Star.
London, England, 1823-10-14 00:00:00

SIMULATED DEATH;

A very etraordinary case of this nature occurred a
few days ago, at Hammersmith, in the person of Har-
riet Smith, a young woman of interesting appearance,
who served as housemaid in the family of Robert Em-
merson -Esq. of Osford-srreet. This girl, it seems, had,
about three years ago, been thrown from the top of a
stage-coach, and received many severe contusions, both
internal and external, which seriously affected her
strength, and brought on a gradual decay of nature.—
Being incapable of performing her ordinary business,
she relinquished her situation, and obtained an asylum
beneath the roof of a female relative at Hammersmith.
Here, notwithstanding her total cessation from all cor-
poreal labour, her complaint still advanced; she every
day grew weaker, and was frequently subject to long
faintings. Through the kind attention of some Ladies
with whom she had formerly lived, every aid that emi-
r cent professional advice could afford was rendered to
her, with a constant-supply of such necessaries and com-
forts as her helpless situation demanded. On Thursday
week she had been taken out for an airing, and returned
home with renewed strength, and in rather better spirits
than usual. After taking some refreshment, she com-
plained of ex:essive inclination to sleep, and was there-
fore placed in bed between the hours of six and seven
in the afternoon. In the apparent enjoyment of sound
repose, she remained until a very far advanced hour the
following day, when, on attempting to rouse her, she
was found to be quite cold ; her lips were colourless,
and her eyes glazed ; all pulsation had ceased ; every
thing bore testimony to the power of the fell destroyer
death. The last offices to her remains, which are di-
rected by decency, were then performed ; the corpse
was attired in the usual grave-clothes, and laid on a
bed, where it remained from Friday noon until Sunday
morning, the afternoon of which day was fixed for the
interment. Happily, however, the horrible event, which
we fear occurs but too often, was frustrated. On the
removal of the body from the bed to the coffin, one of
the persons engaged inadvertently placed her hand o 1 t
,the bosom, and fancying its touch imparted a sensation
far more warm than the damp and clayey feel of a
•corpse, she naturally expressed her opinion to those who
were assisting in the melancholy office ; a closer exami-
nation convinced them they were about to commit to
the cold grave a living subject. The cheeks and lips;
were still livid and colourless ; the eye exhibited no
sensation of vision, but thevital principle reigned about
the region of the heart, and on the application of a glass
breathing was once more perceptible. The physician
who had attended during her illness was instantly sent
for; on his arrival, signs of returning animation were
so manifest, that he concluded bleeding and the appli-
cation of warm bricks would be productive of imme-
, diate restoration. He
_therefore opened a vein, first in
one arm, and then in.the other, but without effect ;
every other effort proved equally unavailing, until about
five o'clock in the evening, when a rapid change took
place ; the throbbing of the hem and the pulse became
audible, the cheeks and lips partially regained their
crimson, respiration returned wiar ease and vigour, and
in a few moments all the animal powers assumed. their
, fumtions.

'POLICE INTELLIGENCE..
MANiIiON-110USE.

POYALS SETTLERS.—•-51ELANCIIOLT Case--Yesterday the Lord
Mayor elect, who s.it for the Loan Mason, aas waited upon by
Mr. Prince, a Common Councilman, with the Captain of a ship
trading to the Bay of Honduras. They requested his Lordship's
advice as to the disposal of three orphan children, who had been te-
cently landed at Poplar. The family, which Captain Antrim con-
sented front motives of charity to receive, consisted of Thomas
Chalmers, his wife, and three children. The husband and wife
were both ill with the fever which they contracted in the swamp,
and both died in the courae of the passage. The husband died first,
and the wife did not long survive him.
_ _

The Captain said, be had landed the three orphans, who were
utterly destitute, at Poplar, and he now requested his Lordship's
advice as to the best means of getting them provided for. The chil-
dren were not old enough to know any of their friends or relations
in the parish they came from.
The LORD Marox elect stated, that the legitimate mode of ob-
taining relief for the unfortunate creatures would be by application
to the officers of the parish where they had been landed. Doubt-
less the parish officers would consider the case to be one demanding
particular attention. Truly melancholy as the case was, the Chief
Magistrate had no power himself to afford relief.
Mr. Prince observed, that the Captain, in consequence of his
charity in preserving the poor emigrants, had himself caught the
fever that carried them off, and he narrowly escaped. Indeed the
' whole frame of the captain will bear lasting testimony to his suffer-
ings. He stated, that above two hundred of the victims of delusion
had returned from the Mosquito shore to Honduras in a state of
utter destitution and of disease, which terminated the sufferings of
a great part of them soon after. They meet all have died but for
the charky of the people and the authorities of Honduras. The
poor creatures had been led by M'Gregor to expect a land where
they would live in the greatest plenty ; where everything was flow
?tishisig, and but little labour would be required. Captain Antrim
stated a charge which the poor creatures had preferred to him
against NliGregor, who defrauded the poor settlers out of the little
money they carried out with them. Captain Antrim regretted that
he had not arrived sooner, as another ship had sailed with settlers
for the same place just before his arrival, and it was too much to
be feared would fall a sacrifice to the delusion. Ile had thought
it his duty to snake a statement publicly, that the poor might be put
on their guard.
The Gentlemen having thanked the LORD MA roa for his atten-
tion to the case, retired with the intention of prirsuing the course he
had recommended.