The Sun.
London, England, 1817-09-02 00:00:00

SINGULAR CHAR ‘CTER.

IYed, in Glen-street, Kilmarnock-, on. Friday,
17th of July, 1317, XVit.a.rAM STEvENsoN, aged
fq years. lie was originally front amity, and
hued a mason ; but during many of the latter
years of his life he wandered ai>out as .a common
beggar.—Thirty years ago, he •and .his wife sepa-
rated upon these strange conditions., that the first
that proposed an agreement forfeit one
hundred pounds. This singular pair never met
again, and it is not now known Whether the he-
roine vet lives. Stevenson was nine!) afflicted;
during the last two years of his lite, with the
stone. He often grieVously reflected why Provi-
dence should keep him in such lingering torment.
Nothing seemed to give him more concern than
his inability to earn his breath ; or that the money
he had 'scraped together should he exhausted be-
fore he died. As hist-. disease• increased, he was
fully aware of his' approaching •dissolution ; and
for this event he made the following extiaordinary
preparation :—He sent for a baker, and ordered
twelve dozen of hnrial cakes, and a great pro-
fusion of sugar biscuit ; together with•a corres-
ponding quantity of wine anti spirituous-liquors.—
He then told the baker, that if this quantity was
not sufficient, he should provide more, as nothing
but whole cakes were to be served about at hie
funeral. He next sent for the joiner, and ordered
a coffin decently mounted,-With particular instroc-;
tions that the wood should be. quite dry, at 4 ,the
joints firm and impervious to water. The grave-
digger was next:sent for, and asked if he thought
he could get a Place to put hint in after he was
dead. He said, he dare say he might. The spot
fixed upon was in the church-yard of Riccarton, a
village about half-a-mile distant. He enjoined
the sexton to be sure and make- his grave roomy,
and in a dry and comfortable corner ; and he
might rest assured, that he would be well reward-
trd for his care and trouble. -Having, matie these
arrangements, he ordered the old woman that at-
(-ended him to go to a certain nook, anti bring out.
nine pounds, to he appropriated to defray the funeral
charges: He told -her at the same time not to he
grieved, for he had not forgotten her in his. will.
In a few. hours afterwards, in the full exercise of
his mental powers, but in the most excruciating
agonies, he expired. A neighbour and a man of
business were immediately. sent for to examine and
seal up his effects. The first thing-they found was
a bag, containing large silver 'pieces, such-,as
crowns, half-crowns, ,and dollars, to. a large
amount. In a corner was secreted, amongst, a
Vast
.cptantity of musty Tags, great unrulier of
guineas, anti seven-shilling pieces. In-his trunk
Was found a bond. for 3001.. and other bonds a-nd
securities to a Very considerable anniunt.• In all.,
we heard, the property amounted to 9001. • }Rs
wiil was found among souse old paper,.leavin.g.So
his housekeeper 201. and the rest of, his property

to be dr, Ned amnnz, 11ts distant relations. As II
required sonic titnel.o.give his. relatives intimation
of liis death, and to make preparations for his fu-
neral, he lay in state four day-, during which pe-
riod- the place Where he was resembled more ari
Irish wake than a deserted room where the Scots
lock up their dead. The invitations to his funeral
were most singular. Persons were/not asked in-
dividually, but in %Oink families ; so that, except
a few relatives ' dressed in black, his obsequies
were attended by tradesmen in their working
clothes, barefooted boys and girls, an immense
crowd of tattered beggars ; to the ages; among
whom, he left sixpence, and to the younger three-
pence. After the interment this motley group
retired to a•krge barn fitted up for the purpose,
whet e a scene of profusion and inebrity was ex-
hibited, 'almost without 'a parallel. Scarcely
one of them that were there Could Stagger home
without assistance and some were obliged to re-
riain.all night among the torn sacks in a nook of
the barn. After all this profusion, a few worthies,
who were neglected to be invited, threatened to
raise the corpse, if they were not allowed to do
honour to Stevenson's memory, 'and in order to,
prevent such 'a catastrophe, the place became once
more a place of dissipation.—(Glasgow Courier)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

''SCANDALOUS RIOTS .—COrtlel'illS Marin and an-
other man were brought before the Magistrate,
charged with being leaders in one of those riots
by ‘vbielt the Sabbath is profaned almost every
week in St. Giles's. It wears that a body of
desperadoes, amounting to 200, wet about eleven

'o'clock (in Sootlay morning in Auckeridge7streetl.
They were so numerous and so determined that
the Constables and Parish Officers were at first
feat tit; of attempting to secure any of the party.
Towards evening their numbers increased to 6 .or
700 ; and the oeighboathood was so terrified by
'the preparations for attack, that the inhabitants
durst not op,•ear out of their houses. The Vestry
Clerk informed.the Magistrate that the same scene
was exhibited almost every Sunday, and the peo-
ple were kept in such terror that they were oblig-
ed 'to bar their doors and windows. and keep them
so through the day. The Constables, at length
finding a' proper opportunhy, secured the prisoners.
They' wet e ordered to find bail for their appearance,
to
.answer the charges against them.
BARROWS UPON THE•PAVEMENT.---.Mr. Duncan
Campbell, a gentleman. who seems •to interest
himself in enforcing the act respecting the pave:
ments of the metropolis, appeared at the office,
charging two persons with wheeling barrows. up-
on the. pavement. They Were convicted, and
ordered to pay a penalty of 40s. each. This sum
Mr. Campbell hiMseif discharged for one of them,
who, it appeared, was unable from poverty to
p meet the demand. J-lecomplained to the Magis-
ti%tte that much partiality was• practised by the
Officers w'aose ,b(isineSs'it q to see
,that Act carried
into execution thin they frequently. seized
.upon:
poor people tell() cc ere incapable of paying the
penally, while they permitted others to trespass in
the siune manner without attempting to convict
them •
Roaar.B.Y.--=John Riddle
.and
Hall, both members of a desperate gang who
infest the .neighbourhood of Prury-lane, w_ ere.
bruight.to the oflice,charged with assaulting nod
robbing Mr. Thomas Doyen, ahon't half-past 8
n'elnek on Sunday night --7Mr.Dnyer Stated, that.
iu passing through Drury-lane on his' way home,
lie Met the prisoners, in company with some
others, (I ho'attended for the purpose of blocking
,up the passage, and affording to the-it-Companions
a greater facility of escape. The prisoners -ap-
peared to be'the leaders of the party. Hall, itn-
mediately on coming up-to the prosecutor, made
a. sudden grasp at his watch, and succeeded in
taking away Will the seals and the chain. No
sooner was this accomplished, than -Riddle, the
other pi isoner, struck Mr. Duyer on the "bead
with .a bludgeon, and having knocked him down,
repeated his blows in the most brutal manner,
while he lay on the ground. The-watchmen coin-
ing tip, the ruffians were secured, after consider-:•
able difficulty and resistance.--They were fully
committed.

.
COAL MARKET, SEPT. U.
Ships at Market.tl Ships sold. Price.
3 Ne
v,,n .. ••• • • 3 .•.. • ..... 365. 3d: to 435. 9C
es
2 Stune Coal. ............0... —s. do. to —s. da
I Forest of Dean C0a1... .0..........—5. O. to —s. Orl,