18 OCTOBER 1834, Page 5

The Chester Quarter-sessions commenced at Knutsford on Monday. A "

true bill" was found by the Grand Jury against the Sheriffs of tile city of Chester for a misdemeanour, in refusing to take upon themselves the execution of Garside and Mosley, the two Inert under sentence of death in Chester Castle for the murder of the late Mr. Ashton. A similar bill presented against the High Sheriff of the county was thrown out. The indictment will be removed by certiorari into the Court of King's Bench, and thus the question of liability vill be brought under discussion before the only tribunal competent to decide upon it.—Illanehester courier.

On the evening of Thursday week, an alarming fire broke out in the extensive premises of Messrs. Thomite, Dover, and Co., Launeelot's Quay, Liverpool ; which ended in the total destruction of the premises, about eight or ten stories high. The upper rooms were filled with cotton, and the lower one with hogsheads of sugar, while in the cellars there were about two hundred hogeheads of rum. Fortunately the extensive warehouses adjoining were not involved in the ruin. The property destroyed is estimated, on a rough calculation, at 30,00o(. The building, which is the property of Mr. Birkett, is fully insured in the Sun andthe Alliance Fire Offices. The goods contained in it, which belonged to a variety of parties, are also understood to have been insured. A detachment of the Thirty-third Regiment was called out to protect the property ; and one of the officers, a young man, ordered them to push about the people in a very brutal manner. The Liverpool Journal sayi- " The streets were pretty well cleared; and, this work being done, the gal- lant youth directed the attention of his soldiers to some steps on which some half.dozen gentlemen stood, watching the progress of the throws. Some of these prsons had property in the street, and they had a natural anxiety to see whether tine flames would extend to it. The soldiers, at the command of their youag leader, surrounded those steps, and, with scarce a moment's notice, com- menced dragging the gentlemen down by the collar. Sonic who moved slowly were struck with the muskets. Mr. Branch, junior, of Hanover Street, was on the top of the steps ; and, as he did not hurry himself to quit his place, the soldiers pushed at him with their muskets. Mr. Branch, in a mild tone, said.— ' I have propel ty in this street ; pray allow Inc to stand here, where I am out of the way.' At this moment, there were so many soldiers before him, that it would be difficult for him to make his way through them. The young officer sprang upon the steps, violently collared Mr. Branch, and attempted to pull him down. Mr. Branch pushed hack the gallant cavalier, who immediately drew his sword, gave it a theatrical flourish over his head, struck at Mr. Branch (we saw the attempt, but do not know whether it was the blade or the hilt that gave the blow), and dragged him on the causeway by maiu force. It appeared to us that the officer, whose person can be identified, was much excited. In five minutes after, another officer called out to his men to drive

back some of the bystanders. ' The best way,' cried he, 'is to but them back to hell.' The soldiers this time were a little moderate : the officer then shouted

out—, send them all to the Devil!' We mention these facts without comment. If the case does not come before a legal court, it at least will be tried at the bar of public opinion."

On the same night, a fire broke out in Jordan Street, Liverpool, but it was extinguished before much damage was done.

On Thursday last week, his Majesty's plantations near Blackwater were set ott fire and had it not been for the opportune discovery of it by 3Ir. Maslin, Deputy-Surveyor to the Office of Woods and Forests, and his promptitude and vigilant proceedings, seconded by the officers and cadets of Sandhurst College, the result must have been awful. As it was, upwards of seventy acres of thickly-planted lit and oak were destroyed. Active measures are taken to discover the incen- diaries, to whom there is some clue.— Times.

A fishing-coble was run down in the roads near Scarborough, on the 8th instant, by a brig. Two men belonging to the cubic, both of whom had large families, were drowned.—lialyier Express. Last week, a young lady eloped from Dorset House, Tunbridge Wells, in company with a groom; a mutual attachment having existed for some time between the parties.

A singular circumstance occurred in Blenheim Park one day last Week. The keepers were killing some deer, when one of them shot a fat back; and the ball, after pasting through the body of the deer,

struck a horse in a post-chaise with such force as to cause the death of the poor animal as soon as it reached home.—Orford Journal. In the course of the summer, a small flight of herons took possession of a tree in Wentworth Castle Patk, to build their nests in, and have bred there : they still remain about the place, and are carefully pro- tected by the gamekeepers. We mention this as a curiosity. Nothing of the kind was ever seen there before, nor in any of the immensely wooded parks that surround the spot ; it being considered that that part of the country does not abound sufficiently with water to attract the heron.—Leds Intelliyencer.

During the week, there lots been much excitement in the town of Luton, in consequence of a serious imputation on the honour of the wife of an inhabitant occupying one of the best houses in the town. The husband, acting under high authority at Doctors' Commons, as- sisted by his brother, effected the expulsion of his wife from his re- sidence. The affiiir having attracted a considerable crowd, the popu- lace sided with the lady, and assumed such a formidable aspect that it was deemed advisable to send for two Bow Street officers. Such was the violence of the populace, that it is said the Police-officers were obliged to mount the chaise, with their staves and loaded pistols, and in this manner to escort the husband and the brother out of the town. In the mean time, the friends of the lady espoused her quarel, and adopted Incas:tree towarile the husband. Assault warrants were procured egainst the husband and his brother by the lady ; and after the case was heard by the sitting Magistrates at Luton, the defendants were held to bail.

The wife of Mr. Similes, a bookseller of St. Alban's, in very dis- tressed circumstances, poisoned herself one day last week, and attempted to poison her two children, with arsenic. By the aid of the stomach- Pump, the children were relieved and recovered. A Coroner's Jury found a verdict offilo de se on the body of the woman.

John Mattis, a drummer in tlie seventh battalion of Royal Artillery, received three hundred laelies at Woolwich on Monday, for thieving and desertion. Ile was also sentenced to be branded and discharged. He received the punishment without a groan, and then walked to the hospital without assistance. Sonic time ago, he was dogged for thieving ; but of ccurse he had become worse instead of better. Several of the men left the ranks unable to endure the sight of the torture.