The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-26 00:00:00

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, 5D

THE FATAL ACCIDENT TO A YOUNG
LADY AT CLIFTON:

It appears that Miss Mary Richmond, the young
lady who was killed by falling from th 3 cliff called
St. Vincent's Rocks, Clifton, was the daughter of
the Rev. Mr. Richmond, a Church of England
clergyman, residing at Wick, Gloucestershire, and,
as already stated, grand-daughter of Leigh Rich-
mond, the author of " The Dairyman's Daughter,"
&c. The unfortunate young lady was on a visit to
Clifton, and was staying at Arlington-villas with
her aunt, Mrs. Marshall. On Saturday afternoon
Miss Richmond went out for a ramble -on the
Downs, in company with Miss Marshall, one of
her cousins. The two young ladies walked about
for a considerable time, and shortly after 4 o'clock
Miss Marshall returned home, leaving her cousin,
who wished to stay a little longer, on the Downs.
After this Miss Richmond is said to have made a
small purchase from one of the stone-fellers, who
polish small specimens of stones found in the dis-
trict, which they dispose of to visitors, and two of
these men saw her approach the edge of the cliff
opposite the Observatory. The summit of the rocks
at this point must be somethino. near 300 feet from
the Ifotwell-road, which runs something
the bottom.
On this dizzy height it is supposed the poor girl,
not having the slightest apprehension of danger,
commenced gathering some small plants, several of
which were afterwards found in her pocket ; and
while thus engaged she un consciously approached too
near the edge of the cliff, and, falling over, she was
precipitated to the bottom of the rocks,and was almost
dashed to pieces. Any person who has visited the
huge rocks of St. Vincent will remember the high
-peak above the Giant's Cave ; the face of the rocks
is almost perpendicular, and the height, as already
stated, must be near 300 feet. About half-way
down there is a small plateau or projecting part,
and anything falling from the top would first strike
this projection. It was from this high peak Miss
Richmond fell, and, rebounding from the plateau
we have alluded to, she was dashed to the bottom
of the abyss into a small shrubbery on the Hotwell-
road. Two or three young men immediately rushed
to the place where the unfortunate young lady had
fallen, but from the terrible nature of the injuries
it may be imagined that death was almost instan-
taneous. A police-constable, who was on duty in
the neighbourhood, was quickly on the spot, and
the body was lifted into a light cart that was pass-
' ing at the time, and conveyed to the General
Draper public house, where it was seen by Dr.
Creighton, who pronounced life to be extinct. The
scene of the catastrophe was visited on Sunday by
thousands of persons, and a general opinion seemed
to prevail that a barrier should be run along the
top of these dangerous cliffs for the protection of
the public.
Yesterday afternoon the coroner for the district,
J. Baker Grindon, Esq., held an inquest on the
body, at the Queen's Hotel, Clifton.
It appeared from the evidence of Miss Henrietta
Marshall, daughter of the late Rev. James Mar-
shall, that Miss Richmond, who was 17 years and
8 months old, had been on a visit at Arlington-
place for about six weeks. She was fond of botany,
and used to betanise during her walks whenever an
opportunity offered. On Saturday afternoon wit-
ness and the deceased went to walk on the Downs,
and they parted soon after four o'clock, Miss
Richmond staying behind for the purpose of gather-
ing some flowerF.
Mr. Henry John Houlton, a booking clerk in the
Great Western Railway Company's offices, deposed
that he was on the Downs at the time of the acci-
dent, and saw the young lady walking on the edge
of the precipice. She leant over the cliff, and then
stooped forward, and appeared to be picking some-
thing. She then slipped. She extended her hands
as if trying to grasp at something to save herself,
but the effort was vain, and she fell'over the cliff.
Witness went and gave information to a policeman,
and then went down to her, but she was dead. Her
death was purely accidental.
Mr. Bryant, a dealer in minerals and fossils, also
described the accident. On the Wednesday pre-
vious he saw the young lady on the Suspension-
bridge Pier. She had got outside of the railings
placed for the protection of the public, and was in
so dangerous a position that he spoke to her, and
warned her of her peril. She merely smiled, and
went to a place more dangerous still. On Saturday
she was in a very dangerous place when she fell.
She must have pulled off her shoes to have got to
it, the grass was so slippery. She fell from a height
of about 310 feet. Witness lost sight of her when
she slipped until he saw her bounding out from the
rock, about 200 feet down.

Elias Burston, a mineral and fossil dealer, gave
similar evidenee.

Edwin Castle deposed that he was walking under
St. Vincent's Rocks at near "05 o'clock on Saturday.
Hearing a sound as of loose stones falling from the
cliff near the Giant's Cave, he looked up, and saw
what appeared to him to be a bundle of clothes
falling down the rocks. In a moment he perceived
a woman's petticoat, and he was running to call
back some men who were on before him with a cart,
when he heard the fall of deceased into a shrubbery
at the foot of the rock. Witness at once went back,
and found the body lying on its right side, the
head being covered over with the clothes. He
observed blood about the legs and person of the
deceased.

Police-constable Barry, No. 279, of the Clifton
division of police, deposed to having been informed
of the accident by the witness Houlton. He at
once went and found the body quite dead amongst
a tuft of trees at the bottom of the rocks. Dr.
Crichton was sent for, who pronounced life ex-
tinct. The witness produced the bonnet of deceased,
which had been found half-way down the cliff..
One of her boots was found on the top of the rock ;
the other had been picked up there, but was gone.,
The Coroner, in summing up, referred to a matter
mentioned by one of the jurors as to the possibility
of providing some more sufficient protection. He
said it seemed difficult to guard against persons
throwing away their own lives, as had been the
case in two or three instances.
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental
Death."

A 21IAIDEN LADY BURNT TO DEATH.

A melancholy circumstance occurred in the pretty,
quiet town of Cosham, on Tuesday, the 19th inst.,
which has caused a considerable sensation, and
resulted in the death of the unfortunate lady who
was the subject of the accident. It appears that
two elderly maiden ladies named Farley, have been
living together for some time at East Cosham. They
were in comfortable circumstances, but live very
retired, keeping no servant. They were of some-
what eccentric habits, their neighbours knew little
about them, and they were in a great measure iso-
lated from society. About six weeks back the un-
fortunate deceased exhibited most unequivocal
signs of aberration of mind. She called upon some
of the inhabitants at Cosham, expressing her fears
for the safety of certain persons' lives, and behaved
so wildly that Mr. Baker, druggist, thought it to be
his duty to inform Sir Lucius Curtis, a country ma-
gistrate residing on the spot, of the state of mind
of deceased. Sir Lucius sent word to the parish
officers, who unfortunately did not see the necessity
for their interference. On the morning of the
above-named day a next-door neighbour saw smoke
arising from the back of the house of the deceased.
She went immediately to ascertain from whence
the smoke proceeded ; she found Miss Farleylying
on her back upon the stones, enveloped in flames.
A bucket of water was immediately thrown over
the sufferer, while the friendly neighbour rushed
into the house, from which volumes of smoke were
issuing. She found a Bible and Prayer-Book on
the carpet smouldering
she extinguishedhad the fire..
By this time Mr. Wildey, surgeon,
Upon examination, it was found that Miss
Farley was much burnt about the body,
but not sufficiently, so to cause death. Her
wounds were dressed, but the deceased tore off the
bandages, saying she was not in pain ; they were
again replaced, and she was put to bed. All
semed
going on well until Wednesday evening
when violent pains came on, which drew the most
fearful shrieks from the unhappy sufferer until
half-past 10 o'clock, when she expired. About
one hour before she died the pain subsided, and she
informed the medical man that on Tuesday " a
spirit came to her, and told her that if she burned
a certain Passage in the New Testament she would
see a miracle. She did as commanded, but the
spirit then said she had not read it sufficiently,
and set fire to her." On Thursday afternoon an
inquest was held on the body at the George Hotel,
before Mr. Longcroft, coroner for the county, when
the jury, a very respectable one, brought in a ver-
dict to the effect " that the deceased was of un-
sound mind, and that death was occasioned by the
conjoint effects of the burning and the shock given
to the system."—Hampshire Independent.

THE PRICE OF GRAIN.—We are informed that
the principal Burton brewers have fixed the price of grains
at.4d, per bushel for the ensiling season.—. Derby Reporter.

•
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THE PUBLIC HEALTH A.2l'D 4.; ••-
GOVERNMENT ACT.
AI
The Public Health Act •of 1848 was continued to S
lst Sept. last, when, by an act of the late session,
21st and 22d Vic., cap. 97, the powers vested in the
General Board of Health were transferred, with
other powers, to the Privy Council, for the protec-
tion of the public health. On the same day (Aug.
2) another act was passed, cap. 98, " to amend the
Public Health Act, 1848, and to make further pro-
- .7. Tovernment of towns and popu-
lous districts."— This statute is designated " The
Local Government Act;" and its provisions do not
extend to Scotland or Ireland, nor to any place
within the limits of the metropolis as defined by
the Metropolis Local Management Act. There are
83 sections in the new law, and they are to be con-
strued together, and to form part of the Public
Health Act, the 11th and 12th Viet., cap. 63. The
act took effect from the Ist of September last in
places where the Public Health Act was in force,
wholly or partially. Local boards under this act
are to have the same powers as local boards
of health constituted under the General Health. Act. Local boards of health, or improvement com-
m Boardissi o noefr
Hs , e rael qt
hu r
arein g :tot heex sear
cniestei o
tnhoe fp tohwee
rGs elnv
ith-
out such sanction under this act. In the ease of any
failure to elect a local board, or of a lapse of a
local board, the ratepayers of a district, by resolu-
tion, may, for the adoption of the act, proceed to
the election of a new local board. The act is divided
under several heads. It may be adopted in corpo-
rate boroughs in which the Public Health Bill of
1848 has not been applied by a resolution of the
council assembled at a meeting held for the pur-
pose; in other places, under the jurisdiction of a
board of improvement commissioners, where all or
part of the commissioners are elected by ratepayers
or by owners and ratepayers, by a resolution of
such improvement commissioners assembled at a
meeting held for the purpose ; in other places
having a known or defined boundary, by a resolu-
tion of the owners and ratepayers. A month's
notice of such meeting is to be given, and two-
thirds of the members must concur in the reso-
lution for adopting the act. The chairman,
with the consent of a majority of the members
present, may adjourn the same from day to
day. Meetings for the purpose mentioned are to be
summoned on the requisition in writing of any 20
ratepayers or owners : in corporate towns by the
mayor, and in other places under the jurisdiction of
improvement commissioners by the chairman, and
in places having defined boundaries, not being cor-
porate boroughs or towns, by the churchwardens or
one of them ; or if there is no such officer, or if he
neglects, is unable, or refuses to perform the duties
imposed, by any person appointed by the Secretary
of State. Notice of such meeting is to be given in
some one or more of the newspapers circulated in
the place, by causing such notice to be affixed to the
principal doors of every church and chapel in the
place. The meeting on its assembling together is
to choose a chairman. The chairman is to propose
the resolution for the adoption of the act, and the
meeting is to decide for or against its adoption. An
owner or ratepayer may demand that the question be
decided by a poll of the owners and ratepayers, and
such poll is to be taken by voting papers. Any person
fabricating or altering a paper, or personating
any person entitled to vote in a voting paper, is to
be liable to imprisonment for three months, with or
without hard labour. Any corporation, &c., exercis-
ing powers for sanitary regulations may, by resolu-
tion, adopt part or parts of the act. Any place not
having a known or defined boundary may petition
the Secretary of State to settle its boundaries for the
purposes of this act. The Secretary of State is to
institute an inquiry into the genuineness of the peti-
tion, and may either dismiss it or make order as to
the boundaries of the place, and also make order as
to costs. Any place may adopt the act when the
boundaries are settled. An appeal is given to the
Secretary of State by one-twentieth in number of
owners and ratepayers against the adoption of the
act, when a resolution has been passed for that pur-
pose, and the Secretary of State is to direct an in-
quiry. When a resolution has been passed adopt-
ing the act notice is to be given to the Secretary of
State, and in newspapers and on the doors of
churches and chapels. When the time of appeal has
expired, or an appeal is dismissed, the Secretary of
State is to give notice in the London Gazette. The
act is to come into force in two months after the re-
solution for its adoption. The costs relating to the
adoption of the act and the expenses incurred as
ordered by the Treasury are to become a charge
upon the general district rates, and to be repaid to
the Treasury by annual instalments. The duty of
carrying into execution the act is to vest in local
boards, with explanatory directions on the subject;
and on the election of such local boards they are to
have full powers over sewage, which may be stored,
disinfected, or distributed so as not to create a
nuisance. The statute then proceeds to point out the
manner in which orders may be obtained from jus-
tices for cleansing foul and offensive watercourses or
open ditches. Local boards are empowered to cleanse
or contract for cleansing and watering streets and
other sanitary matters. Penalties are to be imposed
on persons not removing, or obstracting the re-
moval, of things ordered. A local board may
make bye-laws for the prevention of nuisances
arising from snow, ashes, &c., or of the keeping
of animals so as to be injurious to the public
health. A local board is also empowered to make
bye-laws as to the construction of new streets, and
provisions for the sewerage ; also as to the struc-
ture of walls for securing stability and the preven-
tion of fire, to secure a free circulation of air, and
with respect to ventilation and other objects of a
sanitary character. Buildings are to be regulated
by local boards, and they may purchase premises
for the purpose of making new streets. There are
also directions as to highway repairs, respecting
the consumption of smoke, the making of new
streets and roads, the making of new bridges and
the improvement of existing bridges over or under
canals and railways, &c. Local boards arc also em-
powered to enter into agreements with turnpike
trusts for the repair of roads, &c. The provisions
of " The Towns Police Clauses Act" are incorpo-
rated with this Act with respect to obstructions and
nuisances in the streets, with respect to fires, with
respect to places of public resort, with respect to
hackney carriages, and with respect to bathing..
Further, the provisions of " The Towns' Improve-
ment Clauses Act" are incorporated with respect to
the naming of streets and the numbering of houses,
with respect to improving the line of streets and
removing obstructions, with respect to ruinous or
dangerous buildings, with respect to precautions
during the construction and repairs of the sewers,
streets, and houses, with respect to the supply of
water, with respect to the prevention of smoke, and
also with respect to slaughter-houses and clocks.
They are to be burial boards and to establish mar-
kets. Instructions are given as to the mode of as-
sessment of general district rates, and certain pro-
perty is only declared assessable at one-fourth its
annual value. Money may be raised on the rates.
Accounts are to be audited and published, and dis-
allowances may be removed by certiorari into the
Court of Queen's Bench. With respect to legal
proceedings, the notices are to be signed by the
clerk of a local board. It is provided that the ex-
penses due from the owners of premises are to be
a charge on the same. Penalties are to be imposed
On injury to works of local boards,ancds h
i
penalties are payable to the funddistrict
respectaco to
nt.
There are saving clauses in the Act with
h o respect w a t
r
ianl owrik.
tsh;ia.elsspoeNcVtl tt
tt oh et
hrei gproprietors of Crownean
companies, dock companies, and others. Regula-
tions are made with regard to the purchase of land,
and the local boards are to petition the Secretary
of State upon certain matters as to the purchase of
land and taking of land; and all local boards are
aexpended their
annually to report to the Secretary of State
n(I
proceedings with the money received
and to publish the same in a newspaper. Local
boards may petition the Secretary of State for in-
corporation, separation, and alteration respecting
districts, and the Secretary of State may make pro-
visional orders, after proceedings have been adopted,
to ascertain the opinion of the owners and rate-
payers. Local boards may borrow money to
complete works on the rates, with the sanc-
tion of the Secretary of State. "It shall be
lawful for the Secretary of State to report
annually to Parliament on the execution of
this Act, to make or direct such inquiries
as are directed by this Act, and to appoint from
time to time such • officers, clerks, and servants
as he may require for the purposes of this Act, and
at his pleasure to remove any such officers, clerks,
or servants, and the Commissioners of her Majes-
ty's Treasury shall fix the salaries and allowances
of such officers, clerks, and servants." Any officer
directed by the Secretary of State is to have the
same powers as an inspector under the Public Health
Act. The Oxford and Cambridge Commissioners
are constituted local bodies within their respective
districts in the event of their adoption of the Act.
The boards are to be elected
partly by the Univcr-
sities and also by the town council. For Oxford
the local board is to consist of the Vice-Chancellor,
14 are to be elected by the ratepayers. In t :e event
the Mayor, and 45 commissioners, of which number
of any differences between either of tthheeUmneiaviefirislig-
ties of Oxford and Cambridge within
of the 105th section of the Public Health Act, such
differences are to be settled by arbitration in the
manner provided. There are two forms in a sche-
dule annexed to carry out the Act, the object of
which Act is to enable local boards to execute con-
siderable improvements and sanitary regulations in
large towns and populous places, under regulations,
without an application in the first instance to the,
executive Government of the country.