The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-05 00:00:00

ACCIDENT.-SIX LIVES LOST.

(From the Coventry Herald.)
On Monday last, about one o'clock, a melancholy acci-
dent happened at Foleshill, near this city, to six unfor-
tunate young persons, including one female, whilst in the
act of sliding on a pit that was frozen. A number of boys,
young men, and two young women, in all amounting to
eight, assembled at the above hour on a pit known by the
name of Hayes's Pit, in a geld about three hundred yards
from' Birche's Bridge, for the purpose of sliding. They
had not, however, been long engaged in the amusement
when unhappily it proved fatal to six of them. The fol-
lowing are the particulars connected with the lamental.le
accident:—

Four of the party started from one end of the pit, with
the intention of sliding to the extremity, and having suc-
ceeded in so doing, they stopped where the slide termi-
nated, for a few moments; the remaining five, who were
at the place of starting, instantly followed, but had no
sooner reached the end where the four were resting, than
the ice broke from under them, and they were precipitated
into the water. Two young women, who were look-
ing on_from the bank of the pit, on seeing the on.
fortunate occurrence, immediately ran off and raised an
alarm ; the first person who came to the spot was a
young man, named Perkins, who with much courage,
ind at great personal risk, succeded in rescuing two of
the unfortunate party, named Josiah Marriott and
Mary Ann North. Marriott, it seems, could swim,
and by extraordinary exertion succeeded in raising him-
self and getting up again on the ice ; having done so,
he lay down, and seized the young woman North by
the hair of her head ; in this situation Perkins found
him, whilst the others were plunging against one another
in the water without the least possible means of extricat-
ing themselves. Perkins now descended the side of the
pit, with the intention of getting hold of Marriott; but
he no sooner trod on the ice, than it went from under him ;
not being, however, far from the bank, the water only
reached his middle; lie again got on the ice, and succeeded
in grasping hold of Marriott's right hand, while Marriott
still upheld with his left hand the young woman. Perkins
now attempted to pull Marriott towards the bank, but the
ice pre% ented the young woman from following; by this
rime Marriott's hand became benumbed with the water,
and lie said he could hold no longer, when, by a desperate
effort, Perkins succeeded in dragging him on the ice to
the bank. the young woman following in the water by his
hand. When taken up she appeared lifeless, but having
received the necessary attention from Perkins, and others
who by this time had arrived, she recovered, and was
conveyed home.

During Perkins's struggle with Marriott, one of the un-
ftrtunate sufferers, named Morris, raised his head above
the water, and recognizing Perkins, exclaimed with a
shriek of despondency, "Oh ! Joe, help me !" he in-
stantly went down, but came up no more. Drags and
ropes were now procured, but the stillness of the water
indicated that all exertions had ceased on the part of those
who had fallen in. Owing to the ice, and the danger of
deseentling on it, it was not until past three o'clock that
the bodies were taken out ; four of them were taken to
the Navigation Inn, and two of them to the Weaver's
Arms. Mr. Home, surgeon, was shortly in attendance,
but in none of them could be found the slightest spark of
animation. Their tunics and ages are—John Morris, 9
years ; John Watson, 11 ; David Rollason, 13 ; John
Orton, 19 ; Thomas Clulow or Tooley, 17; and Elizabeth
Shettlewood, 19 ; all weavers and natives of Foleshill, ex-
cept Elizabeth Shettlewood, who is a native of Stratton-
up,m-Fosse.

On Wednesday, inquisitions were held at the Naviga-
tion Inn, and the Weavers' Arms, before John Carter,
Esq., Coroner, on the respective bodies ; when, after hear-
ing evidence, V:e Jury returned verdicts of Accidental
De ith. Mr. Hume, as surgeon for the county, was in
attendance. After the inquest Shettlewood's body was
removed to Stretton. Warrants for the interment of the
other bodies were issued by the Coroner, and by an agree-
ment amongst the parents, they were all buried the fol-
lowing day in one grave, in Foleshill church-yard.

When Ministers before Christmas proposed
that Parliament should adjourn over the holidays until
February, they were reproached by the Opposition for
adjourning so long, when there was business of great im-
portance necessary to be brought before both Houses with
all possible dispatch. On Thursday, when Parliament re-
assembled, and Ministers gave notice of motions of tle
highest consideration for March, they were charged by the
same party with precipitancy, though they had five
weeks during the recess, to digest and mature their plans.
So much for the consistency of the Ex-Ministers and their
friends.—Morning Advertiser.

The Opposition expect, should the Ultra
Reformers be of opinion that the Plan of Reform proposed
by Ministers falls short of their expectations, that they will
express their disappointment by voting with the borough-
mongers. This, however, is net likely, but should Minis-
ters be left in a minority on the question by mancsuvring
or disgusting coalitions, they are determined to appeal to
the people by a dissolution of Parliament in March, im-
mediately after the Annual Mutiny Bill is passed.-211orez-
ing Advertiser.

DEATH OF MR. HOPE.—THOMAS HOPE,
Esq., of Deepdene, the opulent Dutch merchant, and re-
puted author of " Anastasius, or Memoirs of a Greek,"
died on Wednesday, at his residence in Duchess-street,
Portland-place, at an advanced age. Mr. HOPE was a
gentleman of considerable literary attainments, and was
favourably known as the author of other publications
which enjoyed a celebrity nearly equal to that of Anasta-
sius. He married in 1806 the Hon. Lours.% BERICSFORD,
daughter of the late Lord DEcrEs, Archbishop of Tuam,
and sister of the present Peer, by whom he has left a son,
Mr. HENRY Hoer, M.P., Groom of the Bedchamber to
his late MAJESTY.

KING'S THEATRE.—Yesterday there was a
full rehearsal of B Barbiere di Seviglia, for the purpose
of introducing Madame S. VESPERDIANN. This lady has
a very agreeable person, a most powerful voice, extremely
high. She is formed upon the school of SONTAG, but
without her finish and perfect grace. She was rapturously
encored by a number of amateurs and noble patrons of the
Opera. DE BEGNIS resumed his original character ; La-
'MACRE and CURIONI were in fine voice. In the beautiful
ballet of La Somnavibade, Madame MoNTESSU performs
the principal character. The ballet was originally written
for this lady in Paris, where it was represented nearly one
hundred nights the first season. Madame MowrEsso is a
delightful figure, and dances with infinite grace. This
ballet will be well sustained in the details.

It is understood that the remnants of the old
Tory party are mustering all their strength to oppose Mi-
nisters, in the hope of again getting into power. Underlnch
circumstances, let the people give every aid to the present
Administration. Many meetings have already been held.
One in the county of Lincoln, last Friday was nobly sup-
ported, and the cause of Reform and vote by ballot was
ably sustained. Why cannot we have a meeting in the
county of Nottingham for the same purpose? Our co-
lumns of this week spew that the people in the different
villages are well aware of the necessity for exertion, but
where are their leaders in the county ? We call upon the
country gentlemen boldly to come forward in aid of the
Government ; let them request the High Sheriff to call a
county meeting, and sure we are that he will gladly coin-
ply with the requisition, and the county of Nottingham
will stand forward as it ought, in support of the great
principles of Reform.—Nottingham Review.

A church divine, not twenty miles from
Castor, observing last week what he considered a person
of very suspicious character, immediately informed has
neighbour the overseer, who took the man (as he thought;
up for examination, when they found the object of their
pursuit to be an old woman !—There were several stout
men employed in taking the poor creature, and the apo-
thecary examined her.—Stamford News.
THE REFORM MEETING AT LTNCOLN..--
Mr. PADDISON, of Louth, delivered such a speech as is
but seldom heard. We never heard one before so full of con-
vincing statements, so argumentative, so greatly exquisitely
delivered, and so eloquently expressed it was received
with the greatest attention and enthusiasm, and although
it took at least two hours in the delivery it was heard with
very great pleasure throughout, so as almost to appear as
if the auditors would have never tired of hearing, had he
not been himself tired of giving expression to his powerful
ideas. At the close of his speech the whole court ruse,
and gave him three distnet rounds of applause.—Stam-
'ford News.

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were that day to have been interred, returned home, and,
in an agony of grief, wished " that she might be dead be-
fore her husband was buried." But a little time el
when she placed her head in her daughter's lap, and in that
posture she immediately became a lifeless corre. Tv'
coffins in which their remains were interred had been 4
charitable gift of a lady who was made aisquairit.liwiq
the melancholy end of this ill-fated pair. Dal, were pla•
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in the same grave.