The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-31 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT

Early this (Saturday) morning the lifeless body of $
poor old man, named George Belford, a well-known
coal-higgler, was found lying in the. surnppike•road be-
tween Leicester and Uppingham, near Skeffington, &mint
ten miles from the former town. It appears that the
unfortunate man frequently started from Leicester at
midnight for Uppingham, with a load of coals, and there
is no doubt but that he has lost his life by indulging in
a dangerous habit—a ludicrous instance of which he re+
lated but a short time ago top the person who now re•
ports to us his untimely death. it seems that he left
Leicester one night about twelve o'clock for Uprzghlian,
and as soon as be passed the toll-gate on the Humber-
stone-road, got on.the top of the coals, where, being a
little the worse for drink, he stretched himself at full
length, and speedily fell asleep. How long he remained
oblivious of the world and its cares he knew not, but
when he awoke, some two or three hours afterwards he
found himself ho knew not where, among some houses,
and his horse standing as still as a post. Not recog-
nising the place when he awoke, and the night being ex-
ceedingly dark, he knew not which way to steer, so at
last resolved to knock up one of the villagers, and ask
as to his whereabouts. Ho accordingly did so, and was
rewarded for his trouble by ascertaining that his horse
had taken the wrong road, and strayed into Humber-
stone. As we before observed, this story doubtless eon.
tains the key to the poor old man's melancholy end.
The deceased was a widower, having lost his wife but
a few weeks ago, and resided in Lower Sandacre-street,
in this town. By his death, we regret to state, several
children are left orphans.—Leicestershire Mercury.

FUNERAL OF TEE LATE ECCENTRIC DR. SnINET.--•
STRANGE EXIIIBITION.—Monday being the day appointed
for the funeral of the late Dr. George Swinev, some parti-
tinlars relative to whose eccentricities and death appeared in
this journal on Wednesday last, the neighbourhood of .Cam-
den-town was, during the whole of the after portion of the
day, in the greatest excitement, every person being anxious
to view such a strange sight as a funeral, the whole of the
paraphernalia of which was to be yellow. From the deceased's
late residence, No. 9, Grove-street, to the burial-ground of
St. Martin's, Pratt-street, a distance of upwards of a quar-
ter of a mile, the number of persons congregated to witness
the funeral procession was so great, that a large body of
police, of the S Division, under Mr. Superintendent Carter and
Inspector Aggs, were obliged to be present, to keep any-
thing like order. At the ground only a limited number of
persons were admitted, as it required many policemen to be
stationed here to prevent the people from entering en mane,
so great was the preseure. About a quarter before two, the
funeral cortege made its appearance, and, agreeably to the
will of the deceased; the coffin was covered with yellow cloth,
studded with white nails. 0n getting into the street, 8
yellow velvet pall, edged with white silk, was thrown over
it. Immediately after the coffin came three young girls, the
eldest about fourteen years, and the other two about twelve
years of age. They were habited in white (according
to the will), with violet-coloured cloaks. Their head-
dress consisted of straw bonnets trimmed with White satin.
The dresses had a most singular appearance, the wearers
appearing more like a party proceeding to a wed-
ding than mourners of a funeral. After these came
the mutes, and then the real mourners, habited not in yellow
Cloaks, as previously announced, but in the usual mourning
habit. In this order the cavalcade proceeded to the burial-
ground, the crowd being e 6 dense that it was vrithrn:
greatest difficulty it could )proceed, pollee-016cm' going first
to clear the war. On reaching the ground theretion o
was muck
r
hissing and hoOting, but whether at strangethe_
not, or what was the cause, could not be ascertained.exhibi
Th.
R
service appointed for the burial.
very imp/vest'ye manner by the Rev. Mr. Chaplin, the M .
of the dead was read in It
the chapel, and the remainder over
the grave.
ciating mi
At, nister-. partly. f the ceremony, despite *
the "he
efforts of the police, the
mesa of
round the chapel waa
so great that era were compelled to return in hired
consisted (*the-executor' *ad
cabs to the l,atteher:.4:iltuehnr:ceehoite't;the deceased. The mourners, of
whom Dr. Cox was
other friends of the deceased.