15 AUGUST 1829, Page 6

Guar Fumes IN SCOTLAND.—The most lamentable accounts, says the Edin-

burgh Observer of Tuesday, continue to pour in upon us, from all sides, of the in- Guar Fumes IN SCOTLAND.—The most lamentable accounts, says the Edin- burgh Observer of Tuesday, continue to pour in upon us, from all sides, of the in-

jury done by the tempest and flood of Monday the 3d. From the Tweed to the Moray Firth, the whole of the eastern and inland counties have been laid waste by inundation. In Forfarshire, Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Morayshire, and Nairn- shire, all the rivers are partially denuded of their bridges ; and the crops, cottages, and je some instances the flocks on their borders, have been swept away to the sea. Several of the structures overthrown by this deluge were of the most per- fect and expensive descriptions ; and a vast expenditure of money will be required before they can be restored to their former stability. The loss sustained by indi- viduals is incalculable, and must fill many a once happy homestead with distress and despondency. The following are a few of the instances of particular damage that have been sustained from the storm.

Tweedale.—The waters of Tweed began to rise about six o'clock on Monday, and the swell was so rapid that in a few hours the most serious alarm was spread along the whole banks of the river. In the neighbourhood of Kelso, the effects of the storm were remarkable. Preparatory to the great fair of St. James, which is held on a spacious green on the banks of the river, opposite the Duke of Rox- burgh's residence of Fleurs, numerous tents or booths were erected, and other pre- parations made for the market of next day. In a short time the greatest part of the ground was covered by the river, and many of the tents, with the whole fur- niture, was swept into the stream. Several of the owners of them were in immi- nent danger, and were rescued with difficulty from the increasing waters. The fate of a poor donkey, which had been put to graze upon a small island opposite the town, was watched with much interest by crowds of people. The river gra- dually encroached upon the small piece of ground on which he had an insecure footing, till at last he was forced to plunge into the torrent. In this state of deadly peril, the poor brute continued to keep up his head above water, and after being carried a long way down, and beneath an arch of Kelso bridge, a friendly eddy whirled him near to land, and saved his life.—Kelso Mail.

Western District of Stirlingshire.—We were visited on the night of the 3d inst. with one of the most destructive storms witnessed, at this season of the year, in the memory of the oldest person living. The rain fell in torrents, accom- panied with tremendous peals of thunder and the most vivid lightning, suc- ceeded by a strong northerly wind, which gradually increased till midnight, when it blew a perfect hurricane. The morning of the 4th presented a scene of destruc- tion truly distressing. The wheat and barley crops were absolutely levelled with the ground; what little remained standing was bare straw and stump, with the grain completely thrashed out. Potatoes, except in very sheltered situations, are as black as after a severe night's frost in the end of October ; beans and peas are no better. The roads are, in many places, blocked up by trees of large size; and the roofs of many houses have been torn and uncovered. Dunblane, August 4.—Last night, about eight o'clock, this place and neigh- bourhood were visited with a tremendous thunder-storm. About nine, the thun- der and vivid lightning having subsided, the wind, which blew from the north-west, rose so high, that large trees were instantly overturned and rooted up. News has just arrived, that in the neighbourhood of Crieff the hurricane was, if possi- ble, more violent. Betwixt Muthil and that place the high-road was this morning completely barricadoed with broken and uprooted trees. Perth.—Some line old trees which had withstood the storms of centuries, gave way before that of Monday night. The Caledonian coach, which should have ar- rived last night, has not yet made its appearance. The chief cause is the destruc- tion of Spey Bridge near Pitmain, which has been demolished by the current. We have heard from Montrose that a great many sheep and cattle had come down the South Esk, and an immense qnantity of linen cloth, supposed from a bleach- ing establishment belonging to Mr. Maberley.—Perth Courier. Leslie, Tuesday.—This morning presented a sad spectacle. In the fields-- the crops are generally, though it is to be hoped not irrecoverably, laid down. Many of the forest trees have large branches torn front their trunks, and several are blown up by the roots. What is most particularly regretted by the gude folks of Leslie, is the destruction of the skelly tree, so much famed in traditional story. This very ancient tree, one of the oldest on the estate of Leslie, being unsurrounded with other trees, and placed on a very elevated spot, could readily be distinguished by the mariner as soon as he entered the Frith.—Fife Herald. Dundee,Several trees have been blown down at the west end of the town ; and a traveller, who was on his way from Meigle to this place, says that he saw some of the very largest trees torn up by the roots. The inhabitants of the houses at the east side of the lane leading to the gas-work from Blackscroft, were awakened by the water rising up to their beds. A sailor, residing at that place, who had gone to bed under the influence of strong drink, was only awakened when the water had almost covered him. In his consternation, he jumped out of bed, and bawled out, " Hoist the jib !" Montrose, August 7.—As yet, we have heard of the loss of no human lives; which considering the dreadful thunder-storm of Monday night, particularly in the higher districts, is much to be wondered at; but the destruction of property is incalculable. The substantial stone bridge over the Tarf has been entirely de- molished, and all the other bridges in the parish have been more or less injured. The new wooden bridge at Dalhesney has been entirely swept away ; and the fine suspension bridge, at Slateford, also of recent erection, has shared the 'same fate. The scene at the Gannachy bridge was truly grand, but was far surpassed by the spectacle at the junction of the North, West, and Cruik waters, where the former, like an enraged monster, threatened destruction to every opposing obstacle.— Montrose Review.

The extensive works at Craigo Mill, belonging to Messrs. Maberley and Co. presented on the recess of the waters a scene of devastation hardly to be de- scribed. The water, having overspread the whole of the large bleachfield, which was covered with cloths and yarns to an immense value, soon found its way into the mill, warehouses, drying houses, &c. in which it rose to the height of three feet ; and had it not been for the more than ordinary exertions of the workmen, it is more than probable that the whole of the works would have been reduced to one common ruin. The devastation at the works at Bogie Mill, belonging to Messrs. Aberdein and Gordon, was, comparatively speaking, not less than at Craigo. The water here rose to the height of fifteen feet, being nine inches higher 1ban ever it was known before.—Idem. Stonehaven, Aug. 4.—Yesterday morning this place was visited with one of the greatest and most destructive floods within the memory of the oldest inhabitant.

A very strong and expensive dam-dyke in the Cowie, erected by the Glenurg

Distillery Company, has totally disappeared; and the water being thus left quite unrestrained, broke through the opposite bank, and cut a channel for itself through

some beautiful fields of wheat, barley, and potatoes, belonging to Mr. William Smart. A short way below, it again crossed its old channel, and spread itself over another field of grain and potatoes, and a considerable part of the Aberdeen turn.

pike-road. The rivers rose at least six or seven feet beyond their usual level, and in their devastating course tore up many large trees by the roots, broke through their embankments, and irrecoverably destroyed many a promising field, which had attained to that state of maturity and perfection when the husbandman's hopes are all but realized.

Aberdeen, August S.—The Don, along its whole course, exhibited a fearful picture. All that part of the Garioch which borders it and the Ury was one

broad expanse of water. In the town of Kintore a boat was made use of to effect a communication between the houses. Opposite to the manse of Towrie, the river has completely altered its course, striking out for itself a new channel, and leaving its former bed, and the bridge which crossed it, quite dry. On Blum (layer Tuesday, a blacksmith, in attempting to swim across the Don, at Tonic, was drowned ; and, on one of these days, the assistant schoolmaster at Strathdon

shared the same fate in endeavouring to ford the river' there on horseback. qu

Tuesday, Mr. William Williamson, fleshes; lost his life in the burn of Ton : he was riding along the road between Kemnay and Monymusk, when his horse took fright at some wreck that was floating on the road, and leaped over the embank-

ment at the end of the bridge. The overflowing of the Don was very great. The mill-lead at Persley, which is twelve feet above the level of the Don, was indiscernible. A striking proof of the violence of the tempest is manifested hi the Government road between the bridge of Forbes on the Don, and the bridge of Potarch on the Dee : all that line of road, we are informed, has been destroyed, and scarcely one of the numerous bridges erected on the streams over which it passes remains entire. It is impossible to calculate the evils which will arise from these calamities. Numerous public works, which were completed at an immense expense, and have been productive of the greatest advantages, now lie in ruins. We yesterday heard a gentleman, who had ample means of information, state, that the total damage sustained, in this county alone, will amount to two hundred thousand pounds ! So great was the rapidity with which the flood in the Spey came down, that a man of the name of Cruickshank, a merchant in Aberlour, who was on one of the haughs at the time, was obliged to fly to a tree for refuge: he remained to the tree for about five hours, uttering the most heart-rending cries for that assistance which could not be rendered ham, and he was at last borne down by the irresistible torrent—Aberdeen Chronicle.

Banff, Tuesday.—This morning the whole of the market-place was covered with water to the depth of six or seven feet. A great portion of the garden-walls of Duffihouse have given way ; and the water was swollen to such a degree in Bridge-street, that thirty or forty families were taken out this morning by means of boats from windows on the second floors. Early this morning, the water was level with the top of the door of the Royal Oak Inn. The flood is now abating; but at eight o'clock this evening, I crossed the gardens in a boat—the water was then four feet deep. The mail, in entering Banff this afternoon, from the anxiety of the guard, who was informed on the bridge that he ought not to proceed, went on as far as the entrance to the, shambles, and had just passed the corner of Gil- lon's Inn, when the water, rushing from the door of Dufl:house garden, carried the horses off' their feet, and three of them were drowned in the market-place; one was saved by cutting the harness. The guard and driver were taken front the coach by means of a boat. Three vessels arc on shore in Boyndie Bay: the crews are saved. Lord Fife's garden at Duff-house is entirely destroyed.—Com respondent of Edinburgh Paper.

Keith, Wednesday morning.—All the bridges in the county are in ruins: three of the bridges on the line of road leading to Fochabers are gone ; one of the 13u- harm bridges, and the larbnmbridge over the Fidditch, on the Aberlour-road, are also gone ; the two arched bridges at Auchindoir, in this neighbourhood, are de- stroyed ; in short, the communication is nearly shut up; such a deluge was never seen. The Isla has broken down everything in its way ; houses, furniture, and cattle have all passed towards the ocean. But the bridge of Spey crowns all: two arches are swept off, and the remaining part likely soon to follow. A house and garden near the bridge are swept away ; and a man that was cutting wood near the Spey was surrounded by the water, when he climbed up a tree, but in the course of a few hours, both he and the tree were ingulfed in the stream. la our own more immediate districts, a house at Poolside, with all the furniture, has been swept away. John Wishart's waulk-mill is carried off--you would never know where it stood.

Inverness.—We have had a visitation of so tremendous a character, in the shape of flood and storm, as has been preceded by no example, either in the memory of man or in the annals of our districts. The finest structures in our country have fallen before it. The magnificent bridge, built by the Duke of Gordon, over the Spey at Fochabers—the beautiful structure over the Findhorn at Forres, both on the great coast road—the bridge over the Findhorn at Free- burn—the bridge at Moy—the bridge at Dalmagarrie—and other bridges on the Highland-road, have been carried off; as have also the bridge over the Spey at Grantown—the bridge of Nethy—the bridge of Curr—the bridge of Dava—the bridge of Cragsgan—the bridge of Dulsie, &c. The coaches both on the High- land and coast roads have consequently suffered interruption. We are glad to understand that the floods have done comparatively little damage in Ross-shire. The fall of rain seems to have been heaviest in the higher grounds of Inverneys- shire. In the short space of seven miles betwixt Portgordon and Spey, there are reported to be at present seven wrecks, and along the coast numerous boats have been driven ashore. The schooner Endeavour, of South Shields, became a total wreck at Nairn last night, and all hands on board perished. A man named Dunbar was drowned near the bridge in returning with a boat in which lie land rowed two men across. John Proctor, miller at Longridge, was carried away whilst filling the mill-dam, and drowned. A young man was on the bridge of Spey shortly before it fell, in company with several other persons ; the latter ob- served the bridge give way and escaped in time, but the toll-keeper's son was precipitated with the ruins into the torrent. A young woman near Freeborn was carried off by the torrent and drowned. Mr. Minims, distiller at Dandileik, one of the valleys of the Spey, has had his distillery wholly swept away. Twenty houses have fallen at the lower end of Garmouth and Kingston. Oil the coach road betwixt Forres and the Findhorn, a boat might have ::egal rowed. Tie in- mates of a but near Frereburn, when their house was ham:a:God, retreated to the. roof, and here they were forced to remain till the water had subsided. At Moy Came, several scenes of a similar nature took place. A considerable part of the road on the north bank of Loch Ness, beyond Dochfour, has been totally de- strayed and swept into the loch. The river Farigaig, which empties itself into Loch Ness, was three feet above the corn. Of the injury done to the crops no accurate calculation can yet be formed.—Inverness Papers. Fochabers, Wednesday.—Yesterday all the low grounds near the river were covered to the depth of many feet ; and several of the poor inhabitants of Inch- berry were seen sitting on the roofs of their houses, waiting their turn till the boats could be sent to their relief. Many of them have lost every thing; numbers of cattle have been drowned, and it is much to be feared many human beings. From the bank on the Speymouth side of the river, to the brae at Upper Dallachy, was one uninterrupted sheet of water, variegated only by the dwellings of the miserable inhabitants, the tops of which alone, in many cases, were to be seen. The crops, of course, are entirely destroyed, and many persons will be reduced to beggary.

The violence of the storm on Monday night has thrown down a large stone which stood on the top of the old Cathedral at Beauly (it is supposed for upwards of four hundred years), the ancient engraving and figuring on which excited much curiosity in the district.

CRIMES OF A BAVARIAN PRIEST.—A trial for murder of a very singular and horrible kind, before the Supreme Criminal Court in Bavaria, has just terminated.

The trial occupied no less than four years, and the pleadings and documents amounted to forty-two volumes ; the criminal was examined one hundred times, and it was only at the last of these examinations that a confession of his guilt was

wrung from him. Riembauer, the criminal, was born in the lowest rank's; but at

a very early age gave marks of an intellect of a supehior order. His ambi- tion was to enter the ecclesiastical state; and through the medium of the curate of his native village, Randerstadt, he was enabled to gratify it. Riembauer was born in 1770 ; at the age of fourteen he was admitted to the Lyceum of Ratisbon, where his conduct and progress were exemplary and rapid ; in 1795 he was or- dained a priest, and performed the duties of assistant-vicar in different villages ; in 1807 he underwent, with much honour to himself, an examination for a curacy; in 1808 he was appointed curate of Friel; and in 1810 he was promoted to the curacy of Randerstadt. Riembauer carried his customary zeal to the exercise of

his sacred duties ; in the performance of which he was apparently as sincere as ho was punctual. His sermons were eloquent, his denunciations of vice severe and frequent. It is not wonderful that, so accomplished and gifted as he was, with an elegant person and seductive manners, Riembauer should be looked on by the country people as a saint of the first water. The crimes with which Riembauer was charged were chiefly of incontinency. He had a child by the curate of Hoskerchen's cook-maid ; another by Anne Marie Eichlaetter, the cu- rate of Hernsheim's servant ; a third by a milliner of his acquaintance ; a fourth by another curate's serving-maid ; a fifth by Madeleine Frauenkneicht,—whose father he swindled out of 5000 florins, and whom, together with her mother, he poisoned; and lastly, he had several more children by Ann Weineger, his last kitchen-maid. With all his victims he performed a marriage ceremony at the altar. The crime for which he was at length arrested was the murder of Anne Marie Eichlaetter. This girl had importuned him on several occasions for money, and threatened, on being refused, to expose him. She was induced to visit him at the house of the farmer Frauenkneicht, and was there murdered by him. Whilst the monster was in the act of cutting the unhappy girl's throat, Catherine, the youngest daughter of Frauenkneicht, happened to peep through the key-hole, and observing what was going on, called her mother and sister Madeleine to witness the scene of blood. The mother was anxious todenounce the murderer; but on his expressing profound repentance, and threatening to commit suicide, she was induced to bury the transaction in silence. Shortly after this murder, Madeleine and her mother fell sick; Riembauer compounded their medicine, and they died the one within five days of the other. Catherine, who was twelve years of age at the period of the murder, became subject to fits of melancholy, and to convulsions, from its effects on her imagination ; and at length, unable to retain the secret, told it to her confessor, with the other particulars of Riembauer's conduct. The confessor, who thought to turn the confession to Caroline's pecuniary advantage, wrote (in Latin) the following letter to the poisoner of her mother and sister and robber of her father :—" A case has been submitted to me, which you alone can solve. A cer- tain man, whom you well know, owes a certain stranger somewhere about 5000 florins. If your conscience be awake, pay this debt. If you do not answer within four weeks, you may tremble for the consequences." No answer was re- turned, and Riembauer was accordingly denounced. Among . other particulars, Catherine stated, that Anne Marie Eichlaetter had a peculiarly fine set of teeth ; and after her deposition was taken, in a closet where the body had been deposited, a skeleton with a case of teeth as described, was discovered. In the confes- sion of the criminal, it is worthy of remark, he defended himself on that dogma of

the Jesuits, that it is allowable to kill another if there be no other means of saving one's honour or good renown ; the fallacy of which Pascal has so triumphantly shown. "I also (he says) recollected that other principle of the Jesuits, that the end sanctifies the means.' I reflected upon the great evils that the public scandal with which Ann Marie menaced me would cause to the people and to my sacred profession ; and I said to myself, 'If a priest of such unblemished reputa- tion were found to be a sinner, great would the detriment thereof be to religion; therefore, as there were no other means of avoiding public scandal but by the

death of Ann Marie, and that this death tended to produce a laudable result, I do not think I have acted criminally, for my intentions were pure, and ad majorem Dei gloriam. Moreover, before killing Ann Marie, I exhorted her to repent of her sins, and I gave her absolution." This holy ruffian has been condemned to imprisonment for an unlimited time.

THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER AND MR. SHIELD'S MONTMENT..--It was the win- of many of the most eminent members of the musical profession, to place a mo- nument to the memory of their respected and regretted brother Shield in West- minster Abbey. This honour was, however, claimed by J. Fuller, Esq. formerly M.P. for Sussex; whose personal friendship for Shield, joined to a high admira- tion for his talents, led him to wish that it should be his individual act. The monument has been executed by an eminent sculptor. On application being made to the Dean of Westminster for leave to erect it, he first demanded a fee of fifty guineas, and afterwards forbade altogether its being placed in the Abbey ; alleging as a reason that the inscription contained the words "this gentleman ! 1" —Mr. bShield was a gentleman in the highest and best sense of the term : polished in manners, amiable in temper, courtoous in demeanour. But he was more ; he delighted in doing good. His friendly counsel, his prompt assistance, were given with such affectionate kindheartedness, that he seemed as if receiving rather than conferring an obligation. This was his character as a gentleman and a Christian. What he has done to adorn his art, and to enrich the music of his country, let his works testify. Happy would it be for the Church if all its rich and lordly priests could deserve half as much to be said of them.—From a Cor- respondent.