A most unhappy affair

A most unhappy affair has lately occurred on board the Fitzwilliam East-Indiaman, just arrived: Mr. Dawson and his niece were passengers in the ship from Bengal, having part of the captain's cabin, or round-house, assigned to themselves for accommodation, and lived at the captain's table; the gentleman was a widower, and appeared to be about 45 years of age, and his niece about 30; the former had been in the profession of the law, and was reputed to have some fortune, as had the lady, and both were from Yorkshire.

On Wednesday morning, the 28th ult., it was currently reported in the ship, that Mr. D. (a cuddy passenger) had, by looking through the keyhole of the door of their apartment on Tuesday afternoon, discovered them in an improper situation; that he had called another person to be witness of the same; that they alarmed the parties by knocking at the door, and retired.

The affair being universally made known, a reserve took place at table during dinner between the gentlemen and the parties, and an explanation was so far gone into as to convince the latter that their guilt was public. They accordingly soon retired from table, and remained that day and Thursday in their apartment.


On Friday morning, the 30th, upon a servant's knocking at the door, and not being able to obtain admittance or attention, a suspicion arose, and the gunner was desired to go over the ship's quarter, and look into their apartment, on which he discovered that they had destroyed themselves. The gentleman was found sitting in the quarter gallery, with a fusee and a pistol, with the latter of which he had shot himself through the head; the lady was lying in the balcony, and a discharged pistol near her, with which she had shattered her head in a shocking manner. They had been dead for some time, and it was about seven in the morning when this part of the melancholy business was publicly known in the ship. Their bodies were committed to the deep at mid-day.

Some letters were found written by the lady, addressed to several friends and relations; one to the captain, thanking him for his kindness; one to the person whose fatal curiosity had occasioned the discovery, upbraiding him for cruel officiousness; and one to a gentleman who was in the same ship, and who paid his addresses to the lady, assuring him that she esteemed him highly; but declaring, that it never was her intention to impose on him a woman whose conduct he could not approve, and whose affections were devoted to another.