Star.
London, England, 1830-04-26 00:00:00

LAMBETH-STREET.

EXTltZtelt Feagerslone and
Jena Adams, two young num whom exhibited the
very extreme of poverty, werepia& at thin:r.lince

One of the policemen stated, that between one and two o'cloti,
the night before be found the prisoners loitering about the streets,
and on asking them what they were about at such an hour, they both
at once replied that they were watching for an opportunity to
commit a robbery of some kind that they might be sent to goal
to be kept from starving. They said they had made two attempt,
but failed, and were then mdy to perish with hunger. In con.
sequence of this declaration of their intentions he took them to the
watchhouse.
The prisoners being called upon for their defence fully con.
firmed the officer's statement ; and, in reply to questions from tI t•
magistrate, stated that they were Irishmen. They came to London
about a fortnight ago and did every thing in their power to get work,
but did not succeed. They had parted with all their clothes to buy '
food, and for the last three days had tasted nothing but a penny.
worth of bread each, and bad walked about the streets three night,
for want of shelter. They bad applied for relief to the parish otii.
sera and the magistrates of that office, or to be pasted to Met:
own country, but were refused, and were told they must lint,
their way back as they came. They did not know how to pis.
serve life any longer but by doing something for which they might
be sent to prison, though they had never done any such thing it
their lives.

The Magistrates committed them to the House of Correction fur
one month, where they were told they would not be allowed to suffer
from hunger.
They left the bar blessing the Magistrate for sending them
to prison without forcing them to do any thing of which they nut,
be ashamed.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

We have received the Manchester and Salford Advertiser ~f
Saturday. the 24th inst. which contains the following
DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT TIIE RAILWAY-BRIDGE.
TWELVE MEN DROWSED.
_ _

It is our painful duty this morning to detail the particulars of one
of the most appalling accidents which has occurred in this town for
a number of years; indeed, with the exception of the fatal launch at
the new quay about three years ago, there has been nothing even to
compare to it.
It is well known to our readers in this town, that a bridge is in
course of erection over the Irwell, from the New Baileyfield to the
ground a little beyond the new quay, in order to carry the line in
railway across into Water-street. The rain baring fallen in con-
siderable excess for the last few days, the river was very much
swelled, and the current proportionately strong. About eight o'clock
19 or 20 of the masons and their labourers entered a boat which
was to carry them over the river to breakfast. This number
being much too large for the size of the vessel the water nearly
approached the edge, and sufficient room was not allowed for ths
boatman to use his oars With effect. The men, as usual, gave On:
boat a violent push from the shore, and before the boatman could
get it under command with his oars, the boat, with the impetus
given to It, dashed against the piles. The current being very strong
with the late rains, and the boat being crowded with men, in a
standing position, the shock wit so violent that all the men were
thrown to one side ; in a moment the boat filled with water, and
the men, with the exception of the boatman, 1V:11:Wilson, who was
sitting in the boat up to the middle in water, were precipitated inn.
the river.

Several of the men seised hold of Wilson with a convulsive grasp,
in the vain hope of saving themselves ; but he, making a desperate
effort, plunged into the water, and dived to the New-quay wharf.
Wilson's presence of niind in this awful juncture is worthy of great
praise. Scarcely had be arrived at the shore when he pushed
two beams of wood towards the struggling men in the water, under
the hope that they might be of service to them. lie then jumped
into a stone-boat which was laying at the side, and towed into the
middle. Two of the men had dung to the piles, and these Wil,oi.
took into the boat. Their names are James 111‘Donnell and Janus
Findley. Another man, named Sandie Mattetson, swam to one or
the New-quay rafts, and was picked up ; and three others, David
Fleming, John Carter, and George Roy, swam to the shore. Thi
remainder, amounting to twelve, at least, were drowned, having sunk
before the strenuous exertions which were being made for their
rescue could be available.
Of the sufferers eleven were taken out of the water within two
hours, and taken to Mr. Raby's • but the twelfth has not yet
been discovered. I lie names of the men found are—John Win.
stanley Turner, sen. John NVinstanley Turner. jun. Peter Diamond.
John Wilson, Jeremiah Andrews, Ralph Cardwell, James Dowley,
James Ikarren, Donald Nl'Donald, Alexander Findley, brother to
the Findley saved, and William Howard. A boy, who has not yet
been got out of the river, is named James Findley, aged thirteen.
It cannot be known with certainty whether these are the whole or
the sufferers until this evening, the period at which the men are
paid their wages. The house of Mr. Raby has been thronged
during the early part of the day by the agonised friends of the suf-
ferers. The inquest will be held on the bodies at tire o'clock to-
morrow.

We are in justice bcur.d to say that the conduct of the pen
connected with the old and new quays Is deserving of the bight,:
commendation, as they were prompt in rendering every anis.
tenet in their power; and in order to remove any imputation of
blame from any person relative to this unhappy affair, we take the
opportunity of stating that Mr. Broekbank and Mr. Fife, the con-
tractors for the bridge and who had provided the boat, have frequently
censured them for crowding in such numbers in the boat ; and it is •
remarkable fact that, so recently as last Thursday, Mr. Fife, who
was himself going over in the boat, insisted on several of the men
jumping out, the boat being toe full, and he mentioned the fatal
launch at the New Quay as a caution to their imprudence. This,
however, was not regarded, the men saying the river was not deep
enough to drown them ; and this might have been true, but fur the
present high Rood of the river. The period at which the accident
took place being wet, there were few persons near who observed the
accident at the moment ; indeed, we believe one of the masons.
named Thomas Riley, who was waiting for the return of the boat.
there not being room for him the first time, was the only one alto
saw the whole of the melancholy accident.