The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-16 00:00:00

RIOT IVITH SOLDIERS AT CHELSEA.

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Yesterday information was giveo at several of the police offices
of a most desperate affray, which took place at Chelsea on Thurs.
do/ night, between several soldiers, watchmen, &e., which is con-
sidered likely to prove fatal to one or more persons. The facto, as
gathered front die scene of action, are these:—
About eight o'clock on Thursday night three of the Life Guards
were drinking in the house of Mr. Aerated, the sign of the Redford
Artois, Pont-street, Cadogan-place, Chelsea; they were inebriated,
and spoke contemptuously of every person in company, and of their
ri sopeority user such mechanics. One of the soldiers, in crossing
the room, dropped three halfpence, and insisted upon a man who
was preselt picking them up, and giving them to him. The man
replied, " You ars not sty muter, pick them up yourself." The
soldier swore W he did not pick the money up he would knock his
Wail of Another man present said they were as good as the
soldiers, and the wan should not stoop to pick up what the
soldier hail dropped, and a general scuffle and confusion ensued.
The soldiers, who were fine tall fellows, posscsaing great bodily
strength, knocked their opponents about in the room as if they
were children. The landlord interfering to put an end to the tu-
mult, our of the soldiers struck him a violent blow on one eye, and
another threw a lire shorel at the landlady; but lockily she escaped
with little injury. The landlord had some friends in the bar, and
the soldiers took possession, and drove them out into the street, and
cleared the house of all, except the landlord, who would nut quit
his bar. The soldiers broke and destroyed everything that came to
%kir way, anti the watch was called. The first watchman that at-
tired, named Toroth'', entered the house, and one of the soldiers
struck hint a tremendous blow no the head with a poker, which
felled hint to the ground. Another soldier took his staff from him,
and beat and kicked hint as he lay in a senseless state on the Boor.
The three soldiers being twined with poker, staff, and lire shovel,
swore that they would beat and murder all the watchmen in Ungland
before they would be taken. A posse of fifteen watchmen, headed
by the constables. 3laybank and Canning, arrived on the spot,
hiving received information that the landlord of the house and one
of the watchmen had been almost killed. A number of the watch-
men attempted to secure the soldiers, but their eflints were unavail-
ing. for as they approached them they were beaten off, and several
of them receiresl very severe blows in the conflict. One of the
Commissioners of Hans Town. in which district the affray took
place, went with one tat the constables and procured a tile of men
from Knightsbridge Barracks, he being of opinion that monies
might be committed, if the civil power alone proceeded farther in
their attempt to take the soldites into custody, as the soldiers
swore that they would kill every devil opposed to them
before they would surrender to any but the military. On the
guard of soldiers arriving, the whole neighbourhood was in
a state of the greatest ferment, and the three soldiers were secured.
One of them contrived to secrete a tire-shovel as he left the house,
which the constable pointed out to the corporal of the guard. who
took it from him, and conveyed him and his companions to Kiiights-
bridge Barracks, and they were locked up in the guard. room.
I!..traing and Mat batik, the constables, accompanied the soldi.m to
the guard-wow, and a person, whom they believed to he a quar-
ter-master, treated them very sougMy, and turned them out if the
WWII.
Tilt: watchman, Towline, was found in so shocking a state,
that medical std was deemed necessary, and he was carried by other
watchmen to St. thmge's Hospital, •beie lie lies in a dangerous
condition.
I lac of the three soldiers was found to be in so bad a state yester.
day ntorolog, that the Surgeou of the regiment pronounced him
unable be removed without great danger.
The Cenuo:ssioners of Hall* Town have directed • physician on
their part, to are the soldier, and to make their report to them.
The it:tidier% wistild have been examined yesterday before the
Magistrate. of Queen-square had they been able to attend, but as
'hey are in safe custody, it was thought best to wait the issue of
the watchman's unfortunate condition before ill: inwiiry ass gage
iniu, anti die examination was postponed fur a few days.

FißC.—About half-past two yesterday afirrnoon, a most
alarming fire broke out in the shop of Mr. Knight, oilman,
3.5, Wllstead-street, Sotnerstown, which burned with such
violence and rapidity, that in less than a quarter of an hour,
the shop, parlour, and first floor, with the whole of the
property, were destroyed. From inquiry we learn, that
Mr. Knight was boiling some turpentine over the parlour
tire, which happening to boil over, caught ;the flame,
anti in an instant the whole room was in a blaze ;
and mimetic:a:ell to a small barrel containing pack-
ages of gunpowder, an explosion took place, which
blew out the entire of the window, and set the whole shop
on fire: the inmates made a precipitate retreat. Mr.
Knight had both Ida bands dreadfully scorched in endea-
vouring to extitirt, dish the fire, and his daughter, a chill
about nine years of age, bad both her arms, fac', and neck,
shockingly lutenist. The shop contained a quantity of tar,
Ipitch, oil, turpentine, and other inflammable articles, which
mulled with the greatest fury. The parish engine arrival!
in a fer minutesomil being plentifully supplied with water,
chcakeil the progress of the flames till the arrival of other
entities, when the fire was got under.
lil (I a us. R.—A gentleman named ill immix, residing it
Mirstnont, shot his servant dead on the night of the 2141 s
of September. The deceased was a fine young man, only '
en yeara of age. Among many causes assigned for this
extraordinary murder, the most prevalent is, that the rash
' act was vrpetratell through jealousy of his wife, who is
represent. d as a very be.utifttl woman, and as having
, been much attached to the unfortunate deceased.—Eel.ii Its
Midi.