BRITISH TURF. 367 



The eccentricities of the " parson " are still too 

 fresh in the memory of the *' sporting public" to 

 require particular mention ; nor, indeed, are they 

 of sufficient interest to command formal record. 

 We are bound, however, in justice to observe, 

 that his private character was never impugned. 



On the 21st of May, an inquest was held at the 

 Mitre Tavern, Edgeware Road, on the body of the 

 Hon. Henry Augustus Berkeley Craven, who shot 

 himself, at his residence in Connaught Terrace, on 

 Thursday night, after his return from Epsom. It 

 appeared from the evidence, that the unfortunate 

 gentleman had retired to bed at an early hour, 

 much depressed in spirits, and was found the fol- 

 lowing morning in the back parlour, dead, with a 

 pistol in his hand, which he had discharged into 

 his mouth. Several letters, addressed to different 

 friends, and evidently written by him immediately 

 before committing this fatal act, were found on his 

 writing-table ; their contents, however, did not 

 appear in the evidence. 



It was proved that the deceased had exhibited 

 considerable excitement at Epsom races, on the 

 day the Derby was run for ; being heard to exclaim 

 more than once during that race, " Jersey wins !" 

 But no evidence was given that the melancholy 

 event was caused by losses on the race, and the 

 jury returned their verdict, *' temporary mental 

 derangement." The real cause, however, of this 

 deplorable event, was the losses sustained by the 



