The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-27 00:00:00

LATEST PARTICULARS.

A most painful sensation prevailed the whole of yes-
terday throughout the extensive parish of Newington in
reference to the melancholy loss of life which occurred at
31, John-street, noticed above. The house consisted of
only three rooms, and from the ground floor to the roof
was, probably, not more than 12 or 14 feet high. Mr.
Richardson, who with his wife lived in the parlour, on
being awoke by the smell of smoke, and on finding that
the house was on fire, made his escape as quickly as
possible. The policeman,
while waiting at the corner
of the street for his sergeant, was suddenly alarmed by
loud cries of " Police," and "Murder," proceeding from
the premises. As soon as he reached the door Mr.
Richardson and his wife emerged from the house,
and, not knowing that any one else was within,
he closed the street door to prevent the draught
from forcing the flames through the building until the
arrival of his sergeant, who then dispatched him to
call the engines. It was not till after the officer had
departed that the fearful fact of the poor man and his
wife being in the upper room ,!became known. The
flames then bad enveloped the ;room in question, ren-
dering it impossible for any one to enter. The Bri-
gade were on the spot
in iefisantdhaNnVetsetn of
m iEnnugelasndatteernici
Zs alarm was given,
and by another quarter of an hOur the fire was safely
extinguished.
Shells having been procured during
the morning the
mangle d remains were remelted to the dead-house, to
await a coroner's inquest.
eiP
The Brigade authorities durkg the day instituted a
very searching inquiry for thejpurpose of ascertaining
how the melancholy event b P"ed' the result of
which leave 3 no doubt that Witt Mr. and Mrs. Potts,
when they arrived home, wow, intoxicated, and it is
suspected that in retiring to beg they dropped a spark
on to the bedding', which be unperceived must have
smouldered until. it broke oin a flame. The poor
creatures we're by that time:..po overcome with the
liquor thek drank ,that 047 were unable to assist
themsOis,,-

In the Lord Mayor's Court,iesterday, was heard
a case of great interest to parties having claims upon
Foreign Governments. As far bif64 as the year 1834, the
Baron de Haber had, at his private bankers, in London, a
considerable sum. The Government
being
pressed for money,
compelled the banker to surrender it for their use, and the
Baron received assurances that the amount would be re-
turned. From that day until the present not a sixpence has
been refunded, and accordingly to Obtain some settlement of
the claim, amounting, with arrears of interest, to about
12,000/., the moneys lodged by the Portuguese Financial
agency here with the London Joint Stock Bank, have been
attached. The merits of the case as regards the seizure
were not before the court., but simply the rights of attach-
ment, and this was held not to exist, because the amount
does not belong to the Queen of Portugal, who, it is alleged,
has no control whatever over it when once remitted to Eng-
land. The difficulty, of course, in these cases is to deter-
mine the party to whom the money really does;belong. No
doubt the case will, in a new shape, be followed up, and if
Baron de Haber is unable to recover of the Government,
wofethperesseuimzuerehiissbtoaxbkeemr
awdie, we shall then probably have it.
11 be liable. If any justification
The public debt of Prussia which bears interest
amounts to 155 i millions of thalers, to which must be added
8,333,000 thalers of provincial debt. The debt of the State
has increased 26,599,006 thalers since 1850.