The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-23 00:00:00

MR. PIERCE'S DISAPPEARANCE.

BRISTOL, JAN. 20.—You have heard of the
mysterious disappearance of Mr. PIERCE, a solicitor of this
city, being one of the firm of Palmer and Pierce ; but the par-
ticulars, in some points, have neither been very circumstan-
tially nor very accurately related, beyond the details of the
placards, offering the reward for the discovery of him. I will
relate some facts, presuming, however, that this may be an-
other instance of the fatal effects resulting from gambling, or
from being known, by some means or other, to gamblers.
Mr. Pierce was what some term a "gay" young man. He
was a good deal in company, and in very varied company; and.
amongst other things he was a good deal attached to what Mr_
Beard, Mr. White's brother-in-law, in his communication with.
Sir Richard Birnie, called " Play." Mr. P. belonged to a club,
the members or which bound themselves never to play for less
than five guinea points, of ten guineas the game ! Such is the
rumoured character of the -Whist Club of which Mr. P. stands
as a member. He, however, was known to be fond of always
playing " very high ;" and it was also known, as he made
a sort of boast of it, that he never was without a hundred pouads
or two in his pocket to meet emergencies. Besides this, he
displayed rings, costly gold chain, &c. He was a single man,
and resided with his mother and two sisters at Clifton, which is across the drawbridge, and a short distance out of Bristol,—
His office is in Bristol. Since Mr. P.'s alarming disappear-
ance, his mother has been exceedingly ill; and, I lament tot
add, she is not expected to live.
On Saturday fortnight Mr. P. dined with Mr. Protheroe, riving at that gentleman's residence at five o'clock,. At severs
o'clock he was summoned from the party on some business;, which having dispatched, and having paid 301., he returned to•
the company, and remained there till half-past twelve. When
he left such company, he was not apparently any worse for what-
he might have taken during the evening.
Where he went to then is not known ; but between two,
and three o'clock in the morning he was seen crossing the draw-
bridge alone, as if he were on the route to Clifton. Beyond
that period there is no trace of him. His absence, though it
alarmed the family, was not thought of very seriously at first,
as about two years ago he set off to Taunton, and there re-
mained three days, without any one knowing what had be-
come of him, till he returned and personally related particu—
lars. However, his present disappearance assumed an alarm-
ing aspect from the circumstance of a hat having been
found next day on the banks of the float or river, with the name
of " Chapman, London, maker," inside of it, which hat, ors
inquiry, turned out to have been Mr. Pierce's. The water in
the float was drawn off for two days, and drags used in every
direction ; but instead of meeting with any thing of Mr. Pierce,.
the workmen curiously enough met with the body of an Ex-a'
eiseman who had been missing for more than two months !'
There is every reason to believe that the Exciseman fell inter
the water in a state of intoxication, and was thus drowned.
However, as to Mr. Pierce, it is remarked here by those whir
recollect under what circumstances some other murders have'
been committed, and who know Mr. P.'s habits in having mo-
ney about him which might make him an object of assassins-:
don for the purpose of plunder; that it is not very likely the'
assassins (supposing Mr. P. unhappily to have been so de--
stroyed), would have left the hat to show where the body might
be speedily found; on the contrary, they would be more likely'
purposely to place it at some point where the body was not to
be found, in order to distract attention and search. There are'
rome house: of a particular character—for there are such houses
in Bristol as well as in London—which ought at once to have'
been very rigorously searched; but any search now, after there
has been such ample time to dispose of any clothes or pro.- -
perty that might be possessed, would, it is to be feared, be uses-,
less labour.

Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, dated
December 19, 1523 :—" COBBETT has petitioned
the Legislature of Pennsylvania to refund the
amount of a fine (2,000 dollars), paid by him
some years since into the State Treasary, It
might as well " wrestle with a ghost."

BIRTHS.
Yesterday, in Bryanston-square, the Lady of Thomas
March, Esq., of a dauOter.
On the 14th instant, Mrs. Headlam, wife of the Rey. Jahr:
Headlam, M'yclifre, York, of a son.
On the 18th irstant, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the wife Cf.
Cuthbert Dunn, Esq., merchant, of a daughter.

MARRIED.
On Tuesday last, at March, Mr. John Parkinson,„ to Miss'
Graves, eldest daughter of Mr. Robert Graves, of the former

On Thursday the 15th inst. at Twickenham, Mr. George. •
Edward Holmes, of that place, to Harriet Nice Robson, se"
cond daughter of the late Mr. George Robson.

DIED.

On Tuesday, the 20th instant, at his father's house, in Bryan; -
ston-square, Robert Shuttleworth West, aged 15, second son 01.
James West, Esq. •
On the 15th instant, Joseph, only son of flenjainin GOD'
pertz, Esq., of Kennington-lane.
On the morning of the 20th instant, after an illness of only
a few Lour 3, Sarah, second daughter of Thomas Leighton/
E;q., Surgeon, Westgate-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
On the 14th instant, in her 13th year, Mary Eleanor, second
daughter of the Rev. Henry Deer Griffith, of Albion-street,
Newcastle-u pon-Tyne.
At the Island of Trinidad, on the 30th June last, in eonSr
quence of a fall from his horse, James Boyd, Esq., Captain I°'
his Majesty's ,9th regiment of foot.

Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at the SO'
OFFICE, 112, Strand, by J. B. CABS-TAMS.

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