suicide, for in such a case it is not reasonable to expect any evidence of robbery. In the unfortunate case of suicide lately committed in Hyde Park, a base sixpence was found in the pocket of the deceased; had he been plundered, the robber would not have left the base coin, which in the dark and hurry he could not have distinguished. In the instance of a travelling empiric, of the name of Evans, or Evando, as he called himself, for the sake of euphony, who was found dead in a ditch in Cornwall, the exact sum was discovered in his pocket, which he had taken in change at the last public house. Any memorandum found on the person of the deceased, in his own hand-*writing intended to convey directions, or his last wishes, to his friends, is a strong presumptive proof that he fell by his own hand. The remains of any poison found about him is one of those facts that is equally favourable to the suspicion of murder as of suicide. We must be allowed to observe that upon the occasion of an unknown person being found dead, some responsible individual should examine the contents of his pockets, and having, if possible, acquired every information as to his name and residence, he should carefully enclose every article so found in a paper, and place his seal upon the packet, and his signature, and the date of the event, upon the cover.
If the deceased be a female, whether there be any marks or bruises that would indicate the commission of a rape?—The importance of this inquiry need not be argued, nor is it necessary in this place to point out the indications which may confirm our suspicions upon this subject. We must refer the reader to our chaprer on rape, vol. I, p. 416. The interesting trial of Abraham Thornton, for the murder of Mary Ashford, abounds with curious evidence upon this point.
