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Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 439, 5 November 1868, Page 3

The Otago Escort from the gold fields show a continued increase in amount over last year. This week the Escort brought down 76920z. An English gentleman, recently arrived at St Petersburg on the Queen's service, was quietly seated at a table when his hat was suddenly knocked over his eyes from behind by a stranger w.horn he had never seen before. The Englishman turned round, and, thinking his. aggressor must be drunk, retaliated in the same fashion, and bonneted the other, but committed no further act of violence. The stranger, greatly irritated at this not unnatural issue to his utterly unprovoked assault, now lost his temper completely, and attacked the captain tooth and nail, who, striking out in self-defence, knocked his antagonist over amongst the chairs, tables and garcom. The police at once interfered, and the Englishman was led off to the station to explain his conduct ; the other, too, was taken into custody, but contrived to make his escape, called his carriage, and drove at full speed to the StrogonofF Bridge, which is built across one of the arms of the Neva. There he stopped, got down, and deliberately , jumped into the stream, which is there k very rapid and was quickly carried away. , The poor fellow is said to have been intoxicated at the time, and to have committed i suicide in this extraordinary way from a ( sudden and overwhelming feeling of shame at having received a blow in the sight of ( his friends at a public place of entertaint ment, though the chastisement he received , was undoubtedly brought about by Ids ' own folly alone. The English gentleman could not well have acted otherwise than ( he did. The deceased, by name Baron j de Erunken, was . quite young, about r tweuty-seven years of age, and was well ( known in the society of this capital.