EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1084, 17 March 1883, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.

Gur mail files contain particulars of an extraordinary case of suicide at Hounslow. About fourteen months ago a Dr Edwards paid £IBOO to be admitted to a partnership with a Dr Whitmarsh, who bad an extensive practice in the neighborhood. In explanation of the motive of self-destruction, we loam from a letter addressed to the Middlesex Mercury, and read at the coroner’s inquest, that a most foul and horrible charge had been brought against him by a wicked designing woman, the exposure of which Dr Edwards felt would blast his reputation and destroy his prospects as a medical man, whether the imputation were true or false. Dr Whitmarsh espoused the cause of the woman, and persuaded his partner to leave the neighborhood to avoid the scandal, offering him £SOO out of the £IBOO which Dr Edwards had recently paid him for a share in the practice. Finding himself thus forsaken by his colleague, who endeavored under pressure to take a mean advantage of his position, the unfortunate man became desperate, and resorted to suicide by means of prussic acid to terminate his troubles. His farewell letter contained terrible maledictions upon his partner. The people have taken up the cause of the deceased surgeon, and have manifested their indignation against Dr Whitmarsh by wrecking his house and surgery, and to avoid being lynched he and his family have had to beat a retreat from the neighborhood. The riots have been ot daily occurrence for nearly a week, as many as 2000 persons having assembled in front of the surgery, and not dispersing till near 1 midnight. Two lads are in custody,y whom the Magistrates refused to bail, though large amounts were offered. Public sympathy now finds expression in subscriptions to a fund f r the defence of the lads,

OATHS AND KISSES BY TELEPHONE

It became necessary yesterday (says ibe New York Sun of the sth December) for Dr Townsend, the physician in charge of the Paterson Small-pox Hospital, and his fire assistants, to take an oath to their accounts in order that’the bills might be presented to the meeting of the aldermen to-night. It was thought imprudent to allow them to go down through the city to the recorder’s office, and, on the other hand Recorder Greaves did not care to go to the hospital to administer the oaths. After pondering the matter he decided to send Assisfant-City-Physician Hurd to the hosjital with bills as his proxy, The doctor got the hospital physician and his assistants to sign the affidavits oa the end of their bills, and then hunted up a Bible. When all had put their bands on the book, Dr Hurd went to the telephone in the hospital office and called up * 328,’ the number of the instrument in the recorder’s office tw® miles away.

‘ Have they all got their hands on the book ?’ asked the recorder.

‘ Yes; all ready,’ replied Dr Hurd. ‘ Very well, then,’ said the recorder ; ‘ you as my deputy repeat to the deponents what I say. You and each of you do solemnly swear ’

‘ You and each of you do solemnly swear ——’repeated Dr Hurd. ‘That the annexed accounts are just, true, and unpaid ’said the recorder through the telephone. ‘ That the annexed accounts are just, true, and unpaid,’ repeated the doctor. ‘So help you God,’ said the recorder through the telephone. ‘ So help you G>d,’ repeated Dr Hurd ‘Now kiss the book,’ said the telephone.

‘ Kiss the book,’ repeated the doctor. The six hospital attaches kissed the Bible in time.

‘They’ve all kissed it,’ said the doctor, through the telephone. ‘ They have ?’ answered the recorder in surprise, ‘ Why, I didn’t hear it. Let them kiss it again loud enough for me to hear it.’ The kieses were repeated with an energy that sent the reports vibrating over the wire vigorously enough to be reproduced on the metallic disc at the receiving end. * I heard those. That’s all right,- good-bye,’ said the recorder, hanging up his ear-piece.

A short time afterwards Dr Hurd drove ub to the station and laid the affidavits before the recorder, all properly signed, and the recorder affixed his own signature, certifying that they had been ‘sworn and subscribed before him.’