ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF TOM STEEL.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 239, 13 September 1848, Page 3

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF TOM STEEL.

Poor Tom Steelo-— O'ConnoH's " head pacificator"— ■ ii\ the days when tliul cialYy politician kept Ireland in a sUtc of constant agitation, hopelfihi of his countiyS u-generation, and worn out with nuxicty on her behalf, j'tlpiupted to " shufllc oil' tliis mortal cnil," by prucipi- * tiling hnn<clf from Waloiloo JJiidgo into t]ie Thames, at «even o'clock on Wednesday evening. On m living »t the second recess from the IvJMilli st\ Bide, he was obsuved to sop suddcM.lv, take off lii-t eap — ide cole knifed c.'ij) willi u'nrh O Co iiicll c ounerl him—in liy rjot o (l,i\t, ,'in<', mounting (/it* p.i'.inrt, thiow himself lii'o thti rivet . A ,",o 'tlcnim who v.'is ciosi-ing 'he In '<!»c on the opposite side, o'senw/ f/ic whole occuilcmc ai only a. few pacts tlislaiiri'j on' so ivijjiiljy did llv unfouwnufe man effect hh {itupnso, fh.it it was found impossible to i cutler hiu, n>\y .i^i/st.mfc J'app'.ly uwateinvn was passing t'uoii^h (he budge in a &m ill lio.it, and wi'h sonic difiiin'ty .it length succeeded io getting Mi 1 . Steelo into his loat. The poor man was taken ashore at the Strand Lane Stair-., and thence conveyed to Kind's College Hospital, where he reetived nil the attention his case lcquucd, from Mr, Hut I in, the House Surgeon of that institution. We jnuMMand the chief injuiy he has mi .tuned is the flunk to his fejslnn from having fallen Hat upon the Fiu face of (he watci. fie bad been occupied during the; chibf p.tit of tl'c day in writing lo tei s at Peele' Ooilce house, an establishment he wast n the habit o ouasionally ficquonting. Within his csip wasasmul 3-iuee of paper, healed to tlie lining withblnck wax, oa which wis wiilten — "Tom Steele, County of Claie, Inland." That Tom hi ode never, like O'Conuell, and some otheis, made imitation a tiade, may lie githeied irvm the fiot ti it when lie came of u<j,r he entered on ji luautiful e^t tj or or X'HI, (](!!) a yc-Hr, in the Cojnty of C:a.c. Tv/i nty yeirs oi amaleur agitation brought him to the insolvent debtors' (Joint, in Dublin, whet; lie was opposed by the present member for Eniiis, \he O'doimm Miihon 1 1 a vmg taken the benefit <>( ih<- act be c.iii.c to England, uiul ha*- since lieen livhvj; upon an allowance out of his ibiatc. Mr. Steele took hij,h lionora at Cambiid^c, and is a nii'mber ol the Snnte ot that Uiuversiiy. It may not bo giw.(ally luaoivn it vias> Mr. Sttclo who piopo^ed O'Cotmell ?it ih" celebiatcd Clare election, iiom winch aiose ihe Catholic ICmancipiition Act. On Thins Jay, Mr. CO. Iloare, Solicitor, of Essex Sticct, bUiimi, accompanied by Mr. 1». Taylor, Common Councilman, ami other triends of Mr. Steele, vruiU'd on ]\li. Kudmc, the bitting Magistrate of How Pitied, to cuqujint him that it w;i> the op'pion of Doctou Totld mill Liv Id, under whose eaie Mr. Steele v\ s jd-iccd on be n« laNen out of the i iver, th it it would 1) » o\pi".ie.it to^ bun lo rumin in the Kind's College floqUaJ, whcie tae greatest attention hat, been p,.iil lo hi.n by the ruth mtns, lor a few days. Mr. Jardinc c::yies cd liuns.'li" |»crfectly 6>Uibficd to give ov. ry oppoilutniy for 'Mr. iateelo to Income quite convalescent b j foie bo should be lemovcd, and win, bdj'py to find jiisfucnds come (orward m bis behalf. Mr. Huaie said he npprehend< d that the lash at.t ic ulted fiom pecuni iry difficulties opeiatng on an c\tit<d)le, and over sensitive mind, in proof of wliich Mr ttetle h«d not only expveestd an luiwiliiii^ncis to be buidcnsoraf to bis friends, but had veiy recently declni' d a pics&ing invitation from Mi. MaunceO'Coniull, to accompany In j to Denynnne, wl ere ho mi^ht runani diuinj; p'eabure. In (he course of the da/ IMr. Stoclc uas v;i>ited ujion by Colontl t'eicival, Di. Inuiuli, of La-i-cisei Place, and othei en, who took a deep i'Ueicst in his misfortunes. An evctni r pa, ci has pub'i'hcd tl c follow int; letter, 'viilfin by Mr. Wlcs'e to on" of his most intimaie { le ids, immediately p.un 1 to bi s attempt at suicide: — "Wahicsday, Ajn.l 19, ItMB.— My dear ,— y,,u will, I v.cllkno ■;, ieud thisletterol your old friend with deep pain. IJut when you contemplate the dreary and hciiit-breaking piusent ;'ipect ot litland, and contiast it with v,hat it was»m its mnjestic peaceful raoveinent, uader the sublime and benign moral sway of my ever deplored ft n nil and leader, august O'Connell, you cannot be suipiiscd that, with acompbcition of piivatc ilb upon me at the same time, the lies of life arc with jug dissneied, and in disruption tor ever. The highest filiations ( f my n-iluie wen , that I should be O'Conn/Jl's principle instrument of peace, his ' head Pacifi-c-,itor of licland,' in huoflbils for the j-ciceful, bloodless royi neralion of bia own country, and for setting .in example to other i calms, as wa3 nobly pioved in iSi.gliind by Uidund Cobden and his League, how i evolutions, may be achieved by the consolidated oipnnizalion of public opinion, and without the pollution of cainagc, bloodshed, and convulsion. .Before you rcruve this! to-monow I will have censed to live. 1 nm cjiiite wi ary of existence, ahhou^li, of course, as a mitui 1 oi manly fumness, in private society I depoit tnybC.f as if I vwic wi.hout a caie. I fclull manage 1 . )hc matlei in sutli a way that there shell be ro cause for the ctruiioMdl uf a (Oionei'h inquest and po<,t mori<m examination. When a thing ot Ibis kind must be done, tlu-moie quickly and lees tlieutiically it is done the beltci. — 1 ,im, wnh most gi'.iti-I'ul feelings for nil your Uin<ln"fcs to me for !>o many ymns, as a piivate iriend and public journnlisl, my di-ar . aflVclionau ly jouis. — Farewell for cvci 1 — Thomas tihlihlS."