The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, - NOVEMBER 3, 1842.,

- MAGAZINES —(CONTINUED.)
UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.
The most interesting article in the present
Number of this periodical, is a brief biographi-
cal notice of Captain James Skinner, who, after
seventeen years spent in active service, and
chiefly in the East, fell a victim the other day to
the treachery of the Affghans. Of the remain-
ing papers, the first is a soldier's narrative of the
" Capture of Ciudad Rodrigo."

THE LATE LIVERPOOL FIRE.

_ -- -
We have much satisfaction in announcing that the
claims on the various insurance offices are nearly .all
satisfactorily settled. The Liverpool Mail of Tues-
day says—
" The extent of these fires the#destruction of mer-
chandise, and the enormousamount of loss sustained,
exceed anything of the kind ever experienced in this
or any other port.
" The immediate cause of the conflagration re-
mains in perfect obscurity ; but our own conviction is,
that it arose entirely from spontaneous combustion ;
and if argument were wanting to support this con-
viction, it would be the confirmed fact that cotton
and oiideposited together will, of itself, from natural
causes, ignite—hence we think the disaster.
" 'We congratulate the merchants of Liverpool
upon the prompt and immediate settlement of their
losses. We may say, from authority, that up to last
evening claims to the amount of 355,4004, had been
paid, although it is but this day four weeks since our
columns contained an invitation to all
sufferers to
send in their claims. The amount of property burnt
and not protected by insurance is, we lite happy to
say, but small—and from our observations we believe
that the settlements Made by the gentlemen repre-
senting the united companies interested have been of
a satisfactory character; indeed we must congratulate
the companies upon their choice . of representatives in
this importent affair. The method adopted of making
the settlement of each claim simultaneous by certi-
ficate, removes all rivalry between agents; and the
requiring but one statement of stock held by claim-
ants is a boon to the merchant, inasmuch as all unne-
cessary exposure of his stock is avoidei
" We offer our full share of praise, and we are
quite sure that the merchants of Liverpool will. join
us in thanking the companies for the cheerful and
prompt manner in which these serous losses have
been paid—losses which nothing but combinations of
wealth and capital could combat—and we should do
a needless violence to our feelings did we not thus
record our sense of the high dignity and reputation
of these societies."

tragic narrative
eftnbeen
i.s.ropomao
semhs:i:dhtgah etlt
MOST EXTRAORDINA—RY STORY.
Tha following strange story, relating tc a supposed
series of horrible attacks upon a young lady at Brad-
ford, Yorkshire, is detailed in a letter to the editor of
the Bradford Observer :
taloinnhdeOandnv. one evening in last January the heroine of this
occasionrdiscomposed,o through
furniture t o g
heroo f
mother'su p
s istairs
reesbAseiwhichpshes ws
be bed-room
with
- rs oo
noticedomm
acrosse
e
d
into another chamber. Upon entering this
she was sur-
prised to observe, among other signs that
all the drawers of of confusion,
a chest were open. This in
some
degree alarmed her, but being,
,though a very mild,
gentle, yet an equally courageous young lady, she
proceeded ,to scan the room more closely, when she
perceived a man partly crouched under the
bed, but with his head protruded somewhat to-
wards the windoW. At the sight of him
she quietly pUt down the linen, which she
had in one hand, on a chair, and, walking to the door,
took the key from the inside, and locked it on the out.
She then gave the alarm, but as there were none
but women , and children in the house, some mi-
nutes necessarily elapsed before assistance could be
procurA, and in the mean time the man made his
escape by the window, and over the yard wall, taking
with hint some of Miss Rigg's dresses, nor was he af-
terwards taken.
One Wednesday evening, about a month ago, at
the hour of nine o'clock, the Rev. Mr. Rigg being
absent from home on ministerial duty, Miss Rigg,
who had been sitting in the back parlour with her
mother and brother, had occasion to leave them for a
few minutes. In about six or seven minutes a candle-
stick was heard to fall, and there ensued an unac-
countable scuffling and noise, then a stifled scream,
followed by one louder. Mrs. Rigg thinking the
noise was up stairs, and that one of the children, who
bad just retired to rest, must have set herself on fire,
directed Mr. 11. Rigg to run and see what was the
matter, and she herself hastened after as fast as her
feelings of alarm would allow. She had, however,
just reached the door leading down to the cellar,
which she had to pass in order to go up stairs, and
which was standing partially open, when Miss Rigg
came out pale as a corpse, and bleeding about her
neck, though from what particular parts the blood
proceeded was not at first easily seen, her neck and
shoulders being covered with blood, and her white
dress from her shoulder downwards presenting a
frightful appearance. " Mother," she cried, ' a man
in the cellar has stabbed me:' Her agonised and
agitated parent laid her on the sda, and.iserif im-
mediately for her medical attendant, afraid hersilf to
look on what was done. On the arriVal of DriF., it
was found that she had been mercifully pr44erved
front serious injury. When the miscreant attacked
her, she was in the act of mounting the cellar steps,
and consequently, on that narrow ground he could
only assail her from behind, in which position her
long and thick curlsinterposed between his blade and
her neck, and there can be little doubt saved her life.
She had, however, one deep cut, four inches long, on
the shoulder, with four smaller ones near it,' and
a slight wound on , her breast. In making his
brutal attempt, the ruffian had held her by
one shoulder, but her dropping
the candle pre-
vented him from seeing precisely where to
strike. He . had, however, besides inflicting the
above-named wounds, severed a large portion of her
hair, which, from its great profusion and strength of
curl, must have required a very vigorous and deter-
mined stroke, or perhaps a succession of strokes. Miss
Rigg distinctly heard her mother direct her brother to
see what was the matter, as her assailant must also
have done, and this made him quit his hold. Re-
treating by the front cellar, or under kitchen, he
made his escape by the back door, and over the yard
wall. He .had been in the upper rooms, had ran-
sacked the drawers, and secreted some articles of
value, among other things, some silver spoons, and
had taken the razor with which he. attempted Miss
Rigg's life, from her father's dressing-room. In his
alarm he secured nothing _
; the silver spoons he at-
tempted to take with him, but dropped in getting over
the wall, and the razor was found. crusted with blood
on the other side of the wall.

The COURT then proceeded with motions.
LITTLEFORD V. SCOTT.

BUSINESS OF TIIE COURT.

APPLICATION FOR A CRIMINAL INFORMATION.
THE QUEEN U. ROTIIWELL.

LEEDS RAILWAY COMPANY.

_
What was the reason of his brutal attempt is known
to himself and God. It is not easy to conjecture it.
It may have been that he thought that Miss Rigg had
seen him, and he feared through her means discovery.
viously encountered, and in that case, with the fear of
discovery may have been united the desire of revenge.
to determine td attempt the life of an in-
He may have been the same man
Still, that the man, whom she had pre-
unm°lested, apparently unob-
served, should either from fear of discovery, go the
unsnoffending girl, seems at first incredible.
very way to insure discovery, or should so harbour
render it almost certain
cruel, unprovoked, ntrYle:evactteenne subsequentlatt latter iis theiren truem sth nee
solution,3
At any rate, the attempt
must be admitted to have
1 unprovoked, and brutal,
would have tho t
that every heart would have swelled with indignation
against the perpetrator, -every- hand would have been
,Teady to seize and consign him to justice, and that all
b em
mosta
de ;
would be inspired with one common feeling of sym-
pathy with the sufferer.
A man was taken on the Friday after the attempt,
on suspicion of being the guilty party, to whose fea-
tures Miss Rigg could swear as identical with those
of her assailant, with the exception of his whiskers—
features which every one knows can be disguised. at
pleasure. Yet with this testimony, and the, full evi:-
dence in the Court of the circumstances detailed above,.
the Magistrates not only dismissed the man, but,
though he was known to be a fellow of bad character,
they did not even interrogate him as to where he had
been on the evening in question.
And what has been the consequence of this conduct
of these Magistrates ? Listen, Sir. Last Sunday even-
ing, during service time, as Miss IZigg was
going into
the back parlour for a book, a man fOlowed her and
struck her violently on the arm twice with some heavy
instrument. She fell shrieking to the ground, and her
cries brought assistance, which frightened aw,l, the
incarnate fiend who had attacked her. Re lett, the
house without taking or attempting to take anything.
Her arm exhibits a dreadful contusion front above the
elbow partly to the wrist. ,
Here seems an infernal plot against the life of this
young lady, than whom there never lived one gentler
or more amiable. It can scarcely be doubted that it
is one and the same man who has been concerned in
all three attempts. It is remarkable that the last time
he had his face blackened, as though determined not
again to run the risk of havingbl Isteatures recognised.
—..----------.

}:: it;Te.i.:l 11e
claims
' the
bhye daesahtho w"
to frighten the
vag,ue declaratioNnsonh-radntrn:
TIM Nox-hrrausio
sionists are at their old gamea,,nstduryff:egnrgoini
country into a concession
of earnestness in their threatened secession from the
the Church. Finding that
nggtoto
effect-thatforsakingtshuecirh psltiirpaesoedss7
hill-
sides," were regarded as mere figures of speech, they
put orth their celebrated bootby scheme, in the hope
that a formal and detailed plan would look something
serious—but it would not do, the public laughed at the
wooden kirks as much as they had done at the pseudo-
martyrdom, and Dr. Candlish 's manifesto fell still-born.
Still not disheartened, they have made a new attempt to
work on the fears of the godly—another sham Move-
ment,, intended to draw .ih constitutional party from
the stronghold behind which they are entrenched.
A general circular, drawn up, it is said, by the leaders
in Edinburgh, but subscribed chiefly by adherents in
the country, has been issued, calling a convocation of
the whole clergymen; to be held
.in Edinburgh,
.on
Thursday, the 17th of November, and to continue as
many successive days as may be found" advisable.
That the clerical muster is intended merelf to intimi-
date the Government, without at all committing its
members to any definite step in the fulfihneni of their
pledge to leave the Church, might he gatheted fro4A
he circular itself.--Aberdeen Herald. ~i,- . " ' '''

LAW INTELLIGENCE,
COURT OF CHANCERY. Nov. 2.
This was the first day of Michaelmas Term, but
the Lord Chancellor did not sit in his Court at West-
minster' in consequence of having to attend the Privy
Council at Windsor.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Nov. 2.
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.)
His Honour the Vice-Chancellor of England did
not sit in his Court at Westminster to-day till
nearly half-past one o'clock, in consequence of this
being the first day of Michaelmas Term. His Honour,
on taking his seat, stated that it was his intention to
give judgment in the case of Scott v. Pascal, which
was argued before the Court previous to the long
vacation.

This case came before the Court upon motion to
dissolve a special injunction, obtained ex parte, re-
straining the defendant from selling or transferring
5001. Three per Cents.
His HoNoun ordered the injunction to be dissolved,
with costs, considering that it had been granted upon
a wrong state of, facts. If the plaintiff was desirous of
redress, he must amend his bill.

His HONOUR, in the course of the day, inquired of
the' gentlemen of the bar whether there were many
motions for hearing, as, in that case, he would take
only unopposed petitions to-morrow (this day), and
would afterwards proceed with the seal.
Mr. BETHELL observed that there were several mo-
tions to be made, but he did not think any pressed.
Mr. ANDERDON said that he had one motion which
it was necessary the Court should dispose of as early
as possible.
Mr. WAKEFIELD observed that his friends, Mr.
Bethell and Ur. Stuart, together with himself, after
much consideration on the subject, had come to the
conclusion that it would be far better for the suitors
and all parties interested, that the Court should pro-
ceed regularly each ,'day with the appointed business,
and if any particular case pressed a special application
might be made for it to be heard.
After some short discussion it was determined that
the Court should proceed with the hearing of petitions
to-morrow (this day), and that after the unopposed
ones were disposed of, Mr. Anderdon should make
the motion that pressed.
The Court disposed of several other motions, and
rose shortly before four o'clock.
(Before Vice-Chancellor KNIGHT BRUCE.
IN RE THE EARL OF STRATIIMORE.

Mr. LOTATT applied to the Court to have the pub-
lication in this cause stand enlarged till the plaintiff,
the Earl of Strathmore, had put in an answer to a bill
of discovery, filed by Lady Glamis, the defendant, in
order to aid her in her defence in those snits pending
between her Ladyship and Lord Strathmore.
His Horiouu thought that, under all the circum-
stances of the case, the bill having been filed in the
year 1838, and put to issue in 1841, and an order to
enlarge the publication having been already made in
the present year, he thought the delay would be too
great to justify the Court in making the order applied
for, unless some arrangement should be made in re-
ference to the other case of Gibbon v. Strathmore,
which had been referred to. If such an arrangement
could not be made he must refuse the motion with
costs.

Mr. LOVATT—No arrangement of the sort, I be-
ieve, can be made.
His HONOUR—I must therefore refuse the motion.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Nov. 2.
(Sittings in Banco.)
The Learned Judges, according to custom, break-
fasted with the Lord Chancellor, and afterwards pro-
ceeded in procession to Westminster Hall. Their
Lordships did not take their seats upon the Bench
until after one o'clock.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL applied on behalf of the
Mayor of Bolton for a rule calling upon Peter
Rothwell, an inhabitant of the said borough, to
show cause why a criminal information should
not be filed against him for using language tend-
ing to provoke a breach of the peace. From
the affidavits, it appeared that the Mayor and the
assessors of the borough of Bolton, held a Court for
the revision of the burgess lists of that borough.
The name of Peter Rothwell, the defendant, which
appeared on the lists, was objected to ; and on the
case being beard, the Mayor and assessor decided
that it ought to be struck out. The defendant, on
a subsequent day, met the Mayor in the street,
as he was proceeding to the Revision Court, when
Rothwell addressed the Mayor, calling him a dirty
scoundrel. The Mayor remonstrated with him, and
offered to shake hands. Rothwell refused to
shake hands, and again called the Mayor
a dirty scoundrel. The affidavit went on to
state that there could be no doubt but that Roth-
well had thus insulted the Mayor in consequence
of the decision which he had given in the Revision
Court, as previous to that decision Rothwell and the
Mayor had been on friendly terms. He trusted that,
in order to protect those who were entrusted with the
administration of justice, the Court would grant the
rule. •
. Lord DENMAN—We do not think this is a case
calling for the interference of the Court.

Rule refused.
MANDAMUS.-THE QUEEN V. TILE MANCHESTER AND

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL applied for a rule nisi to
quash a mandamus, ordering the Company to com-
plete the road to a width of forty-two feet. A trial
had taken place, in which the Jury had determined
two of the issues in favour of the Company. They
had found that the Company had extended the rail-
road to its full width. The cause had since been re-
moved into the Exchequer Chamber by writ of error.
Lord DENMAN—You had better have the rule en-
larged for a twelvemonth.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL—I thank your Lord-
ship. it will render my present application unne-
cessary.