suicide, during the preceding night, of Thomas M'Namara, a prisoner under his care, who had been sent there on the evening before by the Hon. Magistrate. It will be recollected that M'Namara, who had been in custody since the lit inst., had been re-examined on Monday, on a charge of inflicting as many as twelve or thirteen wounds upon the person of his wife. The wife attended and gave her evidence upon the occasion, and upon her own showing, it was evident she was a person of the most profligate habits, having left her husband three different times to live with different men. The accused, notwithstanding her scandalous conduct, was much attached to her, and sent a friend to bring her back from Tunbridge. wells, were she was living in adultery with the last person she left home with. On the night after her return, she declared her intention to rejoin ber paramour, and her husband in his rage and jealousy, and being also much intoxicated at the time, inflicted twelve or thirteen wounds with a sharp instrument upon different parts of her person. The offence, notwithstanding the strong provocation, was of so serious a character, that Mr. Norton felt it to be his duty to send the prisoner for trial, and the evidence of all the witnesses in attendance being taken, the prisoner was remanded until Friday next, and was sent off by the van to Horsemonger-lane Gaol. Mr. Keene said the prisoner had been removed from this Court with the second batch of prisoners, and was conveyed to his cell. He was subsequently supplied with bread and gruel for his supper, and there being nothing in his demeas nouror manner to excite the least suspicion, lie was locked up in his cell at eight o'clock, agreeable to the gaol regulation. Yesterday morning, on the turnkey unlocking the cell door, he found the unfortunate man suspended by his handkerchief from one of the bars of the cell window. Medical assistance was promptly in attendance, but it was found that the body was quite cold, and that life had been extinctfor several hours. Mr. Keene added that the unfortunate man had drunk the gruel and eat a portion of the bread, but had not gone to bed. Mr. NORTON, who appeared evidently affected at the fate of the wretched man, remarked that he did not observe anything whatever in the manner of the poisoner, when before him, to lead to the slightest suspicion or apprehension that lie meditated the act of seltldestruction. Mr. Keene said, the Prison Act required him, in all cases of suicide in his prison, to communicate the fact personally to the nearest relation of the deceased, where it was practicable, and as the wife was in the present case the nearest relative, he requested her address, that he might see and communicate to her the fate of her unfortunate husband. The address of the Keene, and he left the Court for the purpose he bad stated. Cook, the gaoler attached to the Court, informed the Magistrate that though profligate wife was supplied to Mr. M'camara was somewhat affected while his wife was giving her evidence against him, he (Cook) felt quite certain he did not intend to commit suicide when leaving for Horsemonger-lane Gaol on Monday. His (Cook's) reason for being so certain WYS this, that he requested to bo permitted to take with hits to prison a loaf of bread to last witls his allowance, until he was brought up again °-EIS lay. • • M  - -.42 that this was a chct-Linst,:inQe -:..:• 1--,_ _ rr "I the, collin:Ions he lutd draw.-., ild -.:,,noiv fa- ...- •• - - - - • ' . . , Jet- that the act, of cell-destruction had not been premeditated.