Star.
London, England, 1830-05-24 00:00:00

AWFUL DEATH BY LIGHTNING.

Yesterday evening, about half-past five o'clock, during
the awful thunder storm, which raged over the Metropo-
lis, a fine young woman, named Elizabeth Tyre, whose
age did not exceed twenty, in all the flow of health and
spirits, was struck by the electric fluid in the house of Mr.
Wilmot, dealer in snuff, coffee, &c. No. 38, Church-
street, Mile End, New Town, and unfortunately killed
instantaneously. The following are the particulars:—
It appears that the unfortunate deceased, who was the
daughter of a poor widow, was standing with a few
others in Church-street, at the door of an acquaint-
ance named Shearman, a shoemaker, and in high
exhiliration of spirits was enjoying herself with them.
At this time a silk-weaver !named Lockwood, who
lodges in the first floor front room of Mr. Wilmot's
house, asked her to go in " and keep his old woman
company." Unfortunately she consented, and in less
than ten minutes after she was a corpse. Mrs. Lock-
wood is not in a state to give the particulars of this ca-
tastrophe ; but it is supposed that while sitting together
near the window, the lightning entered through the
chimney, and caused her immediate death. It must
have also escaped through the same aperture, as the win-
dow, which was closed, was not broken, and nothing else
•in the room was touched by it but the unfortunate de-
ceased, whose cap, hair, and eye-lashes, were much burnt.
Her skin was quite discoloured, and one of her shoes was
rent by the electric fluid into pieces from her foot, which,
strange to say, did not itself exhibit the least laceration.
The lightning, in its exit, turned its fury on the rear of
Mr. Lakeman's house, bed and window cornice maker,
next door, and having struck the roof, descended down-
wards, tearing a channel through the brick-work and
rending the sash-frames from their sockets, the lead from
which ran down the walls in a liquid stream. The un-
I fortunate deceased was found hanging in a doubled-over
position across the porry (a rail) of the loom. Her re-
mains were put into a shell, and conveyed to Mile-end
INew-town workhouse, to await the Coroner's Inquest.
Henry Mathews, a hair-dresser, who was standing at
his own door, No. 46, at the awful moment, together
with Mr. Emmet, a butcher, No. 43, Dan. Mendoza
(son of the celebrated pugilist), one of the New Police,
named Clarke, (letter H. Division,) and Mr. Latchford,
of Whitechapel-road, describe that the fluid rolled in a
glowing and rapid manner along the centre of the street,
for the distance of about thirty yards, when it checked
its speed opposite Mr. Wilmot's house and shot in a train
of fire perpendicularly upward, and, as if by a powerful
force of attraction, shot its quivering light high—and, as
it were, for an instant fixed—in the air, and darted
directly downwards again with a tremendous burst of
thunder on its wings, entering the house of Mr. Wilmot,
as above mentioned.

ESCAPE OF NINE FEMALES FROM GOAL.
Sunday night last, at eleven o'clock, nine female con-
victs, all under sentence of seven years transportation,
and for whose removal to Cork an order was hourly ex-
pected, succeeded in effecting their escape from the City
Gaol, without creating any alarm whatsoever, or awaken-
ing the suspicion of the Keepers. They had been locked
up in the evening at the usual hour, in the ward allotted
for their reception, and their escape was not discovered
before next morning. The names of the nine convicts
are Mary King, Mary Hurley, Mary Kevin, and her in-
fant about eleven months old, Ellen Hurley, Margaret
Shaughnessy, Margaret Clanchy, Bridget Shelton, Mary
Hickey, and Catherine Welsh.
A rigid inquiry was immediately instituted by the She-
riffs, when the following facts were elucidated, and prin-
cipally on the evidence of two or three prisoners who had
been cognizant of the circumstances of the case : —The
nine convicts had been for some days before secretly pro-
vided with a file and aquafortis, also a short iron bar or
poker, in order to facilitate their liberation. Two men
from the outside scaled the prison walls, between nine
and ten o'clock on Sunday night, and by means of a
ladder used by workmen in repairs of the gaol, gained an
easy access to the women's ward. This object was ac-
complished without much difficulty, as, singular to say,
the exterior of the gaol is shrouded in solitary darkness,
no lamp being hung out as a beacon to keeper or watch-
man, and the passage, after nightfall, is very seldom
trodden by human footsteps. Now came the trial of in-
genuity, for the locks of a range of cells were to be
forced, and the inmates enlarged without disturbing the
few persons in charge of the prison, or breaking that
lonely silence which hung o'er the building.
It is right to observe, that the prisoners frequently in-
dulged in singing and noisy vociferation after nightfall ;
this amusement they enjoyed with more than ordinary
spirit on this occasion, and without exciting any parti-
cular notice. Meantime the iron fastenings were assailed
by the burglars with extraordinary success ; the conti-
, nued knocking was heard in the adjacent ward, but the
sound of their operations was so drowned in the melody
of the accompanying voices, as not to reach the ears of
the Gaol Governors or his assistants. The locks soon
gave way before repeated efforts, and nine females, with
an infant, were extricated from durance vile. This was
a grand object at the outset ; but the work was yet In-
complete, and after a brief consultation, the ladder was
again in request. One after the other rapidly mounted
the wall which confines the ward, and sat perched in a
row on the summit, while the ladder was being drawn
over and laid down against the other side, by which they
' descended in perfect silence. They traversed a short
yard, where the same feat was accomplished at the second
barrier, and with equal success. The third and outer
wall was carried by a similar coup de main without the
slightest accident, and the eleven persons made their
I escape into the street, unnoticed by any of the persons
on watch.
The consternation of the gaoler, turnkeys, and keepers,
next morning, it is easier to imagine than describe. The
' sheriffs and police have been incessantly on the alert
through every part of the city and liberties, and yesterday
evening one of the nine convicts, Mary Hickey, was ap-
prehended in the Abbey. This capture may, probably,
lead to the detection of the others, who, it is believed,
! have not fled away, but are concealed by some of their
1 friends in town. The most extraordinary feature in this
daring and successful enterprise is the breaking of the
great iron locks and bolts on the cell doors; it absolutely
puzzles every officer of the prison how these could
have been possibly forced without that application of vio-
lence which must have roused, by its noise, the most
dormant and inattentive pe within the prison.
• DARING ROBBERY.AbONI eight o'clock on Friday
morning, a thief mitered the shop of Mr. Solomon.,
jeweller, in the Strand, and, in the temporary absence of
the shopman, carried off a massive silver wine cooler,
weighing 230 ounces. The fellow, who was genteelly
dressed, was observed to cover the article over with a
cloth, and then ran eff. About half an boar afterwards
he was seen by Waddington, an officer of Hatton-Garden,
in Spa-Fields. The Ace; knowing the man to be a
bad character, and observing the silver shining di
the cloth, took him into enstody. The owner :Plitt
wins-cooler was soon discovered.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
OUll .--'=FaL . _ .

A stout, middle-aged gentleman, a solicitor of some years stand-
ing, attended with another person whose name did not transpire, in
the character of defendants, to answer a complaint of having ex-
torted a sum of money from Mr. Smith, a respectable solicitor,
under a threat of charging him with committing forgery. Mr.
Clarkson,• the barrister, and Mr. Flowers, attended for the de-
fendants; and Mr. Harmer, for the complainant. When Mr. Al.
demo Winchester had taken his seat, 11r. Clarkson said the per-
sons at the foot of the table, whose names it was not necessary to
mention, as the matter had been compromised, appeared before him
upon their pledge to attend and meet the charge. An explanation,
however, had taken place, and one of the defendants had admitted
that he had acted erroneously, and now through him expressed his
sincere regret that he had fallen into such error. Whatever Mr.
Smith's opinion might be, as to the cause of complaint originating
in error, his charge, if made out, would have amounted only to a
misdemeanor; but Mr. Smith, knowing that the two persons had
been respectable, and upon their expressing their great contrition,
and engaging to pay the expense of Mr. Harmer's attendance, had
kindly agreed to be content with this avowal of their regret for the
error into which they had fallen. The parties certainly were much
indebted to Mr. Smith for his forbearance. _ _

Mr. Alderman WINCHESTER said, he could not tell what he
ought to do with the case, as he was entirely in the dark as to the
nature of the charge.
Mr. Harmer said, he would explain that. If the charge had been
for felony, Mr. Smith would not have ventured to make any ar-
rangement. He proceeded in his explanation in a rapid undertone.
He stated the name of the principal defendant to be and we
understood him to say Mr. and Mr. Smith were solicitors for
the plaintiff and defendant in an action which had been commenced,
and which, upon some informality being discovered, had been
dropped, by consent, Mr. undertaking to pay the costs. This
undertaking remained in Mr. Smith's hands till Mr. produced
the money, when the document was given back to him ; and he sub.
sequently alleged that Mr. Smith had added the words to it while
it was in his possession, and obtained money from him as the price
of forbearing to indict Mr. Smith for the forgery. Mr. Smith, how.
ever, had agreed not to press the charge on the conditions stated by
Mr. Clarkson. _ _ _ _ _

___.. _...
Mr. Alderman Wrwcantrrza said, if the parties were satisfied,
he had no wish to interfere, and the defendants were accordingly die.
missed.

BOW-STREET.

•.
A CANDIDATE FOR BOTANY BAT.— Jaws Roberts was
charged with stealing a quantity of seed, the property of Mr. Ro.
bert Dunn, a market-gardener, residing at Old Brompton. An
officer of division F. No. 79, stated, that he was on duty in Co.
vent-garden market that morning, about one o'clock, when the pri.
soner came up to him, and said, " Do you want a case for the Old
Bailey ?" and he (witness) always having an eye to business, re.
plied, " Yes ! I do, if it's a good one." The prisoner then said,
" I have been stealing some seeds from a garden at Brampton. Do
you take me into custody, for I want to get transported ! Wit.
nets complied with this novel request, and on searching the pri.
sour found a quantity of paper parcels containing seed. The pro-
secutor identified the seed as his property, and the prisoner was
committed for trial. This man stole some trifling articles a few
days since, for the purpose, as he then stated, of getting trans.
not having any means of obtaining a living in this country.
rind; on that occasion discharged, the parties refusing to prose.
cute him.

CONDUCT Or rnz NEW POLICE TOWARDS PERSONS IN
CUSTODY.—A girl of the town, known by the name of Billy Bar.
low, from her having for many years passed herself off as one of the
male sex, and in that disguise acted as waiter at a public house, was
charged with breaking three panes of glass, at the Ship public.house,
in James-street, Covent-garden. Mr. HALLS ordered her to be corn.
mined for one month. As she was leaving the dock, police.officer
F. 137, said to her' " That just serves you right, ma'am !" The
observation having been repeated to Mr. HALLS, the worthy Ma-
gistrate called the officer back, and said, " I will not suffer officers
to make observations of that kind to prisoners. It does not become
them, and I shall certainly report your conduct to the Commission-
ers." The prisoner then stated that while in the watch-house the
officer made use of the most insulting language to her. While
making this statement she contrived to get near the officer, and made
a rush towards him. If she had not been held back, she would, as
she said, have " spoilt his pretty face for a month." Ford, the
gaoler, observed to the Magistrate, that the Insulting conduct of the
New Police towards persona in their custody, irritated the prisoners
extremely, and made them proceed to acts of violence which they
otherwise would not think of, and, addressing the officer, he added,
" I can tell you, if she had but got hold of you, you would not have
forgot it very soon, for she is a powerful woman, and would have
had the clothes off your back before you could say Jack Robinson."
The woman then walked quietly out of the office with Ford.
VEXATIOUS CONDUCT Or THE NEW POLlCV.—Several
publicans appeared to informations filed by the New Police,
charging them with various offences contrary to the tenor of their
licences. In one case the defendant was charged with having his
house open at five minutes past eleven o'clock on Sunday night.
The defendaneadmitted the fact, but raid that two persons came into
his parlour to write a letter, and they had just finished it, and were
about to leave the house when the officer entered. The letter was
shewn to him, sad the circumstances of the as wereexplained. The
officer admitted that such was the fact.

Mr. lints—Then I think there was no occasion to lay this in.
formation. You might surely find some stronger case.
In the next ease the defendant was charged with keeping his
house open after twelve o'clock, and the officer admitted that when
he went to the door the landlord appeared to be doing all he could
to get rid of his customers.
Mr. HALLS—I wish you would not bring such cases as these be-
fore me. Let the parties pay the costs and be discharged.
Ax Arrant or Howova !"—A Mr. Hoy, residing at Jii-
lingham in Essex, was brought up by Ruthven, the officer, charged
with sending a challenge to a Mr. Wells, a gentleman of property
residing there, who is upwards of 70 years of age. The prisoner
was held to bail.