The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sra,—ln your journal of yesterday, I find a story,
copied from a Worcester paper, which is calculated to
prove a highly-seasoned treat for lay and clerical zealotry.
It is a romance of the confessional, and told with mar-
vellous circumstantiality; but so closely analogous to a
gross imposture practised in this town some time ago,
that I deem it reasonable to request your readers to sus
pend their judgment until further inquiry be dispassion-
ately made into the nature of the direful tale.
A short time previously to the death of the Rev. Jas.
Francis, late minister of St. Paul's Church in this town,
(a gentleman much esteemed for kindness of heart and
the possession, in an eminent degree, of clerical attri-
butes), he was visited by a lady of good address and
prepossessing appearance, who announced herself as a
Roman Catholic who was anxious to relieve her over-
burdened conscience from the perilous stuff which made
her truly wretched, and then she sobbingly went on to
say that she had been seduced in the confessional—had
lived with the wicked man, left her husband, and was
then persecuted I The amiable Mr. Francis commise-
rated the apparently penitent one; lodgings were taken
for her, the " horrible fact " told around the town to
good people who turned the whites of their eyes to
offended Heaven, and invoked curses on the naughty
tempter. Well, the current of sympathy went on ;
money was raised to support the interesting Magdalen ;
and she was living in clover, instead of bemoaning her
sins in sackcloth and ashes, when, lo ! the murder came
out : inquiries were made as to the real circumstances,
in the neighbourhood which she mentioned, and it was
clearly ascertained that the too credulous clergymen and
parties in Newport had been the dupes of a vile impostor,
who immediately decamped.
Now, Sir, there are such striking similitudes in the
Worcester and Newport romances, that I am induced to
trouble you with this letter, as The Sun is very exten-
sively circulated in Monmouthshire, and it is well that
people should not judge hastily.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
PHILALETHES.
Newport, Monmouthshire, Dec. 17, 1846.

We regret to announce the death of Mr. John
Bellamy, which took place yesterday morning, at his
house in Woburn-square. Mr. Bellamy had attained
the age of 75 or 76 years, and will be remembered by a
vast number of our Parliamentary readers with great re-
spect as housekeeper to the House of Commons, a situa-
tion in which he succeeded his father, and the duties of
which he executed for many years to the entire satisfac-
tion of every one. In consequence of declining health
he retired a few years since into private life, maintain-
ing, however, in that situation the character for hospi-
tality and kindness he had so well earned whilst publicly
employed; and, now that he is gone, he will be followed
by the regret of all who had the pleasure of his acquaint-
ance. On his retirement he was succeeded in part of
his public duties by hii son.
POISONED SEA PIE. MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.
HULL, DEC. 16.—The inquiry concerning the recent
poisoning of a whole family by partaking of a sea pie,
was brought to a close yesterday, at the Town-hall, be.
fore Mr. Thorney, the borough coroner.. The brief par-
ticulars respecting this very mysterious affair are these :
—On Sunday, the 6th inst., a man namesi Waites, who is
the owner of a small vessel lying in the river, with his
wife and four children, partook of a sea pie or dinner.
Within a quarter of an hour afterwards they were all
taken ill, and at three o'clock on the fc llowing morning
one of the children, a sickly boy, named Lawrence
Waites, was found to be dead. In the course of the day
an inquiry was held, but the relatives being too ill to
give evidence the investigation was adjourned. The
body then underwent a post mortem examination, and
sufficient was detected to show that di ath had resulted
from poison. At the adjourned ihquiry the mother of
the deceased was examined, and described the circum-
stances that attended the making of a e pie. The Co-
roner said the death of the deceased lrcked very much
like design, but they could not suppose that any of the
family were concerned in it. They heel all partaken of
the pie, and had nearly lost their lives. If the poison
had been in the flour when it was bought, they would
have heard of more families being pois oned. He recom-
mended an open verdict. The jury round, „That the
deceased died from the effect of arsenic mixed is a sea
pie, of which he had eaten, but how .or by what means
the arsenic came there, there was no evidence to show."
RAMSGATE.—THIS WEATHER.—The omnibus which
runs between Deal and Ramsgate, ant', left the latter
place last Monday evening at five o'clock, was upset in
the snow storm about a mile from Sandwich. The driver
missed the road, and got on a heap of stones, which
caused the vehicle to turn over, and left it standing on
the end, blocking up the door-way, throwing together,
at the further end, the passengers, cor.sisting of three
ladies, a child, and two gentlemen ; fortunately, no life
was lost. One of the passengers (Mr. C. Whetham, of
London) was bruised and cut over the left temple. He
extricated himself by breaking thew inflow and getting
through the aperture, and the other pe,ssengers followed.
Shortly after, another omnibus comin g up, conveyed the
passengers to Ramsgate.—Kentish Observer.
SUDDEN DEATH IN A BAKER'S SHOP.--An inquest
was held last evening at the Unicorn, Henrietta-street,
Covent-garden, before Mr. Bedford. on the body of
Theophilus Thomas Hill Cox, Esq., aged 58, of Hen-
rietta. street, Cavendish-square. Alexander Moore,
baker, of No. 25, Brydges-street, Co'ient-garden, said,
that on Tuesday last, the deceased came into his shop,
and stating that he had been taken wary ill, begged to
be allowed to sit down a while. He then sat
.down,. but
Mr. Davison, a
heaTrht
,epsruo surgeon
yn
in a few
.minutes
neighbouringfe lback in tshuergc
surgeon,
wasalmost
in s
instantly
t.
attributed death to a st!
of -the weather. Verdict—
caused by the severity
for, but deceased died
dindetnwespnatys•
"Natural death." mm afiltres
seen on the evening of
Christiana, orway.
N It appeared like
the 28th ult. at
h a shower of faking stars, and was
a torrent of fire, wit
seconds.
visible for about twentyrnment has, in order to check
A remarkable meteor was
The Prussian Cove
which the leases fall in during
Prussia and Posen,
d 1849, shall be set apart for
the years 1847, 1848, and 1849,
be disposed to emigrate.
persons who would otherwise
emigration to America,
decided that the crown lands in
off the jewel-
case of the Baroness de Meyendor
carry 3
ff, arrived on the 10th
inst. at Berlin, and immediately tendered to the Mi-
M. Oppenheim, who has just 'hol.en acquitted at
Cologne, in the affair relative to ) t
nister of Justice his resignation as as sessor at the Cour
Imtery. aGle
eoorfg. tehacthcaitpini:hoe resignatio:
An otter, of unusual size and wiight, was shot in
the river Thames yesterday morning, near Clewer, by
was
f Windsor The animal
, jaws,
snaking for the bank with a large jack-, alive, In
ils
when Mr. Chapman fired, and killed it, close to the
shore. It measured from its was accepted.
between four and five feet,
nearly thirty
and weighed
pounds.

LATER FROM SOUTH AMERICA.--• LIVERPOOL,
THURSDAY.—Late accounts from Rio., from Pernambuco
to the 30(11 of October, and from Paraiba to the 14th of
November, have been received by the ship Runnymede,
at this port this morning. The steam..sbip Antelope had
arrived at Rio from this port.
BRONZED IRON CANNON.-...It Wall be remembered
that some months ago several iron cannon were bronzed
by the galvanic process at Berlin, 'by order of the Prus-
sian government. They were trio d on the 7th inst., in
presence of Prince Adalbert and se% feral artillery officers,
and were found to answer admirvibly. Although one-
third less in thickness than the !Prdinary iron cannon
they bore a larger charge of powder.
THE NEW HOUSE OF LORDS.---It was generally
expected that their Lordships would meet in their new
.House on the assembling of Parliament, but it is now
ascertained that the decorations -and embellishments,
which are of the most magnificent description, cannot be
completed in sufficient time. Con; sequently the Peers
will for a short period continue to sit in the present
House.

THE WEATHER.—A good old -fashioned winter
has set in with great intenseness fin the early period of
the season. The Severn is alma& y frozen over at several
parts adjoining the town, and the adventurous juvenile
skaters are practising " the lino of beauty" on the
slender ice. The llolyhead mail, last night, arrived
nearly ts:o hours after its time, ow;ng to the snow on
some portion of its route.—Beddo S',,`lrewsbury Journal.