Star.
London, England, 1820-11-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAN.

Hearing in the House of Lords, the other day,
that part of Mr. DENMAN'S speech, wherein he says,
that, in Italy, assassinations, false-witnessing, and
other crimes, can be procured for money, this brought
very forcibly to my recollection a fact that occurred
just the other month, When I was at Messina, in Sicily.
The landlord of the inn, on my arrival, came to
me, and offered to give every information; and, in
the course of conversing on the customs of the place,
acquainted me, as a most important piece of infor-
mation, that " he could have me assassinated to-
morrow, if he chose, by paying three dollars to
oae of the Scoperti," a set of vagabonds always ready
to exercise the most villainous acts; and he added,
" the law could not punish him for the act!" These
acts, which must be notorious to every English tra-
veller, require no comment, and shew that there is
" no fear of GOD before their eyes." VIATOR.

The Marquis of BUTE has given £5O to the poor
of Wanlockhead, to be expended on clothing and
fuel, and ten guineas to the Library of the same place.
Tuesday, Air. JOSEPH BRISCOE was unfortunately
drowned when endeavouring to land near Hasler wall,
during a gale.
Tuesday, Lieutenant THOMAS, in the Preventive
Service, while parading between Broadstairs and
Kingsgate, on his duty, it being extremely dark,
stepped over the cliff, and was precipitated to the
bottom, from a height of sixty feet; he descended
on his legs, was severely scratched by the projecting
parts of the rock, but happily was not so stunned by
the fall, but that, on reaching the ground, he was
able to crawl out of the tide-way, which was making
rapid approaches, and in a little time would have
overwhelmed him.

Tuesday, a youth of 13, the son of THOMAS SAMP-
SON, one of the bargemen who is employed on the
Chelmer Navigation, was drowned in attempting to
open the sluice of the lock nearest the Basin, at
Springfield, to let his father's barge through.
Monday sennight, was drowned in the river Der-
went, below Cockermouth, a person commonly known
by the name of Manx Johnny. Being engaged with
others in illegally drawing the water, they were sur-
prised by some men employed by Mr. PEAT to watch
the fishery, and, attempting to cross the water to
evade them, Johnny, not being a swimmer, had got
beyond his depth.
A melancholy evcnt took place near Overton, last
week. Owing to the late excessive rains, the mea-
dows in that neighbourhood were laid completely
under water, forming in some parts a rapid torrent
to the River : a fine boy, about twelve years old,
went to the edge of the stream to wash his stocking ;
it slipped from his hand, and in the anxiety to regain
it, he ventured too far into the eddy; he was imme-
diately thrown off his legs by the impetuosity of the
torrent, and in the presence of his agonized parents,
who could render no assistance, was carried down
the stream, and drowned.

Tuesday,. an infant boy, the son of Mr. T. Dodd,
jun. butcher, of Fordsham-street, Chester, approach-
ing too near the tire, his clothes caught, and be-
fore assistance could be given, he was burnt in such
a manner, that he died early the following day. '
Wednesday se'nnight, William Burton, of Great-
ham, went out for the purpose of shooting wild fowl,
and not returning so early as usual, his father went in
search of him, when be found him lying dead, with
his inside literally torn from his body. It is supposed
he was in the act of loading his gun (which was a
very long one) lying in a horizontal position, when it
had gone off by accident, and killed him on the spot.

Last week, as David Lindsay, a butcher in Annan,
was passing through Bowness, he called at an Inn
for refreshment, When a quarrel ensued between him',
and one Thompson, a blacksmith, resident in the
place. The deceased aimed a blow at Thompson
with his stick, which the other parried, and seizing a
stool, hurled it at his antagonist; the missile struck
Lindsay on the breast, and felled him to the ground.
In the act of falling, the back part of his head came
is violent contact with the edge of a stone table ; he
was taken up senseless, lingered a few days, and died.
EPITAPUS.—A Gentleman, who loved punning
even on such grave subjects, declared, that the only
assertions which epitaphs in general could boast as
true, were the initial words, " Here lieth

Thursday, the top stone of the beautiful spire of
St, Michael's Church, at Liverpool, was placed in its
proud pre-eminence," amidst the huzzas of the
workmen, and the display of handsome colours. It
is an ornamental crown stone, measuring on the top
three feet three inches, traversely, from corner to cor-
ner, and two feet eight inches in the smallest part of
the diameter.

Extract of a letter from Palermo, dated Oct. 6.--
6, The point of attack on the City :was unfortunately
the quarter where the British resided,- so that we
were under considerable apprehensions had the troops
been able to enter the city. The scene was most.dread-
ful. The number of killed was very considerable.
Oil the morning of the 27th, thirty carts, filled with
dead bodies, passed close to the street where 1 live.
The firing from the Palermo batteries and gun-boats
has done great injury to the palaces of Prince Cuto
and Prince Catolica. The public gardens and the
botanical gardens, both very beautiful, are nearly de-
stroyed. In the suburbs, the troops and the guerillas
have burnt and plundered a great number of houses;
is fact, the scene of devastation over about three
square miles of the adjoining country, and my part
of the city, is deplorable in the extreme. One streetl
of new hour -s, within 120 yards of my house, is en-11
tirely destroyed. The people fought with the greates-
desperation. Had they unfortunately got the better
of the troops, which they had every chance of doing'
on the 27th, the consequences to Palermo would have
been dreadful, as the populace were much exaspe-
rated against the Nobility and all the respectable
people, for being favourable to the Neapolitan troops
entering the city as friends. Nearly the whole of the
merchants here have been either 'afloat or in the
country."

A Frankfort Journal, dated October 27, says,
" We are desired to contradict the report, that M.
Mishlenfels has lost his senses in his confinement, and
been sent to an hospital. He is unhappily still in
prison, but his•health is unimpaired; and he hopes
for a speedy release, as it has been proposed by the
Prussian Commission of Justice."