The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-30 00:00:00

TEA MARKET.

There were several public sales, consisting of 27,000
packages, which were well attended, but the biddings
were by no means animated. The deliveries were
larger.
TALLOW MARKET.

There was a fair demand for Russian Tallow at
48s. 3d. on the spot, and 48s. for arrival up to the
close of the year.

SINGULAR DEATH OF A GENTLE-
MAN AT BIRMINGHAM.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.—An inquest was held
in this town last night on the body of a gentleman,
named Richard Howley, of rather eccentric character,
who died suddenly at his lodgings in Gough-street,
on Monday morning. It appeared from the evidence
that the deceased was 54 years of age, son of Richard
Howley, Esq., of Grome, Leicestershire, and cousin of
the Archbishop of Canterbury. At an early age he
went to Am erica, wherehe continued to reside, making
occasional visits to England every.three,or four years.
In the month of July last he arrived in Birmingham
by railway, and travelled in the same carriage with
Mrs. Lord, the landlady of a tavern near the Birming•
ham Railway station, and a young friend of hers, a
Miss Hunt.

To this latter lady the deceased subsequently
became much attached, and offered her his hand, and
it was finally arranged that after consulting her friends
at Oxford she was to meet deceased in London at a
given time. Before the day of meeting, deceased
became very ill, and h 2 wrote to her, requesting her
to return to Birmingham. She did so, and attended
him during his malady with great assiduity. The
deceased, however, from a penurious disposition, re-
fused to obtain medical advice, which doubtless in-
creased his disease. On Sunday night she left him
for two hours, and on her return, to her great horror
found him dead in bed. A surgeon was immediately
sent for, but no aid could be rendered.

The surgeon, who made a rigid post mortem exa-
mination of the body, deposed that deceased died of
asphixia, caused by water on the chest and an ex-
cessive enlargement of the heart, and the Jury re-
turned a verdict to that effect, expressingc, at the same
time, with the entire concurrence of the Coroner, that
there could not be the least possible reflection upon
Miss Hunt, for whom all present seemed to feel.
The deceased intended to marry her, and retire to
America, where it is said, he has left an estate of
some magnitude.

SUDDEN DEATH IN THE STREETS.—Mr. Wakley
held an inquest yesterday at the St. Marylebone
workhouse, on the body of John Tate, aged 35. It
appeared that the deceased, who was a broker's assist-
ant, lived in Circus-street, New-road. On Monday
afternoon last he left home on business, previous to
which he, as was rather unusual, kissed his wife and
child affo:asionately, bidding theta each "good bye."
-He then seemed in perfect health, and had the same
day said that he never felt better in his life. Shortly
afterwards he was proceeding along the north side of
Bryanstone-square, when, on arriving opposite No.-
24, he was observed suddenly to stagger -and fall on
the steps. Assistance being immediately rendered he
was carried to a surgeon's, where life being pros
nounced extinct, he was removed to the above insti-
tution. The Jury having remarked upon the many
instances of sudden death which had of late occurred,
returned a verdict of " Natural death."
METROPOLITAN REFORM ASSOCIATION. Last
night, at nine o'clock, a numerous meeting of the
inhabitants of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, was held at
the Cambrian Tavern, Castle-street, Leicester-square,
for the purpose of having the principles of the Metro-
politan Reform Association explained, and of adopting
resolutions thereon. Dr. Black observed that sixty
years ago, in the city of 'Westminster' a public meeting
was held to consider what steps should be adopted
in order to promote Parliamentary Reform, when:a
Sub-Committee was formed, who reported a plan
which was the basis of the Radical party of the coun-
try. Since the passing of the Reform Bill the Radi-
cal party among the middle classes had been in abey-
ance, and they have found that the working classes
have taken up the six points. It was in the view of at-
tempting to form an association adopting the old
principles of Reform, that some gentlemen who were
connected with the Corresponding Society of 1780,
had come forward to organise the Metropolitan Reform
Association, consisting of the middle classes.
WESTERN LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITU-
TION, LEICESTER-SQUARE.--The lecture season at
this Institution commenced yesterday evening with a
conversazione. M. Hanhart, Esq., delivered a most
interesting lecture on lithography, in which he fully
explained the entire process, and elucidated Hullman-
del's method of printing in colours or lithotint. After
the lecture the company adjourned to the reading-
rooms, in which various interesting articles were ex-
hibited. We noticed a fine collection of ancient
armour from the time of Henry VIII. to Charles I.
Several very beautiful carvings in wood, calotype,
portraits, and views, and some fine specimens of elec-
trotype, the principal of which was a splendid copy
from Plaster—subject, "The Last Supper," after
Leornardi da Vinci. Professor Wheatstone's Electro-
Magnetic Engines attracted considerable attention,
and his Stereoscopes afforded much amusement.
Hughes' Marine Telegraph was also an object of much
interest, as well as a most superb casket, executed by
Mr. Rogers, for Baron Rothschild.
DREADFUL DEATH OF A FEMALE FROM FIRE.—
Last evening Mr. Higgs held an inquest at the De-
vonshire Arms, Queen. street, Golden-square, on the
body of Mrs. Ann Cubitt, aged 24, wife of a respect-
able upholsterer, residing at 6, Sherrard-street, who,
since the lamentable accident that caused her death,
has been in a state of distraction bordering upon
madness. Deceased's clothes caught fire whilst she
was endeavouring to take off the grate a pot of
French varnish that had boiled over, some of the
flaming liquid falling on her dress. Her husbandin try-
ing to save her was dreadfully burned, and his anguish
and agony had been so great since, that it required
the strength of five men to hold him down in his bed.
Mr. WAN oodridge, surgeon, ofJerm yn-street, who was
called into to see deceased soon a`ter the accident,
said that she was burnt dreadfully from the alleles to
the hips. She never rallied, and died on Tuesday
last from a shock to the nervous system, caused by the
burns. The husband not being able to attend, and
his evidence being considered necessary, the Foreman
of the Jury went to examine him, and on his return
reported that Mr. Cubitt had left his wife in care of
the piplcin, which boiled over, and that in trying to
take it off she set fire to her clothes. Verdict—" Ac •
cidentall burned by a mixture of spirits of turpentine
and bees •wax."
FIRE AT SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE.—Last night,
about nine o'clock, a fire broke out in the property-
room of Sadler's Wells Theatre, which for a tune
threatened destruction to the whole building. It
being a benefit night, the house was crowded to ex-
cess in every part, and the greatest confusion pre-
vailedon the audience discovering the cause of the
dense smoke which issued from the stage. The
actors, supernumeraries, and the property-men, ex-
erted themselves to their utmost, and to their un-
ceasing exertions in procuring water, is to be ascribed
the safety of the theatre. As it is, property to the
, amount of between 80/. and 1001. has been destroyed.
The fire was completely extinguished in about half
an hour, and the performance proceeded. On inquiry
we learn that the fire originated in the following
manner :—Harvey,
the property-man,
in supplying a
boy with a torch, incautiously went too near the blue
and red fires and other fireworks, upon which a spark
from the torch dropped,
and the room was immediately
enveloped in flames. The fire was happily confined to
the room in which it originated

EXTRAORDINARY CONSPIRACY.
BRI4TOL, SEPT. 29.—Bristol has been the; scene of
'one of the most romantic incidents in real life which
ever occurred, and of which a highly respectable mer-
chant of this city has been unfortunately made the dupe.
This affair has been made public in consequence of
the gentleman (Mr. Wooley) having been charged
before the Magistrates with having conspired to de-
fraud a goldsmith of a lady's gold watch and chain.

We subjoin an accurate -account of the facts of thiS
most extraordinary conspiracy.
Mr. Wooley has been, it appears, for' the last five
years a widower, and Miss Bryers, who is now about
twenty-two years of age, and whom he has brought
up and educated from the early age of eight years,
resided with him in the New Cut. About six months
since, Miss Bryers intimated to him that a lady whom
she knew, and whose property was worth 47,0001.,
had accidentally seen him, and had on the instant
fallen in love with him ; that she had striven long
to conquer her passion, but in vain; that her
declining health bore testimony to the in-
tensity of the struggle ; and that, as a
last resource, she had communicated her passion to
her (Miss Bryers), with a view to her sounding her
brother-in-law as to the state of his heart, with much
more sufficiently nonsensical and absurd. Hearing
this tale, Mr. Wooley, being of course most anxious
to know who the lady was, pressed Miss Bryers to
inform him who the fair inamorata might be, and was
at length told by her that she was Miss -, a lady
of the first family and respectability. Mr. Wooley,
who had never seen the lady whose name was men-
tioned
to him, oddly enough agreed to reciprocate the
alleged affection, and pressed anxiously for an inter-
view. To this Miss Bryers replied, that such a course
was entirely out of the question, for should the rela-
tions of the lady arrive at the knowledge that such
an acquaintance existed, they would immediately
lave her removed, her peace of mind would be ruined
for ever, and Mr. Wooley's chance of the 47,0001.
would be destroyed. To mitigate the rigour of
this sentence, however, a tender correspondence was
fabricated and carried on in this lady's name (who
was all the while unconscious of even Mr. Wooley's ex-
istence) through Miss Bryers, and in answer to one
of these tender billets, Mr. Wooley pledged his honour
not to seek an interview with the lady until it could
be safely granted. The matter having been men-
tioned to some confidential friend by Mr. Wooley, it
was suggested to him, that he ought to be better as-
sured of the truth of the affair, and that it might be a
hoax. This insinuation was, however, indignantly met
by Mr. Wooley, with the reply, "Could they sup-
pose that she whom he had brought up as his own
child, from the early age of eight years, whom he had
ever treated in the most kind and indulgent mante,-,
would attempt to or be a party to the playing off of
any trick upon him who might be considered as her
father ?" His friend still remaining incredulous, Mr.
Wooley said he would write a letter to Miss -,
which should be taken by Miss Bryers, and that to sa-
tisfy himself of her truth, a female, the wife of a person
in his employment, should see whether she went to the
house where the lady resided, with it. This was done,
and Miss Brvers was watched by the female to the
door of Miss ---'s house. Shortly afterwards-some
circumstances transpired from which he was again led
to think that a trick was being played him, add de-
termined to make assurance doubly sure, he •inen-
tioned his suspicions to Miss Bryers, wrote a letter to
Miss -,.and proposed himself to accompany, Miss
Bryers to the door of the lady's house, and to wait
outside for an answer. Miss Bryers, nothing daunted,
reproached him for entertaining the slightest suspi-
cion, and said that she should be most happy 'to con-
vince him, and that he had better at once write the
letter, and they would walk together with it to the
house in which the lady resided. This was accord-
ingly done, and on reaching the house, Miss Bryers
knocked at the door, and having ascertained that the
lady was at home sent in her card (both being per-
sonally wholly unknown), and desired Mr. Wooley
to wait for her. She then with unparalleled ef-
frontery introduced herself into the presence of the
lady. Being requested to lie seated, she apologized
for her intrusion, but that being informed that Miss
- was very kind in administering relief and reli-
gious consolation to the poor, she had presumed
to solicit her to visit a poor woman 'at a
place in Cathay, which she named, to admi-
nister some relief -to her mind. That the poor
woman did not need pecuniary assistance, as she
(Miss Bryers)' had procured for her everything which
was necessary. , The lady replied, that it was true
she was ever most happy to contribute to the relief of
the suffering poor as far as possible, but that with
respect to religious consolation, she thought the
clergyman of the parish was the proper party to he
applied to. Miss Bryers immediately acknowledged'
that this was the proper course, and having apolo-
gized for troubling Miss- ' requested to be allowed
to write a note to the Rev. Gentleman soliciting his
aid. This was, of course, acceded to, and Miss
Bryers sat down to write the note, but instead of
writing to the clergyman, she penned an amorous
answer to Mr. Wooley's letter, in the 'name of the
lady in whose house and presence she was
.com-
mitting this wanton fraud. Having finished, and
used a wafer instead of a seal, she wished the lady
good morning, and having rejoined Mr. Wooley
in the street, she triumphantly produced the note,
still wet,' told' him -'Miss -- was much annoyed at
his suspiciOns, int 4 in fact, completely con-
vinced the too credulous Mr. Wooley that all
things were proceeding rightly for his marriage
with the lady. The correspondence continued un-
interruptedly between the parties, and at length Miss
Bryers, producing a very handsome ring with the ini-
tials of the lady'engraved upon it, told him that she
had sentit with the request that he 'would wear it for
her sake. Things being in this state, it was arranged,
on this semi-fictitious correspondence, that 20,0001.
of the lady's property should be settled on herself,
while the other portion should be at her husband's dis-
posal. A request was also made that they should ex-
change watches, and Miss Bryers produced a neat
lady's gold watch and chain, which the police reports
show that, together with the ring, she had procured
from Mr. Jones. Mr. Wooley was, of course, de-
lighted, and immediately handed Miss Bryers a very
valuable gold watch, &c., which he wore. Mr. Wooley
then became most anxious for the lady to name the
happy day, but Miss Bryers told him that before he
Married, as he had been a widower for some time, he
ought to refurnish certain portions of his house
in a style befitting the reception of a lady. This was,
of course, agreed to. Miss Bryers was directed to
select the necessary furniture, and on her handing
in the various bills .cash was given her to dis-
charge them. At this period this artful young lady,
in order to still further blind her too-credulous rela-
tive to her machinations, requested him to accompany
her to make a morning call upon the lady, of one of
the first merchants, at her residence at Clifton, and
told him that this lady was most intimate with Miss
-, and would no doubt induce her to immediately
name the day. Mr. Wooley, accordingly, accompa-
nied her in the carriage to Clifton to the house of Mrs.
' When they arrived there, Miss Bryers per-
suaded him not. to enter the house, but to remain in
the carriage while she went in and spoke to Mrs. -
upon the subject, as they should not be able to con-
verse freely in his presence. Miss Bryers then went
into the house, and on being introduced to Mrs. --,
whom she had not at all known previously,. informed
. her that she had been taken suddenly ill at her door,
&c. It is needless to say that the lady, of course, sym-
pathised with her for her illness, and persuaded her to
take a glass of wine, which might recover her. The art-
ful girl did so, and took care to spill a portion of the
wine on her cambric handkerchief; she then assured
the lady of the house that she felt better, and having
returned to the carriage told Mr. Wooley that she
was sorry to have detained him so long, but that
Mrs. - had promised to go immediately to Miss
-, and that she would make her have a glass of
wine, and, "Bless me," added she, "I declare I have
spilt some of the wine over my handkerchief." If any
doubts whatever had remained in Mr. Wooley's mind
he must have been .more incredulous than the gene-
rality of men if he had. any longer entertained the
slightest suspicion, and accordingly he procured the
license for their marriage in Redcliff church. •
Bridal dresses and presents were prepared, bride-
cake ordered, and every arrangement made for the
performance of the ceremony ; on the day preceding
which, however, a' strange series of events took place.
In the afternoon of that day Mr. Wooley sent to the
house of the Rev. MarCus D'Arcy Irvine, to request
that gentleman to perform the ceremony on the en-
suing morning. The Reverend Gentleman was,
however, gone out .to„ a dinner-party, and Mr.
Wooley, the anxious bridegroom, sent again
and again, at six o'clock, at eight o'cicck,
and at ten o'clock at night, before Mr. Irvine
returned home, who then stated that he would per-
form the ceremony in the morning, but that it was a
strange time of night to come to a clergyman about
such an affair. In the meantime, the confectioner,
who had orders to make the bridecake, happening to
see one of the brothers of Miss the circum-
stance was mentioned, to the utter astonishment of.
that gentleman, who immediately communicated the to his brother and Miss -- ; and, az,
was to be expected, finding that their sister had never
seen Mr. Wooley nor knew aught of the matter,
they determined that a respectable man like Mr.
Wooley should not be made the victim of so cruel a
hoax. They, in the evening of the same day, went to
his house, sent in their card, and desired to speak with
him. Mr. Wooley was at home, but, being persuaded
by Miss Bryers that they had found it out and were
only come to stop the marriage, lie had himself denied.
and would not see them. These gentlemen, how-
ever, in the most praiseworthy manner, made another
effort to undeceive him, and wrote him two notes,
desiring to soe him at their counting-house on busi-
ness of the utmost importance, at the earliest hour in
the morning, and beore he went anywhere else.
These notes, however, together with their call, and
the answer of the Rev. Mr. Irvine, only strengthened