Читать книгу Suicide - William Wynn Westcott - Страница 8

A very long interval occurs here, during which period I cannot discover any Notable Suicides: on passing to the next series a great change will be noticed as to causation, the days of suicide for honour are passed: Misery has become the mainspring.

Richard II., King of England, 1399. Some historians, as Walsingham, Otterbourne, and Peter of Blois, say that this king starved himself to death.

Charles VII., King of France, 1461, starved himself, because he feared the Dauphin would poison him.

Acosta, Uriel, 1647, a Jew who became a Christian, but becoming involved in the toils of the Inquisition, destroyed himself.

Burton, Robert, 1660, author of the “Anatomy of Melancholy,” committed suicide to verify the prophecy he had made as to the date of his death.

Temple, John, 1689, Secretary of State for War.

Creech, Thomas, 1700, the learned translator of “Lucretius,” killed himself in imitation of the author whose works he translated.

Budgell, Eustace, 1714, author, threw himself from a boat into the Thames.

Scarborough, Lord, 1727, killed himself in the dilemma which of two ladies to associate with.

Green, W., 1750, a weaver, jumped off the Monument, London.

Chatterton, Thomas, 1770, Poet, by poison, from poverty.

Clive, Lord, 1774, shot himself; he had been ungratefully treated; he had, however, made two attempts on his life in his youth.

Cardan, Jerome, 1575, Physician and Astrologer, having foretold his death for a certain date, and finding himself still well, killed himself to verify his prophecy.

Rousseau, J. J., 1778. Some authorities say he poisoned himself by arsenic.

Craddock, T., 1780, a baker, jumped off the top of the Monument, London.

Claviere, E., 1793, the Girondin, stabbed himself; and his wife killed herself after him.

Condorcet, M. J. A., 1794, French Mathematician, killed himself in prison.

Roland, 1795, French Minister, by a sword thrust.

Romme, 1795, French Statesman, by stabbing.

Pichegru, C., 1804, French General, strangled himself with his scarf when in prison, accused of plotting against the government.

Villeneuve, P., French Admiral, 1806, stabbed himself when suffering from melancholia.

Levy, Lyon, 1810, a Jewish diamond merchant, jumped off the Monument, London.

Williams, 1811, the murderer of the Marr family.

Kleist, H. Von., 1811, German author, shot himself after killing a lady to whom he was much attached, at her request.

Berthier, L. A., 1815, French General.

Romilly, Sir S., 1818, Jurist and M.P., killed himself three days after the death of his wife.

Christophe, 1820, King of Hayti.

Englishman, an, 1820, threw himself into the crater of Vesuvius.

Campbell, Sir G., 1821, English Admiral.

Castlereagh, Lord, 1822, cut his throat.

Saint Simon, C. H., 1822, a Frenchman, founder of a religious sect.

Brachmann, Luise, 1822, German poetess.

Montgomery, 1828, took prussic acid, when a prisoner for forgery, in Newgate.

Condé, Prince de, 1830, hanged himself.

Robert Leopold, 1835, painter, cut his throat, from jealousy.

Gros, Baron, 1835, painter, drowned himself from disappointment.

Colton, C. C., 1832, an eccentric clergyman, author of “Lacon.”

Moyes, Miss E., 1839, jumped off the Monument, London, because her father, being reduced in circumstances, it was decided that she should earn her own living.

Beresford, Lord James, 1841.

Munster, Earl of, 1842, son of William IV.

Blanchard, Laman, 1845, journalist.

Haydon, B. R., 1846, painter, on account of money troubles, shot himself.

Praslin, Duc de, 1847, his wife was found murdered; he was arrested on suspicion, and was found self-slain in prison.

Watts, Walter, 1850, Lessee of the Olympic Theatre.

Bourg, St. Edme, 1851, author; found strangled by his scarf.

Layard, Lieut.-Col., 1853, of “Nineveh” fame.

Robinson, Rev. T., 1854, threw himself off the cliffs at Dover.

Franks, Dr., 1855, editor of the Allgemeine Zeitung, after killing his son.

Sadleir, John, M.P., 1856, by prussic acid, when found guilty of Bank frauds.

Smart, A., 1856, a watchmaker, threw himself down from the Whispering Gallery in St. Paul’s.

Miller, Hugh, 1856, geologist, from overwork.

Russell, Chas., 1856, Chairman of the Great Western Railway.

Moser, Isaac, 1861, a millionaire Jew.

Fitzroy, Admiral, 1865, meteorologist.

Green, G. W., 1867, a merchant, jumped off Suspension Bridge at Clifton.

Warder, Dr. A. W., 1867, at Brighton, after murdering his wife.

Theodore, Emperor of Abyssinia, 1868.

Lee, Thomas, 1868, threw himself from the North Tower of the Crystal Palace.

Prevost-Paradol, 1870, French Minister.

Bowley, R. K., 1870, Manager of the Crystal Palace.

Matthiessen, Dr., 1870, eminent chemist.

Willes, Sir James S., 1872, eminent judge, from overwork.

Delawarr, Earl, 1873, when insane.

Abdul Aziz, 1876, Sultan of Turkey, veins of the bend of the arm opened by scissors.

Lyttleton, Lord George, 1876, eminent scholar, when insane.

Butcher, Dr. Sam., 1876, Bishop of Meath, when insane.

Brandon, Raphael, 1877, architect.

Mahomed, Ismail Khan, 1883, an Afghan surgeon, by prussic acid.