Star.
London, England, 1813-09-24 00:00:00

ESCAPAFROM FRANCE.

David Ferguson, a native of Edinburgh, and a
sea-faring man from his youth, has arrived in Water-
ford, having escaped from France after a period of
four years imprisonment. His residence was at
L'Orient, where he was occasionally permitted to la-
bour, in order-to encrease the means of his subsis-
tence. While employed in fitting out a small smack,
the Governor Denot engaged him to rig out a vessel
of his own which was preparing for sea. A small
boat belonged to this vessel, and Ferguson, with the
assistance of three Irish sailors formed the plan of re-
covering his liberty. On the night of the 13th of Au-
gust, they put to sea, with two gallons of cyder, one
gallon of brandy, and one hundred weight of apples,
on board, their sole provisions for the precarious voy-
age. They steered E. by N. E. with wind off land,
about 117 miles, being tour days and four nights at
sea. A sail at last came within sight, which proved
to be a Welch brig, laden with slates, bound for
Ynughal, and named the Flizabeth, Captain Jones, of
Hol, head. Captain Jones was for a time suspicious
of them, and kept to windward, but the wind coming
on heavy, he at length bore down upon them, and,
finding them to be British subjects, he carried them
into Youghal, and there landed them in safety, after
having acted with the greatest kindness. Ferguson's
companions were James Doherty and Alexander
O'Hara, both of Belfast, and William M'Nunara, of ,
the county 4 Tyrone. .

On the night between Saturday and Sunday last,
the French prisoners confined in the jail of Arbroath
attempted to make their escape, by working out a
hole in the wall ; their only instrument was part of
the fire-grate, They had very nearly succeeded, when
some of the loose lime fell on the ()inside of the wall,
and alarmed the sentinels. A short time would have
sufficed to effect their purpose, and it was just about
high water.
Four of the prisoners w:lo lately escaped from the
Perth depot, are now in Fort ar jail.
A Nobleman, lately travelling in Scotland, was
asked for• alms in the High-street of Edinburgh, by a
little ragged boy. He said he had no change, upon
which the boy offered to procure it. His Lordship,
in order to get rid of his importunity, gave him a piece
of silver, which, he conceiving, was to be changed,
ran off for the purpose ; on his return, not finding his
benefactor whom be expected would have waited, he
watched for several days in the place where he had
received the money, pursuing his occupation, and at
length the Nobleman happening again to pass that
way, he accosted him and put the change he had pro-
cured into his hand, counting it with great exactness.
His Lordship was so pleased ith the boy's honesty,
that he has placed him at school and means to pro-
vide for him.

EXEcUTION.—D. dr•Crcry, who was convicted of
burglary at the late Carlisle Assizes, suffered the sen-
tence of the law in that city on Saturday last, imme-
diately after the arrival of the London mail, confessing
the justice of his punishment for the various crimes
which he had committed. A very distressing circum-
stince attended the execution of this unfortunate man.
He was hung on the outside of the gaol in English-
street ; and, on the drop falling, either from the
weight of the body, or an imperfection in the cord,
the rope broke, and he fell into the street, and broke
his le*. About half an hour elapsed before another
cord could be got ready, when he was again suspen-
ded. One of the strands of the second rope breaking,
it was apprehended he would have fallen a second
time, but no similar accident occurred ; and atter
hanging the usual time, he was cut down, and his
body delivered to his friends.