The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-21 00:00:00

Fire and Loss of Life.

On Saturday morning, at a few minutes before 6
o'clock, a fire broke oat in the premises belonging
to Mr. H. Heath, hatter, 393, Oxford-street. The
Royal Society's fire escapes, the engines of the
London Brigade, and a powerful land steamer,
quickly attended ; but the flames could not be ex-
tinguished until the whole of the floors of the fac-
tory were burned out. The origin of the fire is at
present unknown. Mr. Heath was partially insured
in the Royal Exchange File-office, and the build-
ing was insured in the Westminster Fire-office.
Another fire broke out in the premises
belonging to Mr. Martin, an oil and colour
man, carrying on business at the angle of Middle
Searle-place and Searle-place, a narrow thorough-
fare leading into or near Fleet-street. The premises
were four floors high, and owing to the quantity of
inflammable articles they contained, the fire rapidly
spread. Messengers were at once despatched for
the aid of the Royal Society's escapes and engines,
and in the course of a few minutes Tapsell
arrived with the St. Clement Banes escape, and
by raising his ladders succeeded in.
rescuin one
person from the adjoining house, which was also on
fire. He applied the portable ladders and also the
jumping-sheet, but he was too late to render any
assistance to the persons in the oil warehouse. The
inmates, in order to escape being burnt to death,
hastened to the third floor, but instead of closing the
doors and waiting till the escape ladders arrived,
they made an attempt to jump out of the windows.
One woman fell upon her head. She was picked up
alive and removed to King's College Hospital, but
she died immediately after her admission. Two
others jumped from the same floor, and they are re-
ported to be seriously injured. It is believed that
they were removed to the houses of some of the
neighbours. By half-past ten o'clock, two hours
after the commencement of the fire, it was nearly
extinguished, but not until the premises in which
the outbreak began were all but destroyed.

A Ghost Story and the late Murder at Sea

by a Greek Sailor,

A strange story is told in connection with the
report of the murder at sea on beard of the barque
Pontiac, of Liverpool,
b Jean Mafatos, a Gi-eek
sailor, now in custody in Eeinbergh. It may be
e
remembered that on the 13th October last, five
days after the Pontiac left Callao, Jean Moyatos
murdered one of his 'fellow seamen, and stabbed
another in such a dangerous manner that his life
nights before the fatal
occurrence, the mate of the Pontiac was standing
was despaired of. Two
near the man at the' helm, no other person being on
the quarter-deck at the time,
when the latter in
great terror called out, "''ghat is that near the
cabin door ?" The mate replied that he saw no-
thing, and looked about to see if anyone was near,
but he failed to discover any person. The steersman
t hen, much terrified, said the figure he saw was that
of a strange looking man, of ghostly appearance,
afterwards exclaimed,
at the captain's win-
dowand almost
"Therel
mh'ileshtei s mate,iamgne ihsatetauengl ydhi ni
ga
view of the captain's
window, saw no figure near it, nor at any
other part of the quarter-deck, though he looked
round the report went from
one
e and
tothe round.othe rthNateext day
ghost
was on board, which
filled some of the sailors with alarm, while others
made a jest of it. Next night, a boy (a stowaway)
was so dreadfully alarmed in his bunk ty something
he saw or felt (we do not know which), that he
cried out so loudly as to waken all the seamen in
bed. The boy was sure it was the ghost seen the
previous night that had frightened him; and others
of more mature years were inclined to taink so too.
Perhaps more than one half of those on board be-
lieved that something supernatural was on board
and that some calamity was about to happen. Bat
there were two on board who did not believe the
murdered and his companion who Was stabbed. The
ghost stories, and these were the met who was
former joked with the boy about the ghost, and said
he would have his knife well sharpened and ready
for the ghost if it appeared the next night. He
would give it a stab and " chuck" it overboard.. Tee
latter joined in the joke, Baying he also would
help " to Cie for the ghost, and others said they
would have letters ready for the ghost to carry to
overboard,
ofandin consequence of
the Englishtheir friends in the other world. Jean Moyatos
overheard what was said as to stabbing and throw-
ing
his imperfect
knowledge
language, and having
previoutily supposed there was a canabinttion against
him, thought the threats were made against him,
and therefore resolved to protect himself. A few
hours after the jesting we have briefly explained
took place, he stabbed the two men who principally
carried on the jest, with the fatal result known. The
murder, as might be expPeted, filled everyone on
board with horror, and the terror of the sailors who
believed there was a ghost on board was overwhelm-
ing. At night, whether in bed or on watch on
deck, they had great dread, which was heightened
by reports that strange noises were beard below.
Not even at the end of the voyage had the fear been
overcome, for after the ship was moored in the docks
two of the crew who had agreed to sleep on board
became so frightened after their companions were
paid off that they refused to remain in the vessel at
night.—Scotsman.