We have the painful duty of stating that Dr. JOSIAH VENN, late a Surgeon upon the Honourable Company’s Bengal Establishment, and for some years resident at Chowringhee, was at first light yesterday morning discovered in his own study in a condition of entire insensibility. The chokeydar of a neighbouring house, observing the front door to stand open to the rain and no servant about the premises, went in and found the Doctor upon the floor among his papers and philosophical instruments, a number of which had been thrown down and broken.
The medical gentleman called to him is of opinion that the Doctor had taken, by his own hand, a large quantity of some narcotic preparation from his cabinet, in the pursuit of an experiment of which his papers give a very imperfect account. Upon being roused he knew nobody, laughed a great deal, and spoke of visitors upon his roof. It is with much concern we add that both his hands are found to be without feeling as high as the wrist.
A japanned cash box in the study had been opened and emptied of its money, certain pension warrants in the Doctor’s name being left untouched within it. Seven of the Doctor’s servants are understood to have quitted his service in the past fortnight, and the two who remained have not been seen since sunset on Wednesday. The tiles of the roof above the drawing room were found lifted from without, the shutter of the verandah forced, and the blinds of the study window broken outward. A carpet in the study is spoiled by some acrid liquor, the nature of which has not been ascertained.
The Doctor has been removed to the General Hospital. Any person having knowledge of his late servants is desired to give information at the Police Office.