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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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mentioning Captain Yelverton by name . I had hitherto m ? o £ 3 frorn making any public statement beyond a 8 \ Z \ e cont ? ad ? ctS g of tie falsehoods which originally Xulated by Captain Yelyerton and Mr Roebuck , have event ually found their way into public print . But , as Sa ^ n Yelcerton ' s name is now before the public , I feel bound to make known such facts as I am at liberty to disclose and which will suffice , I trust , to show what talue s ? o be attached to the ' calumnious aspersions tempted to be cast on me b , ^ correspondent wh o dares not trive his name . Wm . Uobia , dares not S ^^ ^ . Embassy , Constantinople . P . S . I subjoin Mr . Girdiestone ' s confirmation of the above .
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THE UCKFIELD BURGLARY . Six of the men who are charged with having committed the burglary at Dowland-house , near Uckfield , were examined at Tunbridge , on Saturday . They gave their names as J . Hamilton , John Smith , James Smith , T . Morgan , W . Hillyer , and J . Carter . Elizabeth Olliver was also charged on suspicion of having some of the stolen property in her possession . The chief witness was Thomas Wood , butler to the Misses Farncombe , who were so ill that they could not attend to give their evidence . He said : — " On Thursday morning , the 2 nd instant , about halfpast three o ' clock , I was alarmed by hearing some persons trying my bedroom door . My room is at the back of the house at the top of the steps reaching from the scullery . I challenged them , and said , ' Who ' s there ?' and not receiving any anwer , I jumped out of bed and seized my gun . Almost at the same moment the men ( five ) rushed into my room by bursting in the door , and on seeing me one said , * Here is the . ' I see the man who made that remark now before me ; it is the prisoner Morgan . I recognize tne prisoner Carter as being one of the five men . I don ' t particularly recognize any of the others ; they all had masks on . Morgan had a red mask over his face , and Carter a white one and a woman ' s straw bonnet on his head . The others had masks on ; one wore a black one . The black mask produced is similar to the black mask which one of the men wore .
On their entering the room Morgan struck at me with a pistol . He hit me on the shoulder , and said , ' D—n your eyes be still , and don't make a noise . ' He ordered me to get back into bed . The others were threatening me . 1 saw one of them take my watch from the table close to the bed , and also a gold watch key . Carter said , « Where are your keys ? ' I hesitated , and he said , ' Where are your trousers ? ' I hurled them to him , when he said , ' Get out of bed and get them , ' and threw them at my head . He got the keys , and 7 s . 6 d ., which was in my pocket . He went to my writing desk , and I noticed another breaking open a box . I said , ' Don't break the box open , you have got the key there . ' He replied , ' We don ' t come to unlock locks , we have a different way of
doing it . ' He then threatened to blow out my brains if I did not remain silent . At that time I heard the alarmbell ringing in one of the upper apartments ; two of the men instantly ran up stairs to silence it . It was ringing iu the servants' room . A third man went outside the door to keep watch . After a short pause one of the men came back , and asked me where a door close to my room led . I informed him that it led to a dressing-room attached to one of the ladies' apartments . They broke open the door , and shortly afterwards I heard the ladies ( Misses Farncombe ) scream . I instantly appealed to Carter not to allpw his companions to ill-treat the ladies in any way . Carter left me for a few minutes . While lie was with me I had some conversation with him , and
I observed that he looked something like a woman with the bonnet on . There was a good deal of talking between them , and I recollect their voices and general appearance . I am quite sure about Carter and Morgan . While Carter was keeping watch over me , one of the men came and grasped me by the collar and dragged me out of bed . I asked him what he wanted me for . He replied , ' Show me where the plate is . ' He dragged me down stairs . I asked him to allow me to put on my shoes . He answered , ' I don ' t wear any shoes , and why should you ? ' He led me into the kitchen , and when I got there I heard the rattling of plate . Others of the gang had already got into the pantry . I said , ' You might us well let me go back ; your companions have found the plute , I hear . '
He dragged me up to the puntry dOor , and I there saw two men . They had in fide a hole in the door . One of the men was holding out an apron while the other was filling it with plate . The apron produced is the sume they were using , it in mine . One of the men held up two plated decanter stands and asked me whether they were wilver . I saiu , ' Judge for yourselves . ' The same party who led me down , and who I cannot recognize to be one of the prisoners , then took me back to my bedroom , leaving Carter with me for about half un hour , Four of the men then came to me . One addressed me and Haid ,
* " ~ V « ur eyes , if you move from the bed , or make any now , or any one in the hounc , we will blow their l > " bruiuH out . ' Carter had my gun under Inn arm , and a pistol in one hand und a lighted candle in the other . The men ordered him to keep watch over me for au hour , und one of them npoke to Carter and nuid , x <> u keep that gun and brace , and if anyone moves for an hour and a half blow their brains * out . ' Carter replied , « If they do , d my eyes , I'll pop them . ' They then left my room , Carter and all , and I huw no more of them at the time . I only uaw five . I heard them below
as if quarrelling and complaining of some of them not being ready to leave . The clock struck five just as I heard the last of them . In the course of ten minutes I got up and hastened to the police-station at Uckfield . " Other witnesses were examined whose evidence went to prove the guilt of the prisoners , but the magistrates decided upon remanding them till the following Saturday .
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INCENDIARISM AND FIRE INSURANCE . Some years ago , during a period of agricultural distress , want of employment , and low wages , when " Swing" had commenced his labours in the rural districts , some of the London Insurance offices addressed circulars to the provincial newspapers requesting them to suppress all notice of incendiary fires , as the publication of them only served to fan the flame of popular discontent . This was shortsighted policy on the part of the Insurance directors . Incendiarism must always be viewed as one of the outward symptoms of a deep-seated social malady , and it ought to be cured by removing the cause , not by vainly trying to keep it from , public observation . A wiser course would be for the London offices to fix a much higher rate on the insurance of farm property . This would force the farmers to adopt another course than the one which most of them have lately taken . In that case they would begin to see that it is better to save something out of the rent than out of the wages , seeing that the latter course tends to make the starving
labourer a pauper , a poacher , or perhaps an incendiary . The following article from the last number of the Post Magazine will show that the Fire Insurance Companies are beginning to adopt the course we recommend , and certainly it was high time for them to do so : — " From all parts of the country the most alarming reports reach us of the prevalence of incendiarism . A correspondent from Thame , in Buckinghamshire , writes , ' Incendiarism is terribly on the encrease in our neighbourhood . ' In Hertfordshire , on the estate of Mr . Dickinson , the extensive paper manufacturer at Hemel
Hempstead , a very severe loss has been incurred by an incendiary fire ; and letters from the same locality inform us that this terrible crime is encreasing in that district . A gentleman , who was last week in the vilkge of Thrapston , between Northampton and Peterborough , reports that incendiary fires were of almost nightly occurrence , and the engines constantly driving about the country . Even the metropolitan counties are not exempt , as the late fire at Mr . Jacob Bell ' s , East Hill , Wandsworth , Surrey , and that at Lord Abingdon ' s farm , at Cumnor , Berks , testify . That the leading Fire Assurance Companies should have adopted , in consequence of this
serious out-break , a higher scale of premium than ordinary circumstances have heretofore required for the risk of farming stock and farm buildings , is nothing more than reasonable , and consistent with prudence and foresight . But even the hint , which a large encreased rate of premium should have given to the farmers generally , seems to have had hitherto little effect ; the incendiaries seem almost invariably to escape detection , while so little attempt is made to put down this fearful crime that we can scarcely mention one among the Midland , Eastern , and Southern counties which has not , within the last quarter , been disgraced by incendiarism . and of
" We trust that the nobility country gentlemen England will at once exert themselves to arrest this fastspreading calamity ; or , in common prudence , the Fire Assurance offices will be compelled to adopt total prohibitory rates of premium upon farm property . The mere encrease of the rate on ordinary farm out-buildings from 38 . to 4 s . per c ^ nt . , we always conceived , perfectly useless either as a ' hint to the insured to use great precaution and circumspection , or as a remuneration for the encreased risk , to which the prevalence of incendiarism had subjected insurances on agricultural property . We feel convinced that a general communication to the insurance agents in the country to the effect that the offices decline all further insurances on this description of property , would immediately cause a general activity , and a determination to repress incendiarism . "
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A DIFFICULT CHRISTENING . A case , which has lately occurred at Magdeburg , is worth relating as an example of the operation of some of the old laws and powers of the State in Prussia . A man , at Seehuusen , in the Altmark , took his child to ho baptised in the church , demanding that ho should receive the names of " Jncobi Waldeck . " Tins clergyman refused to allow the infant to bear names which have a party Hound , though one is that of an eminent physician , the other tluit of a great jurist and j " ' x ol the Superior Tribunal of Berlin . The father declined to have the child christened by any names but those selected by
himself . The clergyman took proceeding against him , and the Court , of Law , exercising its power , appointed a curator or guardian to act for the child . But the curator appears to have been a friend of the family , for he demanded of the consistory that tho baptism nhouWl ho completed in the names chosen . This was again refused , and the curator required to have tho child christened in " uhuiiI " names . Tho parents would not comply , and , aa it whh notified that a compulsory baptism ( or Ztoangstauftt ) would be performed , tho mother left the place with tho infant , and for Home time eluded the enquiries of the police . At lust she was discovered in the little town
of Arendsee , arrested , and brought under an escort of gendarmes to Seehausen — the infant , as the corpus delicti , snugly packed in a hand-basket or trag-korb , and carried by two men , in safe custody . Arrived in Seehausen , the mother was taken to the prison , and the infant to the church . The burgomaster and the gensdarmes were in attendance as witnesses , and with locked doors the rite was performed , the child being taken back to the parents , named as their " superiors " pleased . But even this was not the end of the affair . The mother , for refusing to give up the child and absconding with it , was charged with " resistance by act to an officer
of the authorities or Obrigkeit in the dischage of its orders , " and was condemned to two months' imprisonment . Against this sentence she appealed , but the Court of Magdeburg has confirmed the decision , and the mother is now in confinement .
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THREE PEESONS BUBNT TO DEATH . A fire broke out at the Coach and Horses public-house , St . Martin ' s lane , on Wednesday morning , the consequences of which have been most disastrous , three persons , respectively aged eighteen years , ten years , and six years , having fallen victims to the flames . The house was kept by Ben Caunt , the pugilist and exchampion of England , and two of the deceased parties are his children , the third a relative of Mrs . Caunt . The building was three stories high , and had three rooms on each floor . In the attics slept three children , together with the deceased Ruth Lowe , Edward Noakes , a waiter , and Samuel Lowe , the potman , who was also a cousin of Mrs . Caunt . The second floor front room was occupied
by Mrs . Caunt ; the middle room contained a spare bed , and in the third or back room slept the nurse , with an infant child of Mrs . Caunt . Mr . Caunt had lefc town on Tuesday afternoon for Lewisham , on a shooting excursion , and Mrs . Caunt having closed the house , about two o ' clock on Wednesday morning , went to bed . Before doing so , she requested her niece , who had hitherto occupied the second floor spare room , to sleep with her that night , as Mr . Caunt was absent . The young woman consented , and went into her room to fetch her night-dress , taking the opportunity , at the request of her aunt , to examine the apartment and look under the bed to see that no one was concealed in the house . She had a candle in her hand while thus engaged , and it is
thought that , an accidental spark falling upon some combustible material in this room , must have occasioned the catastrophe . Mrs . Caunt had been in bed only a very few moments when she was awakened by the waiter calling out from the third floor that the house was on fire , and urging his mistress to make her escape . Mrs . Caunt roused her niece instantly , and , hastening out of her own room , went to the middle room for the purpose of alarming the nurse , who was sleeping with her infant in the back room . As soon as she opened the door of the middle room , Mrs . Caunt was overpowered by the flames and smoke with which the room was filled . With great intrepidity , however , she rushed forward , and , forcing open the door of the third room , called to
the nurse to bring out her child . 1 he nurse , perceiving her danger in an instant , did not stop to dress herself , but snatched up the child and followed Mrs . Caunt out of the room , literally walking through the flames , with which the apartment was filled . Meantime Noakes , the waiter , had opened the trapdoor in the roof , and was handing the persons who slept in this part of the house on to the leads , and thence down through a skylight into the adjoining dwelling . The barmaid , the maid-servant , and Mr . Caunt ' s eldest son ( a boy about twelve years of age ) , were all rescued in this manner , and placed in safety by Noakes , who returned to look for the other children , but unfortunately too late to save them . It
appears that , in their alarm and excitement , they had got out of the bed and hidden themselves beneath it ; and here , when the fire was got under , the Brigade men found their remains burnt almost to a cinder . The body of Ruth Lowe , a remarkably fine young woman , aged eighteen , was found in another part of the room extended on the floor , and reduced to an almost shapeless mass . There waa very little time lost in reducing the fire after the engines were got to work , and the extent of damage done to the house is comparatively trifling . The escape of the Royal Society for the Preservation of Life from Fire , stationed near St . Martin ' s Church , was early on the spot , but not sufficiently so to render essential service .
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INTKltKSTINO TO CLKRK 8 . A case of some interest to clerks and employers was heard in the Court of Common Pleas , on Tuesday . At the last sittings before term Messrs . Fry , who are builders at St . John ' s Wood , brought an action against a man named Bromley , their clerk , for losing upwards of £ 100 belonging to them through gross negligence . On that occasion a verdict wuh given in their favour , und on Tuesday Sergeant Byles moved for a rule nisi for u new trial on the ; ground that the verdict wuh against the evidence . Bromley had been sent by the plaintiffs to Messrs . Prescott ' s bank for £ . " $ /> in silver and £ 120 in gold , to pay the weekly wages of the plaintiffs' workpeople . On receiving the bagH containing the money he placed them in u carpet-bag , fastened with a clasp , and returned to St . John h wood in un omnibus . In Bukerstreet he got into u second omnibus , at which time the carpet-bug wuh all right .. In Bukvr-Htrcet a man wearing a great coat got into the oinnibun , near Lord ' u Crieketground , and sat near him , the bag being placed on the scut . When ho got out of the omnibus he fancied tho bag felt light , und on examining it ho found that a hiiiuII hole had been cut through the Carpet-batf , and that the bug containing tho sovereigns had been emptied of ifh contents with the exception of two or three hulf ' -Movvreigns . The appearance of tho hitun corroborated hia Htatemunt ,
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Jan . 16 , 1851 . Mv dear Doria , —I have carefully perused your statement which I return enclosed , and have no hesitation in giving my testimony to its truth—_ in giviii K / j remain ) your 8 trui y > T . M . GlRDLESTONE . W . Doria , Esq ., Brunswick Hotel .
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Jan . 18 , 1851 . ]
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 18, 1851, page 55, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1866/page/7/
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