Star.
London, England, 1827-09-25 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

Yesterday afternoon, an Inquest was held before
THOMAS STIRLING, Esq. at the Royal 014, Prince's.
street, Lisson Grove, touching the death of Betsey Bur-
nett, who was found drowned under the following mys-
terious circumstances t—Thomas Gladwell stated, that
on Friday, between the hours of twelve and one in the
afternoon, be saw the body in the Regent's Canal, and
with the assistance of another person got it on shore. It
appeared to have been in the water some time. Elisa-
beth Burnett, mother of the deceased, stated that her
daughter was 26 years of age. Sire had lived for the
last siz months in the service of Bryant, Esq. bf
Lower Berkeley-street; that the family were then out
of town, leaving the town house in the care of the
kousekeeper and some other servants ; that on Sunday 'I
week last, she dined with her daughter ; after dinner
they went out to walk, and the witness went home,
but agreed, in consequence of the pressing invitation of
her daughter, to return to supper. She did return in
lhalf an hoar, but the decased bad not been home, nor
did she come, although they waived some Considerable
time. Ann Jones said she had been in the service of
-- Bryant, Esq. siz months ; the deceased went out
twice on Sunday merningaL-seemed rather queer, and
observed she should be glad when that day was over;
never knew deceased to be out late; did not know if she
had a sweetheart ; had received her wages on the
Thursday before she was missing on the Sunday. The
deceased had bought a cloak, and an inkstand ; when
she was found, she had the cloak on, and the bill and
receipt for the inkstand were found in her pocket ; a
purse and a farthing were also In her pockets These
witnesses were confirmed in their evidence by other
testimony, but nothing was elicited by which the Jury
'could decide by what means she came into the water.
The neighbourhood was in a state of extreme excite-
ment, owing to some reports which bad been spread,
that the deceased had been ill used and robbed of her
ear-rings. She bore an excellent character. No marks
of violence were on her person. The Jury returned a
verdict of 4. Found drowned."
Yesterday evening an adjourned inquest was held at
the White Lion, Wych.streot, Strand, before Thosios
time. Esq. on the body of Louis Antoine Masson, a
IFrench•Gentlemas, aged 27, who was thrown out of al
cabriolet on Friday afternoon, in the narrow part of the
Strand, and expired in about ten minutes. The surgeon
being unable to state what was the cause of death, the
inquest was adjourned until yesterday evening. Mr.
Richards, of No. 17, Newcastle-street, Strand, apothe-
cary, stated, that he had examined the body, and found
an unnatural determination of blood in the head; the
vessels were all turgid; an extravasation of Hood be-
tween the membranes on the left hemisphere; this must
have caused considerable pressure on the brain, which
had been the cause of death. Verdict—" Accidental.
Death." Deodand, Is.

Yesterday morning, about seven o'clock, a man of
respectable appearance was found drowned at Custom
House Quay. It is suppo.ed he was not long in the
water, as his features were quite fresh, He was taken
up by some watermen, who examined him, but found
nothing on his person. It appears the deceased was
not more than fotty years of age.
Last night, about half past eleven o'clock, I hackney
co.chrean and his accomplice stole a valuable boa-coat
from a gentleman's carriage while waiting at the Eng-
,ish Opera House. The servant, howeve-, saw the fel-
lows walk off with the coat, and immediately called the
watch. A sharp pursuit followed, end alter a consider-
able deal of twisting and twirling among the carriages,
the fellows were secured. They were conveyed to St.
Wary le Strand watch house? but the valuable Coat was
not tralovelest.

tir§otvErre DOOR* aitire, 64.4:

ZoINTLOTiieli

- -
Edward Whitfield was opposed by Mr. PoLtOcli. on
behalf of Major Nicholli. The insolvent st strd that he
was IS months at Calcutta, brat had only gone to India
on speculation, and received ho Appointment. He de-
scribed himself in his schedule as Secretary to the So;
ciety for the Improvement of Ireland--(A laugh). That
Society was formed by public meeting Ma 1,1826. The
meeting was not numerously attended i there Were about
15 persons present. Mr. Beer was a general agent, but
was not then acting for any person. He was present
on that occasion. Several Gentlemen agreed to subscribe
but never paid any subscription 'honey. Insolvent re-
ceived no remuneration for his services.Thearrangemeut
of it was left to the management of Beer, who settled
that he (insolvent) should have 5004. a year—(A laugh).
This was after the meeting had been assembled, when
about a dozen Gentlemen were in the committee room:
They assented that he should have that salary, if the
object of the company were carried into-effect. Iniolvent
afterwards received 6001. for the transfer of his situation,
from Mr. Graves ; of which sum be lent Beer SOO/. the
same day. Some of the members present were Mr.
O'Brien, a solicitor of Dublin, Colonel Steward, and a
man named Theiwall, an orator—(Laughter). Beti
bicame a bankrupt; insolvent proved a debt of 5004
under his commission ; that was money whit!" he had lent
him ;it was part-of a sum of 3,4001. which he had re-
ceived of Mr. Bland by way of annuity. He received
this money in January, 1826, and lent Beer 5001. of it
next day. Major Nicholls was Graves's brother-in-law,
and was to advance the money for the purchase of the
Secretaryship.—(Here Mr. Pollock put in a letter writ-
ten by the insolvent to Mr. Graves, offering him
the situation for sale; stating that there were several
candidates for the purchase of it, but be was
willing to give him (Mr. Graves) a preference ; de-
scribing the situation as one of " respectability and
permanency in offering to return the purchase money
(6001.) at the end of a year, if the situation were not
liked; and, finally, stating that the wilier " retired from
this tempting situation for very private Teutons," The
reading of this letter excited some amusement in Cpurt.)
The insolvent's examination being resumed, he stated,
that there really were three persons in treaty with him
at that time fur this situation. One was Colonel Skit-
ret, who offered to do the duties of the office the
first year, and let the insolvent have, the 'salary,:
That was the way in which he would purchase the
office. The second was Mr. Smith, a solicitor, of Red
Lion-square, who offered 6001. to be paid at the end of
12 months. The third was a gentleman who had aft
office in the Tzeasury ;he offered no terms at all: The
situation had been previously advertised in a Morning
Parr. This was in July. Our of the 8001. which he
had kept to himself, he paid 1161. for interest on toff
annuity money, and 1.51. tor law expenses. life lent one
or two small sums, and said out must of the balance in
-travelling expenses to Wales.
Mr. PoLcoce having stated that it was not his Mud.
tion to call any witnesses,
The Commismorana intimated his opinion that be had
not gone far enough to establish a case of fraud. Wbf
was not the aggrieved party himself called ?
Mr. Heard, for the insolvent, reminded the Court
of the mania that raged for these companiin at that
period. His friend, Mr. Pollock, himself had put faith
in companies of a similar description:
Mr. Poct.ocz said, that the mania was all or*
at the time when this trick was played off. He cots=
tended that this was one of the most masked cased
of swindling that had ever come intd this Court.
Mr. HeATH insisted that there was no evidence td
shew that the insolvent had been guilty of a fraud. if
was very possible that he was fully impressed oith a •
belief at the time that the speculatikin would bawd
succeeded, as was the case with thousands at that
period. Ireland wanted capital at that time, and it
Might not have been considered impossible to raise the
sum they required for the purpbses of this cortipany.---z
At present there was a plan in Contemplation which
would require four millions, and where that was to be
raised GOD knew. But at that time there was an uni-
versal mania *ith respect to these schemes: He (Mr.
Heath) knew one man who might hate made 160sO001xs
by his. shares one morning, but when pressed to do so,
be replied that he would wait and have half a millioil.
Immediately after wards the shares went gown j'aptdly
the man was ruined, and is now dead.

Mr. Commission.r. LAW observed, that althoegh
every tenon present who had heard this case might
strongly suspect that these Gentlemen had been
swindled out of their money, yet the only question'
for the Court was, whether or not the fraud Was
sufficiently proved? Now the Court always reqoired
to have as much of what passed on these occasions as
possible; and there was very little of what passed
brought forwsrd. Why bad not Graves been called;
who could h6e stated the whole of it l In his ab-
sence, it would l•e very unsafe to act on mete sospi.
lion, and he therefore considered the insolvent entitled
to his discharge.

4 ,
LOOAL Sagentre.--14 the ancient laws of Hung*,
a man convicted of bigarny was condemned to live wish
both wives.
INV
, .
A perton s Idieted to lying, relating a story to anothei
which made him Kara." Did you ever hear that ,befere," Inked
the narrator, " No," replied the other, " did your
On the evening of Mdriclay st'enight Mr. ?stomas
Jemiermig, the eldest sou of the Rte. Tamil Jetinnoswiree
Broughteo Rectory, Huntingdfm, was u the home of Ms wades
Mr. lime, of Cheapside, the Comma Coundlman, when be tee d
a blood-vessel; and suddenly expired in his andel Moos below
vaedical aid could be obtained, He had attained his nth year.
Yesterday afternoon the inhabitants of the'NeW Do.
In Road were alarmed by tremendous exploacint; io a
few minutes after, Rsmei,wete seen issuing from the
rmidance of Mr. SWIFT, artist in fireworks, which bled
the malls of the Manufactdry down, and lifted the roof
en emese. Mr. Swift, a lad, and a person etiiployed in
the manufactory, were disco4ered dead, and very moth
isorcheds The cattstrophe Originated ftbm a spark
igniting same gonpowder on which they were at. work.
Yesterday aftterwoott, as the van which conreyi pri-
soners from the various police offices in the metropolie
was proceeding along Museum Street, Moon:abut y, at
gather a quick rate, the wheel came in contact with
po.t at the core* of Hyde Sueet, and with such vio-
lence, that the driver was ejected from his seat amd pre.
cipitated to the ground, when the wheel passed bier lot
body and mutilated the unfortunate min frightfully.
He was taken up apparently lifeless, end conveyed to
the hospital on a shutter, at which Otte it was disito;
vexed that he had received a 1./acuity on the scull, and
was otherwise so seriously injured, that the surgeons at
the hospital gave it as their opinion that it was WPM*
;bible for the 1111(07tUillit man to survirfti

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