The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-23 00:00:00

SUPERSTITION.

SYRACUSE (SICILY.)—The superstition of the
Sicilians, and the strange confidence entertained
by them of deriving supernatural power from the
supplications offered to Saints, is as incredible as
it is extraordinary. This could not be more
strongly exemplified than in the following anec-
dote, which was imparted to me by the Berm/
with the utmost possible gravity, and under the
firmest conviction of its authenticity. At one
particular period, during the late war, the French
fleet appeared off this town, which threw the
whole of the inhabitants into the greatest alarm.
Apprehensive that it might be captured and pil-
laged, the whole of them turned out, and walked in
formal procession to one particular spot conti-
guous to it, where they solemnly invoked the as-
sistance of Saint Luice, the tutelary Saint of Sy-
racuse, to defeat a landing of the French. In
consequence of these, she actually saved the
town, by raising a most violent storm, which had
the effect of blowing off the whole fleet off the
Island of Sicily ! !—(Travels of WILLIAM IL"
WILSON in Turkey, Greece, Sicily, and other
countries.)

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE.-SEVEN PNV

SONS DROWNED.

Yesterday evening Inquisitions were takes
before Mr. lisrvrisr, the Coroner, on view of the bodies of Mary'
Threader, William Eynan, Elizabeth Mitchell, Robert Seis-'
son, and Elizabeth Scisson, his daughter, aged three years and
a half. The first inquest was held at the Horse and Groom.
White Horse-street, Ratcliff, on Mary Threader, and the in-
quest on the other unfortunate deceased persons was held aS
the Plough, Kidney-stairs, Limehouse.—The following was
the evidence adduced on both inquests :—Mr. W. Thomas
sworn : Witness is a ship-owner, residing in Narrow-street,
Ratcliff: he was, about eight o'clock on Monday evening
last, standing at his back door, which commanded a view of
the river : the tide was going down at the time; he saw a boat
on the north side of the river, opposite his premises ; four barges
were hanging to a chain, on Mr. Kean, the coal merchant's pre-.
mises, one outside the pile:, and the other three hanging to her;
a long loaded barge was at this time dropping clown "head to
tide ;" he can't tell to whom the barge belonged, although he
and others called out to ascertain that fact; the long barge was
going to " bring-up" to Mr. Kean's barges; the boatman WO
pulling a-head, but finding he could not, he dropped back with
a view to go outside the loaded barge, but from the weight of
his boat, he could not accomplish his project, and his boat
struck against one of Mr. Kean's barges, which stopped him.—
In the mean time, the loaded barge kept dropping down, and
rudder struck the boat, drove her under one of Mr. Kesn's
barges, and all the passengers were washed overboard. When
witness found that the accident had occurred, he cried out
" Sculler," and several watermen and part of a ship's crew nut
out to the assistance .of the drowning persons, and picked up
the waterman, an elderly man, an infant, and Mary Threader,
all living, and who survived the shock, with the exception of
the latter, who died shortly after she was brought ashore. It is
witness's opinion, that if Mr. Kean's barges had not been
amgoroerae h
td
dealter there, tdhaen
gd
ei sra
isat e would
bares
ar
ges b
eniontghvialaoeo r occurred.e(iin
that
situation. Th er e
One of the witness's apprentices was drowned a short time ago
in consequence, and he has himself been the means of prevent-
ing many accidents there. There were four women, four men
(including the Waterman) and two female children in the boat
at the time. Witness thinks that the people in the long barge
ought to have warned those in the boat of their danger.
John Threader, an old man, deposed he was husband to the
deceased of that name ; they went together to Greenwich on.
Monday last, not to the fair, but to visit a particular friend c 3
his at the College, and was returning home in the boat alluded
to. Witness cannot acquit the waterman of blame, for he wenton shore twice in coming up, although he was told several
times to be cautious. Witness cannot recollect under whatcir-
cumstances either lie or any of the others were saved, he was in
such confusion at the time.
\Arm. Hewett works occasionally for Mr. Thomas, the first
as described
baaenndddbwryaansh snt
to itslt we master awr;ehhhaoreuf shele,vaiitiatri
rhldnee daaatdwslsesoaor:
gctt
taken
alilceeddenrdaeocenfarc i:tdvweoonhretico;he C
screaminghl
ore
! placed in the water, in order to save some of the persons, but
lwieashaddiennoalsilivece;esasn;d he
ee
wentsw i\tiorsCall;
neigh-
bouring surgeons, but they refused to attend. He thinks the
waterman was to blame, for he was cautioned of the danger
long before the accident occurred. The situation of the bargeS
alluded to are most dangerous to persons navigating oa the
river, and in witness's opinion have no right whatever to be
moored there.

The Jury were all of one opinion, that the situation of these
barges was dangerous and illegal, and wished to hear of the.
Coroner how the evil could be remedied.
The CORONER said, the matter might be either represented
at the Crown-office, or the nuisance indicted at the Sessions.
The Jury expressed their determination of laying the matter.
before the Parish Committee, who, they were sure, would take
the necessary steps to remove the nuisance.
After some further comments, the Jury returned a verdict of
" Accidental Death" in each case.
The waterman received a most excellent character from seve-
ral respectable inhabitants in the neighbourhood.
There are two of the unfortunate sufferers still missing ; on 6
is the wife of Robert Scission, who was an engineer, living in
Harris's-court, Ratcliffe; the other is a young woman only 11'
years of age, named Betsy Mitchell, who was to hare boll'
married in a few days to the deceased William Eynan.

INEANITT.---Another Inquest was held yester-
day on the body of Mr. John Haydon, aged 72, who put an
end to his existence by cutting his throat. It appeared front
the evidence that he was somewhat of a fanatic; that he
advanced the principal part of his money for the building
of a Methodist Chapel, for which, however he expected-
to receive an interest of fifteen per cent. Disappointed iri
to want, and on Monday last it was considered ho had
his pecuniary, expectations, he was reduced to poverty and
had not
the means of providing himself with common necessaries.--
It was, however, at the same time stated that ho was always of
a miserly disposition, and lent his money out at usurious inte-
rest. One of the Jurors said he saw him go to chapel on Mon-
day last, with the hind part of his wig before ; and the genera
conclusion was, that his pecuniary disappointments had de-
ranged his intellects.—The CoaoNER said, no doubt could
remain of the insanity of the deceased, and the Jury found a
verdict accordingly.
Wednesday morning an Inquest was held in the
Fleet prison, on the body of James Howarth, who died there on
Monday evening. Ann Harvey deposed that she, being the
wife of It. Harvey, also a prisoner in the same ward with the
deceased, had known him tbr 8 months or more, and that dur-
ing that time lie had complained of violent pains in the stomach,
and expectorated very much, notwithstanding which he WO
able to walk out until Saturday se'nnight, since which time he
had been confined to his chamber; lie wanted for nothing, as his
allowances from the charity, and the benevolent alms of per:,
sons passing " Poor's grate ' precluded him from want ;
opinion of witness he died a natural death.—Mr. Brown,
the Warder stated that he had offered to procure the de."-
ceased a liberation by a writ supersedeas, but he refused
Mr. B. further stated that he, jointly with another, was '"'
the poor box, and the profits derived from the benevolent 1,-''
sengers was too great a temptation to accept the offer.
Jury were satisfied that the deceased was deprived of existents
from a combination of natural causes, and returned a verdict
accordingly.

COAL-MARKET, APRIL 21.
Is at Market. Ships sold Priss.
Newcastle - - 23 -31 s Od to 433
Sunderland - - -34 s Od to 44s (la

BIRTHS.
On Tuesday, the 20th inst., in Chapel-street, Grosvenor-
square. the Hon. Mrs. Charles Boulton, of a son.
On the 20th inst., at Standish-hall, Mrs. Standish, of a sort-
On the 22d inst., at Snaresbrook, Mrs. John Capper, of a sort

DIED.
On the 15th inst., at the house of his sister, Adelphi, Lieut.
Richard Oakeley, R.N., eldest son of the late Richard Oakeley,
Esq., Post Captain R.N., and nephew to Mrs. Scatton, of
Broughton, Huntingdonshire.
On the 4th inst , in his Bfith year, Mr. Benjamin Layton, of
Greenwich.
On the 20th inst., at Langley-park, in the county of Bucks,
Mrs. Richardson.
On the 20th inst., at Stoke Newington, Emma, the wife of
F. B. King, Esq.

Printed and Published for the PitontlEzons, at the 51/2P!
OFFICE, 112, Strand, by J. B. CARSTAIRS•