The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-17 00:00:00

FATAL FIRE AT GRAVESEND.

Yesterday (Sunday) morning the inhabitants of
Gravesend were alarmed by the outbreak of a fire,
which has resulted in the total destruction of the lock-
up and the death of a prisoner, named Thomas Budge.
It appears that Budge was taken into custody shortly
after midnight, on a .charge of being drunk and in-
capable of taking care of himself. At one o'clock
he was locked up in what is termed the refuge for
casual prisoners. When the unfortunate man was
placed in the building, there was not the least appear-
ance of anything burning, and the place seemed quite
free from fire every time it was examined by the police,
in whose custody the poor fellow remained. About
the hour of six, however, a man named Washer, on
passing the premises, had his attention directed by
perceiving smoke in dense bodies issuing from several
apertures in the building. The first thing he did
was to knock violently at the entrance, and having
shouted "Fire," he ran to the police-station and in-
formed the sergeant on duty. In an instant a body
of police, with Mr. Superintendent North and In •
spector Penman hastened to the spot. They applied
the key to the door, but the lock was so hot that they
were unable to unlock the building ; they were,
theref)re, obliged to force the door. That having
been accompished, they found the interior of the
building in a general blaze, and such was the fury of
the flames that no one was able to enter. Knowing
that a person must be within, they called loudly to
him to come out, but not receiving an answer, they
went to the Town-hall and got out one of the engines
belonging to the corporation, which was immediately
set to work. The fire by that period had extended
to the roof of the market, and had there been a lack
of water, it is quite probable that the whole of the
market property would have been consumed. As
soon as the place was sufficiently cooled, search was
made for the missing man. After some time the
trunk, with the head attached, was found lying upon
two partially consumed rafters. The legs were
onnpletely burnt off, one arm was destroyed, and
another had only the shoulder stump remaining. In
fact there was nothing left to indicate that it was
part of a human being except the bones of the head.
A shell having been procured, the remains were
carefully collected together, and carried to the dead
house, where they remain for the coroner's inquest.
How or by what means this calamity occurred is, for
the present, enveloped in mystery.

WOOLWICH POLICB. A LLEG ED INDECENT As-
SAULT BY A SURGEON.—Richard Gardiner Jackson, a
surgeon in extensive practice at Barking, in Essex, was
on Saturday brought up in custody of Police-constable
Westbrook, 114 R, charged with making proposals of
an indecent nature to several soldiers. From the evi-
dence adduced it appears that, on Friday evening, he
accosted a private in the Marines,
.whom he addressed
as follows :—" Soldier, I see you belong to the Royal
Marines, will you have a glass of grog?" and then made
an indeceut proposal to him. On being pushed away
he addressed two gunners, when the Royal Marine went
up to them and told them what had occurred, where-
upon the surgeen took to his heels, pursued by the Royal
Marine, who called out to a constable to stop him. On
reaching the water's edge the surgeon jumped in, but
was pulled out by a boatman. Two other privates gave
evidence that the prisoner had accosted them in a similar
manner. In his defence the prisoner acknowledged that
he had been intoxicated on the evening in question, but
said he was not aware of being guilty of the conduct
alleged of him. The two last witnesses, it seems, had
been drinking with him after the alleged proposals to
them. He was called upon to find bail, himself in 100/.,
and two sureties in 504 each, for his good behaviour for
twelve months.
THE NATIONAL LOlN.—When William, Prince
of Orange, was preparing his expedition against James
the Secoad of England, he anxiously sought where he
could procure necessary funds to equip his navy, and
ensure success to his projected war against England.
An Israelite, of Amsterdam, requested an audience.
Admitted to the Prince, he said, ~ my Lord, you are in
want of money to accomplish your national project. I
have brought you, from our people, two millions. If
you succeed, refund them to me ; if you fail, we are
quite."—Ben Levi's Matink du Sumedi.