The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-06 00:00:00

UNION.IfALL.

ALLEGED CHILD 1%1 unnEn.—Yesterday morning, Moisey,
one of the constables of St. George's parish, attended at this office,
accompanied by a young woman named I(ary Kirk, who had pre-
sented herself at the watchhouse on Saturday night, and having
inquired for the constable of the night, gave the following myste-
rious account of the circumstances connected with the death of •
child, whose body was found concealed beneath some rubbish with.
in a short distance of the town of Buckingham, and which she
strongly suspected had been murdered :
- - -

Iloisey said that the girl came to the watchhouse between 11 and
12 o'clock at night, and in rely considerable agitatiun stated that
she had recently come from Buckingham, which place she had left
is consequence of an affair that caused her much anxiety of mind.
tier object, she said, in voluntarily coming forward was, to ease her
conscience of a burden which rendered her life miserable. Having
given her name and place of abode, saying that her parents lived
next door to the Flying Horse public-house in Buckingham, she went
on to state thut, shout seven weeks ago, a woman with whom she
was acquainted, named Elizabeth Ayres, called at her father's
house at night, and having asked to see her (Kirk), said that she
wanted very much to borrow a shawl. Kirk, observing something
in the woman's arms, wrapped up in a thin handkerchief, resent-
tiling an infant, asked to see what it was ? but the other hesitated,
until at length the informant insisted, and upon raising a part of the
handkerchief she beheld the head of a child. She ( Kirk) expressed
her horror at the sight,when Ayres said, " Hush, don't Kay a word;
come along with me, get the shawl or you'll ruin me." The in-
formant said, that being very much terrified she did as her
ac-
quaintance desired, and they proceeded together about a quarter of
a mile from the town. Ayres then wrapped the shawl round the
child, and walked over to a heap of dung lying by the road side,
in which she deposited it. Having imposed strict silence upon the
informant, they returned to the town together and separated. Three
days afsevwasds a dog, belonging to the person under whose dung
the infant was deposited, discovered the body, and when the fact
became knowu, a great sensation was excited throughout the coun-
ty. Marks of violence being perceptible on various parts of the
corpse, the general impression was that it had been murdered.
During the prevalence of this rumour, Ayres called upon the in-
formant, sod proposed that they should both quit Buckingham to-
gether, and by this means elude detection, adding that Kirk was as
much implicated as herself, and that if one was apprehended both
would be certain of punishment. Informant believing this to be true,
consented, anl having provided necessaries, absconded from her
father's dwelling, accompanied by Ayres. On their arrival in town,
having expended the little mpney they had on the road, Ayres con-
ducted hor to St. James's-park, where they were under the necessity
of remaining all that night on the benches. At an early hour the
next morning Ayres left her, saying she should be back in half an
hour. However, having waited during the whole day, that person
did not'return ; and informant being pennyless, without a friend
in London, wandered up and down the streets, until at length
11 a female accosted her, who having gathered some part of her
history and devitute situation, conducted her to a house of an M-
I famous description in Kent-street, where she has been living ever
since her arrival, having no other alternative. The unfortunate
girl concluded her statement by expressing liter miserable state of
mind, and that it was the circumstance of tier being privy to the
concealment of the child that brought all her misfortunes upon her.
The Magistrate (Mr, Swabey) questioned her very closely as to
the account she gave at tl:e watchhouse, but the girl did not vary
in the least 'from her former statement. A letter was then written
to the Mayor of Buckingham, the 'Magistrate recommending an
investigation Into the circumstances of the case. The informant
was also supplied with the means of returning home.

MELANCHOLY INSTANCE OE SUDDEN DEATH.--An.
other Ins:lnce of the uncertainty of human life occurred yesterday
afternoon, at the establishment of Messrs. Whiting and Branston,
printers, &c. of Beaufort-buildings, by the discovery that an
elderly man, named Moron, an ingenious machinist, had suddenly
fallen down and expired. fie was on his return from dinner,
and had just reached the top of the stairs, when he fell. It is a
melancholy feet that the deceased was the sole support of the nu-
merous family of his daughter, whose husband died under similar
ci.eunistances about four months ago, leaving her in a state of
pregnaacy. An Inquest will sit on the body this day.

ROBBERY or THE Rev. ROWLAND HILL.—On Sun-
day morning, during the abaence of the Rev. Rowland Hill, his
family, and servants from the dwelling-house, attending divine
worship, some thief or thieves managed to scale the area railings,
and descend into the kitchen, the door leading into which was un-
fastened. Instead of proceeding up stairs and ransacking the house
of plate and other portable property the thieves contented them.
selves with laying serge to the pantry, which happened to be well
stocked with the good things of this life on the occasion, consisting
of a corned round of beef, two loins of fresh pork. a fillet of veal
stuffed, and ready for the spit, together with a prime Stilton and
Cheshire cheese. The cook was the first who discovered the rob-
bery of the lanky. She ran up stairs breathless to inform her
master of the loss. The Rev. Gentleman wu surprised at the
news, when, having patiently listened to het while enumerating
the joints that had disappeared, he observed, in his usual accents
of good nature, " Never mind—never mind, Kitty, don't alarm
yourself, we shall substitute something else for our loss ; the poor
creatures who managed to take away the meat perhaps wanted it
much more than we do."

On Friday evening last, as Mr. Charles Porten, the
youngest son of Mr. P. Farren, acting manager of the Haymarket
theatre, was returning home up the Islington.road, he saw three
men in the act .of stealing a piece of goods from the door of a
linen-draper's shop. The arm of one of thieves was stretched out
to seize the goods, when Mr. Farren ran across the road and thrust
himself with all force against the fellow, so as to knock him
down ; but unfortunately, before the persons in the shop could
reach the door, the thieves had tied. At it was apprehended that
they might be on the watch for this young gentleman, a person
was sent to accompany him home; but meeting no one by the way.
he dismissed his companion, when in a lonely place near Finsbury-
square, where not another person was passing, the three fellows
waylaid him, and struck him a dreadful blow on the right eye,
which stunned him. Before he could recover himself they made
off, when rising from the grouctl Mr. Farren found himself covered
with blood, and it was for some time feared that he had lost his
eye. hut we are happy to say that his sight is now perfectly re-
stored, and he is doing well.

Da E a 13FU L Acet DEN T.—Thursday morning, about eight
o'clock, a dreadful accident occurred at Ilrestatuir. Mr.
Thomas Hutton, a respectable victualler in Parkhead,
while taking a walk, as was his custom, chanced to turn
aside to survey the mining operations at the sinking of the
new coal pit about the centre of the village of iVestmuir.
After he hail surveyed the work for a few minutes, putting
some questions apparently to satisfy his curiosity, the hill-
man observed him to seize hold of that part of the sea.l:ild-
ing which runs across the centre of the pit, to get a hotter
prospect of the fearful abyss below. Whether Mr. Hutton
hail overreached himself, or his feet bad slipped, is not ex-
actly known, as the hillman'a back was turned to him at
the instant, but in a few seconds he was alarmed by a
sudden rebounding against the sides of the pit, and missing
Mr. Hatton, he conjectured the fatal catastrophe. The
deceased in his descent had struck the bucket which was
coming up, and the workmen below were in consequence
apprised of some approaching danger, and kept out of the
way. The deceased fell about 70 fathoms ; he was taken
up lifeless ; one of his thigh bones was broken, and his
head considerably cut. The melancholy event caused a
great sensation in the neighbourhood. )(r. Hutton was a
fine young man, of good abilities, and had been very suc-
cessful in business as a victualler. He adopted the plea of
selling his articles chew and good, and acquired a large
run. He has a neat three-story house finishing in Park-
head.--Glasgeto Chronicle.