27 AUGUST 1831, Page 12

ACCIDENTS TO MEN AND II0IISES.—A musician of the band of

the Horse Guards was thrown by his horse on Wednesday afternoon, in the court-yard of St. James's Palace, while on duty. The horse had taken fright, and in plunging, struck the man's bead; who was carried to the hospital with a fractured skull. The horse was shot a few minutes afterwards, in Marlborough Yard. [If every horse that takes fright be shot, the race will be soon extinct. The day befime, Captain Gordon, of

the 51st regiment, was killed by a pair of horses he was driving, near Waltham Abbey, taking fright at an itinerant organist in the road. In this case, we suppose, martial law would have been administered to both. the organist and thelorses, had the parties had the misfortune to belong to the Guards. It may be, however, that the reporter of the accident is in error, and that the horse was not frightened, but vicious, and that this was the last trick of an out offender.]

THE TIIUNDEO-STORII.—III Herts and the neighbouring counties, the awful thunder-storm last week continued for some hours. The light-

ning struck a cottage in the occupation of Joseph Prior, between Much Hadham and Hadliam Ford, threw down part of the chimney, and some tiles off the roof, split a door-post and rafter, and forced out part of a window. Two women in the cottage were knocked down. (Inc of them is severely burnt, and lies very iii. In Bishop's Stortford Park, a tree was split, and one or two sheep killed, and several wounded. Eleven sheep, the property of Mr. Horne of Brainfield, were killed while grazing in Mr. Dent's Park, near Hertford, and a tree was torn to pieces in the same park. The roof of Mr. W. Johnson's house, at Royston, was much injured. A barn full of wheat, and a pea-stack, were set on fire at Barley. On the same day, Liverpool was visited by one of the most tremen- dous falls of rain recorded in its annals ; the lower part of the town was

completely inundated. The damage done to-merchandise and the stores of grocers, chandlers, and others, baffles all calculation, but is estimated at more than 50,0001.

DEATH VROM LusurissNri.—On Tuesday last week, as Mr. Thomas Stevinson, hosier, of Nottingham, was returnine.b from Sheffield in a gig,

he was struck by lightning a short distance from the Four-lane-ends, near Whittington, about two miles from Chesterfield. A young man, named Benjamin Raywood, observed Mr. Stevinson enveloped in the

blaze; and on the horse galloping up, he saw him failing to the ground. He immediately ran to his assistance, and caught him in his arms. :Mr. Stevinson opened his eves once, and instantly expired.

Dnowfosic..—Mr. 'William Nicholson, solicitor, of Dowgate Hill, London,-who had resided in Ramsgate a few days with his family, went on Monday to bathe, and unfortunately got out of his depth. He called for help ; but the sea being very rough, some time elapsed before any assistance could be tendered. 'William Christian plunged into the waves, and caught hold of him, hoping to be able to keep him above water until the arrival of the life-boat, which had put off as soon as alarm was given ; but being! then in a depth of twelve feet, he was rehictantly compelled to let him go. The unfortunate gentleman sankforAhe last time, and was not found until more than an hour had elapsed, when the dead body was washed ashore.

On Friday afternoon, a wherry which plies between Greenock and Belensburgh, was upset, and all hands, three in number, perished.— Glasgow Chronicle. A deplorable event happened on the 20th inst. at Havre. Twenty- Eve men, who had suddenly stepped into one of the boats which serve as a ferry when the bridge at the bar is drawn up, sunk with the boat, which had come in contact with the anchor of a vessel just arrived, and every one perished. Suicross.—Elizabeth Dickson, the wife of George Dickson, a watch_ raan at the Excise-Office, drowned herself in the cistern belonging to the office, on Wednesday morning. In a desk, after the suicide was disco. vered, her husband found the following letter. " My dear husband, my heart is beating to see you so unhappy, and it is through me that you are so. I will suffer death before I deceive you, dearest creature ; my sins are greater than I can bear. God bless you ! Oh, my child ! Oh, heavenly dear, be good to him ! I cannot make you happy ! God bless you ! My dearest, I have been your constant wife." The hus- band stated at the inquest, that his wife had often complained of a pain in her head, particularly within the last few days ; but he could not ex- plain what she meant by being unhappy, unless it was on account of the executors not settling some matters relative to his son, who will be en. titled, on coming of age, to considerable property.

On Wednesday last week, John Burrowes, master gunner of Port- land Castle, at Weymouth, put an end to his existence by cutting his throat with a razor so effectually as to cause his death in a few moments, rendering all surgical efforts unavailable.

The Rev. C. Semple, of Goldington, formerly of this town, committed suicide on Tuesday last, by discharging a pistol, loaded with two balls, into his mouth.—Hertford County Press.

A poor man, named Merry, aged seventy-five, cut his throat on Thursday morning last week ; he died on Monday. Distress was the cause. He was an Irishman, and had resided in St. Giles's for many years ; but when he applied for relief, the only relief they would give was to send him home again.

Mr. J. raven, lace-dealer at Spalding, destroyed himself by poison on Sunday night. Mr. Favell was a Methodist preacher, and had preached twice on the day the deed was committed. He had been unfortunate in business.

APvIIAv.—An excise-officer, named Simson, had his leg brokers on Wednesday the 18th, in a scuffle with Captain 'Watt, of the Budding- ton. He died of mortification, on Tuesday. It did not appear that Captain Watt was at all to blame ; the fracture was proved to be purely accidental. The scuffle was provoked by Simson only. FIRE.—On the 19th, a destructive fire took place at the house of a labouring man, at Little Martin, about three miles from Lytham. During the progress of the flames in an inner apartment, they contrived to save two of the children by pushing them through a hole in the partition of the house which looked into the dock ; but on putting the second child through the crevice, the mother, imagining it had fallen backwards, went through, followed by her husband, in order to ascertain what injury it had received ; and before they could again return, the house was en- veloped in flames, and two children perished.—Blackburn Gazette.

Ardinglass House, near Cairndow, Argyleshire, the splendid seat of Mr. Callender of Craigforth, was on Wednesday last burned to the ground, along with most of the furniture that was in the house ; the library, however, is said to be all saved. The fire is thought to have orieinated in a joist, that extends to one of the chimneys. It broke out lit 'the upper part of the house, and burned from one o'clock on Wed= nesday till Thursday at sunrise, when the whole was totally consumed.

INcENDiantsint.—On Sunday morning, a fire broke out in a barn on -the premises of Mr. Thomas Breeds, in the parish of Guestling, Hast- ings. The Hastings fire-engine was instantly sent for, and every ex- ertion used to extinguish the flames ; but the fire was not got under till the barn, containing about five loads of wheatsheaves, stable, and wag- gon-lodge, ith three waggons, were entirely reduced to ashes. The

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thansge is estimated at 5001. A man of the name of Difford was taken into custody on Sunday evening, on suspicion of having some knowledge of the fire.—Brighlon Gazette.

SI/OCRING ACCI1)ENT.--011 Thursday, last week, a man named Bill, In a state of intoxication, fell into the excavation at Balham IIill. A borer being at the time fixed in the ground, with seven feet of it standing out, the poor fellow tumbled sideways upon the point, and it passed through his body just above the hips, and he fell to the bottom, literally spitted. A workmate immediately took him off, but with much difficulty ; and while he was doing this, so stupidly drunk was the suf- ferer, that he said, " Never mind, Bill, its only run through my clothes." He lingered in a state of insensibility until Saturday morning, when lie died.

FATAL Sroarris-G.—Mr. R. Entwistle, junior, of Rashulme, while on a shooting excursion with some friends, at Bleasdale, on the I fith in- stant, was shot through the head by the accidental discharge of one of the barrels of his gun, whilst engaged in loading the other. He survived only three hours.--illanchester Herald.

Mrsvnanous DEATIIS.—011 Thursday night last, Andrew Rov, a cabinet-maker and one of the Yorkshire Hussar band, and Elizabeth Meadley, a dress-maker, to whom he had long paid his addresses, after spending the evening at a dance, returned to her home ; but her parents finding Roy affected by liquor, requested him to leave the house. He did so ; but persuaded the young woman to accompany him to the door. There they remained some time, and were seers to quit the spot suddenly. lie:saying " I'll do it," and she dissuading bins from some des- perate resolution. This was the last time they were seen alive.—After a persevering search of some days, both their bodies were found in the River Ure, at a considerable distance below the place where they are supposed to have entered the water.—Leeds Intelligeneer.

DEATH IN TIIE POT.—Last week, a man, who was working in a field between Usk and Pontypool, drank hastily from a mug of beer, arid swallowed a wasp, which stung him internally and inflicted such horrible pain, that the poor man expired in a few hours afterwards.—Monmouth

Merlin.

MORE STEAM-MOAT ACCIDENTS. — The Chieftain steamer got ashore, in a fog, on one of the Copeland Isles, on Tuesday evening. She sailed from Belfast for Liverpool on Tuesday, at four o'clock p. m. Sire had a considerable cargo of goods ; and there were probably from thirty to forty passengers on board. The passengers and some luggage were landed on the Lighthouse Isle; and, through the kindness and hospitality of the keeper and his wife, spent the night very comfortably. Next morning they found a passage across the Sound into Donaghadees and thence returned to Belfast.—Dablin Evening Packet. [The Chief. min has been since got off without damage.]

DANGER OF BREAKING BOUNDS.—A large boa constrictor made its escape one day last week from the menagerie now exhibiting near Bath. wick bridge. It was found drowned in the Avon two days after.—Bat/ Chronicle.