The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-11-19 00:00:00

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FIRE IX ILCHESTER GAOL.

We copy the following from aroth-r mitre:—
" helmets., Nor. 15.
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" Blesses, Bridle, llux:on, and Baring's undeserve.'lv
eulogised factory of els;s hostile, is now a heap of ruh-
bish—it was burnt to the ground last night.

" You will recollect tha• the Magistrates ordered a
bell to he put up for niv are.,mmodation, that I might
call some one to my assistance in case of ail iarut

illness, in the night time. IVithout being at alt con.-
suited on the subject, 1 learn that tie workmen were
employed in moving this bell, which was to he com-
pleted yesterday. This appearing to me extremely
mysterious, I wrote a letter early in the warning, and
despatched it to ore of the visiting Magistrates, ear-
nestly requesting that the hell might remain at least
till I had an opportunity of seeing them upon the sub-
ject. To this letter I received no answer : hut to a
similar application whiclt I made to Mr. Hardy, our
new gaoler, requesting that it might remain till I bad
received an answer from the Magistrates, he very rea-
dily complied with it, and the hell remained. I was
locked up at five as etual ; about nine, as I was sit-
ting writing, I heard some tiles fall from the roof into
the yard. Soon after, I heard the same noise, which being
repeated, I listened more attentively, and it appeared to
me that some persons were uncovering the roof of
my apartment, the only way which any oue could gain
access to me, since] had the bolts restored to the in-
side of my door. Bridle having been discharged, and
turned out of the gaol on Saturday last, my ;weapon of
defence, the carving knife, had not been placed on the
table as usual, therefore I sallied up stairs with the
red hot poker in my band, determined to make all the
resistance to the supposed intruders possible. By
this time the noise had so increased, that it appeared
as if the whole roof hail nearly fallen. But before I
reached my bed-room, I found, by the smoke and
smell, that something was on fire. On entering the
bed-room, the flames and smoke were passing the win-
dow. I rang the bell, but no one answered it ; the
flames increased ; I ran again, or rather pulled the
rope, but not knowing whether the bell rang or not,
was preparing to endeavour to make-my escape from
the devouring element hy attempting a passage through
my three feet thick wall, when one of the turnkeys
unlocked the dom.. Half smothered with smoke, and
having secured sonic of my valuables, I rushed ou',
and discorered the facto' y was on fire, which was rag-
ing most violently within ten feet of my apartment,
the flames aotually blazing against its walls and roof,
which being saturated with wet. resisted the destruc-
tive violence of the devouring element. I have often
said to many persons that there would be an attempt
some day to burn me in my cage, and it is a most ex-
traordinary coincidence that the only occasion I have
had to ring the bell in the night since I have been
here, should have happened on that very night after
which the bell was to have been removed during the
day previous. It is not for me to say that the fire was
not accidental. I say it is a most extraordinary thing
that my bell was to have been removed on Thursday.
and that on Thursday night a fire should break out
within three yards of my bed-room, and that the very
first and only occasion I have had to ring my bell
in the night since I have been here, was on the very
first night after it was to have been removed unknown

to tae.
"Mr. Hardy conducted himself with great firmness
and humanity, all the primmer, having been taken
out of their cells and placed in the day-rooms, ready to
have been removed, if necessary. The women over
whose wards the flames passed, mere uttering the most
piteous screams to be released from their apparent pe-
rilous situation, and Mr. Hardy humanely had them
removed to his own house. Twenty-five of the tin►e-
men were called to the assistance of the officers, who
exerted themselves in suck a laudable manner as I
trust will call forth the consideration of Government.
Incautiously, a great number of the populace of
ll-
chester (many of whom are always in a state of in-
toxication) were admitted; and the officiousness of
one or two of Bridle's old' cronies, would, I believe,
have caused the destruction of the whole village of
Nortbover, bad it not been fortunately so completely
soked with the rain the day previous. The only per-
von that I have heard of being refused admission, was
;the person who waits upon me occasionally.
" Your's, " 11. Ilura."

MARKETS.
CoaNtExcnAnoc, Nov. 19.—We had a good supply
this morning by land carriage samples from Essex,
which met heavy sale, on account of its rough quality,
but prime picked samples of old, although dull in sale,
supported last Monday's prices, but all other descrip-
tions were exceedingly heavy sale and nearly nominal.
—Fine bright Malting Barley being scarce supported
hitwisek's prices, but the ordinary sorts continue very
dun and rather cbesper.—The Oat trade, owing to a
short supply, is rather brisk at last week's prices.—
Beetis and Peas fully maintain our last quotation.—ln
Flour there is no alteration.

Esau's. s. a.
s. s. Small Beans ... 39 31
Whoi*Kent, andirosex Tick ditto...
I
;us "•• 40 50 Oats. Potatoe .2s 28
o‘l. • -.... 62 Ditto, Poland 92 26
Suffolk, (14,714; ..;;.. 41.1 50 Ditto, Feed l7 22
Old .... ~... 60 Flour, Per Sack GO 65
Norfolk, (Old r 4O 56 Rapeseed, per Last 281. 341.
Rye... * •
Barley ...,....... 20 30 Wheat, American... .
Ma1t....,
White Peas • 28 32 Baltic, Red .
Boilers • • • • 34 38. Hambro' Red ..
Grey ditto ...... 25 29
SMITHTLELD-AIAMIZT.—There was a remarkable fall
market this morning of all descriptions of Cattle; and
no doubt a great number will return unsold, in conse-
quence of which the prices of all kind of cattle are lamer.
Beef ....."Str: 83. to 3s. 6d. CATILI AT lIIMILIII
Mutton.. Ss: Bd. to Ss. Od. Beasts 8,650
Veal .... as. 6d. to bs. Od. Calves • •
li
-120
1 Pork: ..... Ss. Od. to 4s. 8.1. Sheep aot Le5u1a..4.41.110u
Lamb .... 08. Od. to Os: 04. Pies •-- ,-- i • 141.
• - HA sitaaisT--.ln the price of HOy Hiero.lol ;ohil)a-
sion.—Straw and Clover as r our last. •
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Hay • St His. to di. 4s. straw ..It. 104.; 10 LIU...
Clover GI. . Os. to it. AI.. . 1, •
• New lifircatti.SisitpsOi, (tile niingiliboss
Youth), is .matched against Ahbot.,6s 80 pia a-
side, to take place. on Tuesday, the .ISt4 of Deetnithyr :'
the wbolif of tfierislosey,iote. isiadygiod al Rand l'.
on tbi 101 h-Of Dittiabet..,"Tbi t,prig ifAirisio ig: ilso
-nsatclserwith'r.4STsiy ;: ipd • gendricia 411e.man of*ce-
lour;Witts Viejo,: . ' - . .-•.. :„ • •
Neat ii in ttsiniig linderSittioe's fare, (sot et, as
has been erroneously stated, but) in t4e iteigkitorr-
hood of blyrtle-hall, Sbirebampton.

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