A great portion of the aged tree under which the
farce of electing Members for Old Sarum took place, was blown down in the course of Friday week.—Salisbury Journal. [ Surely we may hope that all the ()Moots of the Old Sarum system are about to be tooted out, since the parent tree is blown down at last. This is a good omen of the next session of the Reformed Parliament.]
Three workmen, who with others were employed in the Red Soil Mine at Sheldon, near Bakewell in Derbyshire, lost their lives by suffocation, on Monday week. It seems that there had been a dispute of some continuance between the owners of the Red Soil and Magpie Mines, as to the proper boundary of their respective properties, and in this dispute the men took part.
" .ratters were in this state, when, on Saturday last, the workmen in the Red Soil Mine perceived smoke issuing from the Magpie Mine, which rendered it very difficult for them to continue long at work. On Monday morning last, the Red Soil miners assembled at the top of the shaft, but previous to descend- ing, one of the men, named Wildgoose, was sent down for the purpose of ascer- taining whether there was as much smoke in the mine as might endanger their safety in working. He proceeded about forty fathoms - and finding the annoy- ance had been discontinued, he called out to the men that they might advance. Eleven men then descended, and Wildgoose returned to the top of the shaft. The way into the mine is down a perpendicular shaft for about forty yards (down which the miners clamber by the help of cogs driven into the sides), into a drift gait or level, which proceeds for some distance, and then down other shafts and along other drift gaits to the waggon-way, where the point of com- munication between the two mines is situated. Four of the men had got into the waggon-way; when they experienced a dreadful feeling of suffocation, from what is supposed to have been the fumes of sulphur, &c., which came from the opening into the Magpie; and it was evident that some infernal mixture had been wilfully ignited by persons in that mine. Two of the men retreated up a shaft about fourteen yards into the drift gaits, and gave the alarm to the other men who were descending. The other two (Joseph Knowles and Thomas Henstock) were so overpowered by the poisonous vapour, as to be unable to get up the shaft : they lay down on their faces, and by inhaling the moisture from the earth, saved their lives : they were the last who were extricated. One of the men was with great difficulty enabled to get so near the surface as to give the alarm to the persons on the mine hillock ; and after great exertions, and at the utmost personal risk, eight of the men were rescued alive; but, horrible to relate, the other three men were not extricated until life was quite extinct."
The Derbyshire Courier, from which the above particulars are ex- tracted, states that an inquest on the bodies was held, with closed doors, on the following Tuesday and Wednesday ; and that five of the Mag- pie miners are in custody. As Mr. ArthurChichester, aged about twenty-one years, fourth son of 'Charles Chichester, Esq., of Hall, was hunting a pack of barriers, one day last week, about a mile from his residence, and riding a very spi- rited horse, it became restive and threw him. Mr. Chichester, in at- tempting to bold it, received a violent kick on the left side, near the heart ; and exclaimed, " Oh ! my God ! " and fell senseless on the ground. He was immediately removed to the house of the farmer of the estate on which the accident occurred, and was there put to bed. Medical aid was almost instantly proeured, but it Was of no avail. He lingered till about six in the evening; when he expired.—Norte Devon Advertiser.
A few evenings ago, Mr. Thomas Tapper, gamekeeper to Sir L. V. Palk, Haldon Honse, loaded his gun, and was going out, when-his brotherentered, to speak with him on business. In a cradle in the room lay Mr. Tapper's infant, ten months old, nearest which sat his brother. While conversing, be rested his gun on his knees, the muzzle being in the direction of the cradle, when by some accident the piece
exploded; the charge passingiris brother, who had a narrow escape, and lodging in the thigh of the unfortunate babe. In half an hour it died.
—.Exeter Flying Post. [Oh ! Dr. Somerville, why don't you set on foot a mission for the conversion of sportsmen to the universal faith and practice of thy never-failing Safety-gun? It would be the saving of perhaps hundreds of lives every year ; for, numerous as the recorded cases are, they probably form but a small part of the annual destruction of human beings by the accidental explosion of fire-arms. But the Somerville gun cannot go off " by mistake."]
A most terrible accident occurred to a lad, aged thirteen years, hi Mr. Lister's mill, Halifax, on Tuesday week. While feeding the rol- lers, he was caught by the arms; the bones were fractured severely, and the flesh entirely stripped from above the elbow down over his hands!
Miss Hancock, daughter of Captain Hancock, R.N., was riding on Thursday week, when her horse became unmanageable, and suddenly leaped over a gate. She was precipitated to the ground, and sustained a severe concussion of the brain.—Northampton Herald.
The True Briton Coach was overturned on Saturday, in Gateshead; and the son of the proprietor, Mr. Pattison, was killed. The other passengers were all more or less bruised, but not seriously injured.
The body of a notorious poacher, named John Wallis, was found drowned in one of the pits near Gas Lane, Barnwell, Cambridge, on the morning of the 5th Instant. The body was in a very decomposed state ; and, from various circumstances which have since come to light, strong suspicion is entertained that the man was murdered. The Co- roner's inquest on the body has been adjourned from time to time, with a view to procure further evidence ; and it was on Monday night last again adjourned till Thursday. A man name Howard, the keeper of a beer-shop, is in custody on suspicion, as he was last seen with the de- ceased, whose gun was found concealed in the chimney of an empty house, of which the prisoner had the key. The Jury, on Thursday, returned a verdict of " Found drowned ;" and the prisoner, against whom there was scarcely any evidence, was discharged.
Last week, a shoemaker performed the foolish feat of ascending Grantham church steeple, a height of two hundred and ninety feet ; whence he descended, bearing a rook's nest as a trophy of his prowess.
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