The National Register.
London, England, 1822-10-07 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE.

On Friday afternoon at throe o'clock an iimoisition was taken
before John Weight Ilnwm, Esq. one of the coroners for Mid-
dlesex, at the sign of the Rose and Crown, in Doswell-street,
on view of George Clifford, a. ed IS, who destroyed himself
nailer the following singular eireuenstences :
The first witness, Mr. funnel Williams, a surgeon, deposed
to the cause oldie boy's death, which, ha said, was evidently
occasioned by hanging. All the means of resuscitation were
used for nearly two hours without elfect. He had no previous
knowledge of the deceased.
Mrs. Ann Bocock sworn.-1 am housekeeper to Mr. NV
Wase. On Wednesday last, ►etween nue and two o'clock, 1
had occasion to go into the rillar fur sonic water, when I saw
the deceased twisted tight in the jack towel, and in • kneeling
posture ; I was terribly alarmed, and shrieked oat for assist-
ance, when my master and one of his men came down stairs.—
The deceased was released from the towel by my master after
much dilllcultv. I then went op stairs and ran for medical
assistance. toe deceased was between 13 and 14 years of
age. I hate heind lie bad often before put his head in the
towel. and twisted himself ronud till be was quite giddy, but
cannot slate this on my own authority.
Coroner.—lisps you any reason to suspect that the deceased
intended his destruction t

Witness. —Ceitunily I have not, I think it less done acci-
dentally. Ile most have twisted himself round till he was
sensek.s, and so lost his life. _ .

Mr. W. %Vase sworn.—l am a butcher carrying on business
at No. 119, Goswell-street ; the deceased was my
and had been in my employ about 18 mewl's. On hearing the
screams of the lest witness I ran down stairs, and found the
deceased in the cellar, with his head In the towel, whirls wu
twisted eery tight round his neck. lie was lying with his
tine towards the ground. lie was quite deed and cold. The
deceased was often in the habit of twisting Lis head in the
towel, and had often been warned against it.
Coroner.—ll id you any reason to believe flint he meant to
commit suicide Witness replied in the negative.
John fain:lard, servant to last witness, sworn.—l went iota
the cellar with my mister, who took the deceased out of the
tow.l. He was on his knees, with his hands hanging down.—
tlis head win in the towel, which was twisted very tight round
his neck. My master could not release him without taking the
towel od*the rail. The deceased had beeu missing about half
en hour, lie was quite dead when he was found. The de-
ceased had been in the habit of twisting his head in the towel
before in a playful manner, and I had often told him Le would
do it once too often. . .

—The Coroner, in addressing the kitty, observed, that it plainly
appeared the deceased was in the habit of trying experiments
of this descril"ion, and it was quite evident that he did not
contemplate suicide.
The Jury consulted for some time and returned a •erdict—
That the deceased strangled himself 1).1 accident, and not with
the intent to commit suicide.

EscAre EROIII PRISON .—A most daring attempt
to escape was again made by the horse stealing confined ih
Aylesbury gaol on Saturday morning last. About five
o'clock, four prisoners (who sties wards proved to be
liankes, the two Cribb+, and another horse.stealer maimed
('ok's) were observed by some persosis in the market
Wile.. to Slide down front one of the windows of the
Sessions House by means of blankets tied together.—
Whets they readied the ground, they made for the part of
the town in which they were least likely to be seen, pro-
ceeding ditectly through a bye lane which leads to the
fields. One or two persons who had seen them descend.
however, followed them, mole tee red by the menages of
Hanky., who threatened to stab them with a clew knife
which he held in his hand. Two or three other persons
joined in the oursuit as they passed through the lane; the
a 141115 bee:taste general; and in a few mtnnles, much to
the credit of the people of Ayleshory, the number was
so great as to render their escape almost impossible. At
the distance of about three quarters of a mile from the
lawn liatikes was struck to the gr 1, and the knife
wrenched front his baud; Cokes ;11111 one of the Criblfs
were dragged from ditches, the other Cribb was also
secured; and in lit le mote than an hour they were all
safely seconseyed to the place from which they had
escaped. It appears that the prisoners hail heen left by
the turnkeys, at 1141; past 12 o'clock no the preceding
night, when they were perfectly secure io their respective
cells. Soon after ilia departiere. Cokes (who being con-
sidered in no extraordinary light, had been secured only
by the tumid means) co ttttt wowed un.ciewing the iron
grating that forms the top of his cell, which he effected,
and got out at the lop into a lobby in front of a range
of cell.; with the assistailee of a skeleton key, ingeni.
ously made from a stilt piece of wire, he then Sallied the
lock of Hankes's evil, and broke a padlock, that taste used
him by a chain to his bedstead, with a piece of iron taken
1;iolloor of the gam grnies, and secreted las the pm pose,
"their next step %vas. to get to their companions, who were
in a range of cells sill ill.' toor above ; and at
the foot of the staircase which had to them was a door
Arcing...l by a vet, large slims:: lock ; it seems probable
that the resistance *bleb this (loot utf•ted for two or
three hours to their thither progress was the cause of
their being diseovei ell, its &Teri mg their escape till day
light. Alter tortleetonl attempts to break this lock, mid
to a rench the boaril• of the staircase, they tried to lance
the staple, which *leer some time )lethal to their dimes.
They then went op stabs and picked the locks of the
cells in *Melt the Cu ibtis were emitim d, and with the iron
bar Make the padlocks by which they were fastened to
their bedsteads. 'two passage doors were the next ob-
stacles that presemeil j the lock of the first
was picked, and the second broken open. Between
11110111 they foniol their clothes, *loch, since their
previous a ttelopts, had been token hoof them oil gitiog to
bed. They next with the assistance of their beil-clothes,
col on the top of the ce,l., *loch roasted them t • tench
the 11,mr tit the Sessions Coaciiier, thrtioJi which they
lio•de turn' way at the spot *hero they ;cid been lots F.
rowed on their last mail. to escape. 41•1.wieli it had het n
mended in a manure that seemed almost to prelude the
possibility of being bi %Ant.
Adds, who 11.11 Ut VII committrd to Maidstoti,e gaol,
charged with the wittiti mord. r of E at
13.rling, liar illipeaCiat hi: • imitating* warn its num.
tier, wim have been appreitetatte.l, and on Vs edsiettlay
lust they iattaritt all 01.11 1111 l atom it il.c Justice*
rums at the New Prison, 11C.•11$ 1111 l
one of the Itl..gi.tratea tor toe county °wow, to the
absence of some titan:fiat wittiebses, they were 41
for re-exattotwion. 'their name. are Cileurge
George Footett.lestittOrmid Day, Jostles Marius, JIMA
Sean, Eutt ard tialt.r. and Wetted bursts.

316

MADRID PAPERS.

MADRID, SFPT. 20.—The address of the King to
the Spaniards has produced the best effect on the
minds of the Liberals, while their adversaries look
upon this piece in the same light us on those which
the Prince Royal of Naples published under the
constitution ; but the fact is, that the ministers had
no great trouble to obtain the King's signature, for
be readily acquiesced in their desire.
The Neapolitan General, William Pepe, arrived
here en the 16th, and was well received by the pa-
triots. There are many conjectures respecting his
return, to hick is said to he occasioned by the change
in our ministers. It is said that it is in agitation to
hum three Neapolitan Legions, which will be sent
ity t‘ca to Calabria; 'tut sensible people ask " where
axe the soldiers, unless they should be formed of Spa-
niards? and then a Decree of the Cortes would be
required." The Neapolitan and Piedinontese com-
panies in Catalonia are composed only of 150 men
freeborn, one kind are Spaniards. Others pretend
that Gem Pepe will have a command in Catalonia;
but this too would be against the constitution, which
declares that no foreigner can have a chief command
in the national army. At all events, his return is
supposed to have some political object.
The proceedings of the Provisional Government
at Urge!, the Congress at Verona, and the prepara-
tions making in the French fiatresses on the Pyren-
rices, excite great attention ; the fears of a foreign
invasion increase so touch, that in political meetings
we already hear of people speak of plans of defence,
of alliance with Portugal, and even with England,
to which all kinds of concessions would be made.
It seems, in Met, more than probable, that the ireaty
with Portugal will soon le concluded; and, on the
other hand, very great hopes are built on the aid of
Great Britain in case of threign invasion.
The trifling war carried on against the factious
has presented nothing remarkable. The Italian re-
fugees continue, however, to pay the debt of grati-
tude for the hospitality afforded them.
Gen. Mina was to set out from Lerida en the
13th, to begin the great military operations confided
to his talents, his experience, and his patriotism.
Lust Tuesday, the subalterns of all the regiments
in garrison at Madrid partook of a fraternal banquet.
They afterwards paraded through the principal
streets, and along the beautiful promenade of the
Prado, singing hyms to liberty to the sound of the
music of the different regiments. An immense mul.
titude accompanied them, and made the air resound
with patriotic huzzus.
At Valencia, extraordinary measures must be
adopted to prevent, or at least to arrest, the assassi-
nations which are daily committed there.
A placard, published by an Ecclesiastic, proposes
a national council, for the purpose of establishing
with the Court of Rome relations analogous to the
principles of the constitution. This proposition has
sound many supporters amongst our Liberals.
We are assured that Ministers are occupied in
drawing up a report coneernlng the Afrancesadus,
which is to be submitted to the meeting of the Ex-
tra relitiary Cortes, at their opening. It is not fa-
vourable to them.

The General in Chief of the Army of Operation
of the 7th district, Gen. Mina, has addressed to the
inhAitants of Catalonia a proclamation, dated from
Lerida, in which he utters terrible menaces, which
menaces are supported by 1,660 infantry, and 300
cavah v.
IVe are assured, by the an t,fa courier, that
Gen. Mina was tat the 19th to have attacked the
town of Belaguer, which is occupied and fortified by
the royalists. The capture of Tortosa by the roy-
alists is not confirmed.

Galicia has remained tranquil, but the following
letter Iris been received from Vigo, dated the 9th of
September:—" On the demand of our Political
Chief; supported by our Minister at the Court of
Portugal, that Government has ordered to be expel-
led from its territory all Spantards who have taken
refuge there, after having conspired against the con-
atitutiooal system. It is in consequence of this
taeasure that Pereira hits returned with arms into
our territory, and has suriirised two weak detach-
ments, one beletiging to the regiment of Burgos, and
the other belonging to the motnited Custom-house
tlicers; he has successively occupied Sajamonde and
Itedondela, the heights of which he covers. Troops
have set out in pursuit of hint.'
Several detachments have left Madrid in pursuit
of the royalist troops commanded by Anastasio, the
Canon of Toledo. %Voile the national troops were
fighting against him, another guerilla insurgent
party entered Navalearner°, within two leagues cf

The Journals of our Ministry spread all sorts of
imr6inutiee teports, in order to support the confi-
dence of their party. To-dav the Telegraph says,
" The Spitni,b utnliasgador tit.L6bon has autmunced
that the Portuguese Government has sent into the
province IYLLitte Diuro nod Mitthn, a division of
8,000 men, unoler the orders of General Louis de
Rego, to serve in Spain as an auxiliary cutri) and to

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

co-operate with her in favour of the independence
of the two nations, by moving towards the Pyren-
nees fin. the purpose of pursuing anti arresting those
factious Spaniards who wish to take range ut Por-
tugal."
BavoNNE, Seim 2.6.—We have nothing new
from the neighbouring provinces. The defection of
the bands continues, in consequence of the rapid
movements of the constitutional columns in various
directions. Sixty men belonging to the bands of
Vranga and Zabala arrived yesterday in the port of
Stem, in France, flying from their own country, on
board of three boats, whit+ they run ashore un the
c.;ast. The constitutional troops occupy at this time
the whole coast of Fontarabia to Biiboa, so that it
will not be easy for the factious to escape. The 40
Olen tw•ho came to the Lazaretto, having belonged to
these same bands, after having staid two days ut
Bayonne, left it to go to lrati, in order to take up
arms again. We need not state that they received
from the committee of liquia the assistance necessary
for this journey. It is to be hoped that we shall see
them return by way of Sucoa, for there are among
the number some who have made this tour more
than once. We are still without positive informa-
tion respecting the operations of Gt.n. Espinosa; we
only know that he is still in the valley of Roncal,
preparing for the siege of Irati, which is not likely
to give him much trouble.