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—r ..—---CORONER'S INQUEST on the BODY of the HON. AUGUSTUS BERKELEY CRAVEN.On Saturday afternoon, at four o’clock, a coroner’s inquest was held at the Mitre Tavern, Connaught-ter-race, Rdgware-road, on the body of the Honourable Henry Augustus Herkeley Craven, aged 60, who destroyed himself under the following melancholy circumstances :—Mr. Samuel C. Griffiths, surgeon, 39, Connaught-terrace, Edgware-road, deposed that he called on Friday morning, at seven o’clock, tosee the deceased. He was lying in the back parlour of his own house, on the floor. He had a pistol in his right hand, and was quite dead. The pistol had been discharged in his mouth, and a copious quantity of blood flowed from the wound. Deceased must have died almost instantaneously. Witness had attended him professionally occasionally for seven or eight years. Deceased was in his dressing-gown. Saw no papers, or anything particular in the room. Never made any observation 011 the state of his mind when attending him. There could beno doubt he had destroyed himself. He was about 60 years of age. Witness had not prescribed for him for six months past, but had seen him within the last fortnight.Mary Davis, housemaid to the deceased, deposed that on Thursday evening he returned home at nine o’clock, accompanied by his wife; saw no more of him that night ; about seven o’clock on Friday morning, 011 going in to sweep the back parlour, she found deceased lying flat on his back on the floor ; did not hear any discharge of fire-arms ; went and called the footman immediately, and he went and fetched Mr. Griffiths, who attended, and said, 011 viewing the deceased, that he was dead ; his hand was warm.James Phillips was footman to the deceased ; was at Epsom races 011 Thursday with his master; they returned at nine o’clock in the evening, accompanied by Mrs. Craven and Miss Savage; the coachman and posthoy were also with them ; deceased took his dinner with him ; witness took up tea to the drawing-room to the deceased at ten o’clock ; he afterwards ordered witness to take away the tea-things, and bring him the boot-jack and his slippers ; deceased commenced pulling otl' his boots without taking off his straps, which he had never done before; gave witness one boot to take off; saw 110 more of him that night; heard no report of fire-arms in the course of the night; next morning, about seven o’clock, the housemaid caine and informed witness that she thought master was in a fit, for he was lying 011 his back in the hack-parlour; went to him immediately, and found him lying as described, quite dead ; fetched Mr. Griffiths, who pronounced him dead ; deceased had not taken any quantity of liquor on Thursday ; he dined in the carriage ; he was very much agitated the time the Derby race was running ; did not observe any alteration in him previously to that day; he kept saying, while the race was running, *' Jersey wins, Jersey wins.” In coming home he was in a greater passion than he had ever seen him in before, because some one went up behind the carriage; thinks that he forcer! the person down off the carriage; saw several letters on the front-parlour table; one was directed to Lord Craven, one to Mr. Hawker, one to Mrs. Craven, one to Mr. Wickens, and another to Miss Craven; witness delivered the one to Lord Craven on Friday morning; does not know what became ofthe others; has 110 doubt they were written by his master ; he believed he went to bed; does not know whether he had lost any money at the races ; witness slept in a room under that in which the deceased was found dead, but he beard no report of fire-arms; Mrs. Craven usually slept in a different room from that of the deceased.Mary Davis recalled and re-examined—There was 110 doubt the deceased had been in his bed and undressed, for she found his night-cap drawn; he must have risen and dressed himself.The Coroner then addressed the jury. Jt was extremely clear that he had come by his death by bis own hand, and the only point for their consideration was, what was the state of his mind when he committed the rash act? There was no evidence to prove whether or not he had lost any money at the Epsom Races, far less whether any such loss had led to the commission of the rash deed. The only point for the consideration of the jury, as he had already stated, was, whether he w-as at the time in a state of temporary mental derangement ?The jury then consulted together for forty minutes, when they returned witli a verdict that “ The jury believed deceased had destroyed himself when in a state of temporary mental derangement.”The Coroner said he could not accept that verdict. They must not say that they believed, but return a verdict of some kind or other, without any qualification.The jury then returned a verdict, “That the deceased destroyed himself when in a state of temporary mental derangement.’’Mr. Ward’s large room, in which the inquest took place, was crowded during the whole of the inquiry.[There can be little doubt that the excitement of the unfortunate gentleman's mind was produced by his losses exceeding his means of immediate payment, and as he possessed the nicest sense of honour, this, no doubt, worked upon his feelings so as to destroy the power of reflection, for it is well known that had he made his situation known to Lord Sefton and others of his numerous and wealthy friends, they would readily have furnished him with the means of saving his credit. Among other winners from the deceased was Mr. Greatrex, to whom he lost 1,300/., and Mr. Edwards, the trainer, to whom he lost 300/. It is believed the whole of his losses did not amount to 6,000/.]
Newspaper Details
London Shipping Gazette
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, May 23, 1836
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
UK 11 May 2019
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