The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-30 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF PRESERVATION,

ROSCREA, TUESDAY, 27th DEC., 1842.—Having just read
in your paper, of Monday, a distressing account of a most
dreadful calamity which happened on Christmas-day, at a
chapel in Galway, in which, at least, thirty-five individuals
were crushed to death, I thought it would be well to mention
a very extraordinary event which occurred, the same day, in
the parish of Corbally, near Roscrea. There is no Pro-
testant church in the parish ; but the people have, for some
years, assembled in the lofts of a mill. They bad latterly
been transforming this mill into a church, but divine service
was still conducted there. On Christmas-day the congrega-
ton was unusually large, every corner filled to suffocation,
several hundreds crowded together. Service ended, sermon
closed, and the clergyman having sat down in the pulpit,
(waiting until the people would separate, that the commu-
nion might be administered,) a crash like thunder was heard :
then shrieks, groans, and cries of the most annallintr nature :

and, lo ! the greater part of the long loft on which the people
were crowded, in the act of going out, was seen sinking ! A
beam had given way,, and all—men, women, children, forms,
beams, rafters, commingled—were crushed into an under
story, lately excavated, twelve feet deep, and covered with
stones and rubbish. It was, indeed, the most horrible scene
I ever witnessed : nothing was expected but a sight of human
death and suffering such as the mind shudders at the contem-
plation of. It is calculated 150 went down, nearly one-half
the congregation ! But here came the cause of gratitude,
here the subject of praise to every tongue : not a man, wo-
man, or child, that I can learn, was killed, nor a bone

oroken I A few had scrapes, some clothes were torn, and
bonnets and bats broken. It, certainly, is a most astonish-
ing instance of providential interposition. Boards were torn
to pieces, boards rent and wrenched, rafters and beams
broken, immense spikes and nails standing out in every di-
rection, through which the people were precipitated
.• p

,
yet, so did .ite give his angels charge concerning them, not
one individual wa's seriously hurt. It is worthy of observa-
tion, that the service was completely finished before this
catastrophe took place; and that the part of the floor on
which their plain and humble table, was laid for the com-
munion, was left untouched: so that the event afforded a
grateful restorative to those who, through terror or the shock,
had fainted or were indisposed. I may, perhaps, also add,
that in that spot, on which a church had never been erected,
surrounded by those hundreds of poor Protestants, the
clergyman is now endeavouring, by private subscription, to
erect a permanent church, and that any benevolent indivi-
dual who sends a subscription to the curate of Corbally,
Roscrea, will aid and encourage a labour in the Lord's vine-
yard.—Dublin paper.

I THE MURDER. OF MR. SCULLY.—The amount of the re-
ward offered for information respecting the murder of this ill-
fated gentleman considerably exceeds £2,000 including
£l,OOO from the Kilfeacle family, and £2OO from govern-
ment, with what ultimate prospect of leading to discovery,
time alone can tell. There were nearly £6,000 offered in the
case of the late Earl of Norbury.
On Saturday week, an old man at Chillington, Sussex,
82 years of age, hanged himself in a hovel near his house,
having previously declared to his wife that " He could not
be saved ; his sins would not be forgiven him ;" and on
Monday evening, an old woman of 70, in St. Luke's, cut her
throat in despodency, brought on by distressed circum-
stances.
On Wednesday last, a poor fellow, named Rowbotbam,
40 years old, who had for 20 years earned a subsistence by
sweeping the crossing of the Strand, opposite Waterloo-
bridge, was locking up his room to go out for the day, when
his landlady came up stairs. He remarked to her, " This is
the shortest day God has permitted us to see; but God only
knows who will live to see the longest one;" when he in-
stantly fell on the floor, and expired. Surgical aid was pro-
cured, but without effect.

NOCTURNAL. ASSEMBLING OF RIBBONMEN.-011 the
night of the 22d of December instant, the Ballinagh police,
under the command of Serjeant Spinks, came up in the
townland of Shannon, parish of Ballintemple, county Caven,
with a large party of men amounting to at least two hundred,
who were marching in regular order, five deep, accompanied
with music, several of whom were armed with either guns or
large poles, carried on their shoulders like fire-arms. They
were under regular command. The police, who had con-
cealed themselves behind the fences, heard the word "halt"
given. The police jumped up, challenged them, and receiv-
ing no reply, seized seven, one each, who are now in Caven
gaol. Parties similar to that mentioned have been frequently
met on the roads in this neighbourhood after night. Balls,
as they are called, are held in different houses, from which,
women being excluded; there Can be no cloubetnt mischicr
in some form is intended. Great praise is due to Ser,jeant
Spinks and his party for their exertions on many occasions ;
they are a most respectable and active body of men, esteemed
by every well-thinking person in the community--Evening
Packet.

ilt
BIGAMY-A FAMILY COMPLAIN ngraan named
William Bowden was brought before magistrate, on
Tuesday, at Stockport, on a charge.of bigamy. It was proved
that he was married to Mary Holland, at the parish church
of Ashton-under-Line, on the 17th of May, 1835, and in July,
1839, to Betty Holland, at Almondbury, near Huddersfield,
both of whom are now living. He was committed for trial ;
but on the application of Mr. W. Vaughan, who appeared on
his behalf, bail was accepted for his appearance at the assizes,
Strangely enough, the prisoner's mother, Hannah Bowden.
who, on hearing of his apprehension, had come to see him,
was also taken into custody, under a warrant which had some
time been out against her on a similar charge. She was also
brought before a county magistrate the same day, when Mr.-
J. S. Barrett, deputy constable, stated, that a few years ago
the prisoner was married to a person named John Smith, of
Stockport, her first husband, Joseph Bowden, being then and
now living at Sheffield. Smith is also living at the present
time, but the prisoner and he had separated some time ago,
and she bad lately been residing with a man named Joseph
Lockett, ,near Huddersfield, to whom it was supposed she
had also been married. She.was remanded.

FREAKS OF A MANlAC.—Tuesday forenoon, an Italian
of the name of Scale Della Dominica, recently an officer in
the army of Mehemet Ali, made a most singular attempt to
disable himself by cutting off his toes, to overcome he said,
" the charms of the priests, who wanted to get rid of him."
He had lately been lodging in Stafford-place, Pimlico, and
though considered to be of weak intellect, was known to be
able to take care of himself and his property until the event
above alluded to occurred. At two o'clock, Mr. Turner,
surgeon, of Coventry-street, called upon him, according to
appointment, to transact some business in which they were
mutually concerned, and was surprised at seeing as he en-
tered the room, a pool of blood upon the. floor. The lunatic
(for he is now called one) was sitting on the carpet grasping
a razor, round the handle of which he had bound a towel,
and again covered it with string, saying, as he pointed to his
feet, "You see what I have done." His friend remarked
that he had severed one of the toes, and that blood was flow-
ing copiously from/the wound. He then said that he would
cut off the other, but before he had time to carry his threat
into effect the razor was taken from him, and he was prevented
from doing himself further injury. He gave as a reason for
his strange conduct, that he knew if he cut off both his little
toes it would put an end to the charms of the priests, who
wanted to get rid of him. The blood having been stanched,
he was taken to St. George's Hospital, but it is fel-tred that
lock-jaw will come on. Mr. Pollock, the house surgeon,
under whose care the man now remains, has no doubt of his

insanity, and, in the event of his recovery, intends to send
him to Bethlem.

MURDER AT SPERNALL, NEAR REDDITCH.—We have
the painful duty, this week, of recording another murder,
which was committed, on Sunday last, (Christmas-day,) at
Spernall, near Studley, in' the county of Warwick, by a young
man, named James Crowley, the son of a respectable farmer
in that village. It appears that his father had two sons, of
whom one was dutiful, affectionate, and industrious, whilst
the other (James) was wild, idle, and dissipated, though
possessing considerable talents. He had often threatened to
beat his father, and had carried his unnatural violence so far
as to menace his life, and bad, consequently, been bound
over to keep the peace towards him. The father, however,
at length became so terrified at his desperate behaviour that
he was compelled to have some one to reside in the house
capable of protecting him from the violence which he appre-
hended, and-the party selected 'for this duty was one of his
labourers, a fine young man, named Tilsley, standing six feet
in height, though not more than twenty years of age ; and,
in order to give him additional authority, he was regularly
sworn in as a constable. Mr. Crowley did not, however,
enter into these arrangements without making conciliatory
overtures to his son, who was to receive an allowance of £1
per week, together with a saddle horse, and keep for the
animal, on condition that he resided away from the farm-
house, and did not come to annoy its inmates. As the pre-
sent festive season approached, the prodigal, not content
with his punctually-paid allowance, demanded more money
of his father, to spend in folly and riotous living, than he
chose to provide him with, upon which he gave vent to
his passion, and swore that he would shoot him. On
Sunday last the unhappy young man proceeded from his
lodgings in the neighbourhood to the farm, apparently
with the intention of carrying his awful threat into effect,
as he took a double-barrelled gun with him. As he ap-
proached the house, the inmates, apprehensive of a dis-
turbance, locked the door and went up stairs ; and the
young man, finding that he could not gain admittance, began
breaking the windows ; upon which Tilsley, and two others
descended, and Tilsley told him that if he did not desist he
should take him into custody, and convey him before the
magistrates on the following day ; and on his approaching to
arrest him, he suddenly turned round, and, fiercely ex-
claiming " D—n your eyes, I'll shoot you I" raised the piece
to his shoulder, fired, and in an instant Tilsley' fell to the
ground a frightful corpse, the contents of the gun having en-
tered the skull at or near the eye, and the blood and brains
being scattered about the court-yard in all directions. As
soon as he had consummated this appalling deed, the mur-
derer walked round the mangled body of his victim, dared
the bystanders to come on and receive the contents of the
other barrel, went to his lodgings and untied his horse,
mounted the animal, rode off in the direction of Coventry,
and has not been heard of since, though every exertion has
been made to trace him. As soon as assistance arrived, the
body was conveyed to an adjoining building, to await the
coroner's inquest, which was held yesterday (Tuesday), by
W. 0. Hunt, Esq., of Stratford-upon-Avon, one of the
Warwickshire coroners, and a respectable jury. The public
sympathy is increased by the fact that poor Tilsley, though
so young, was a married man, and has left a widow and two
children to lament his untimely end. It was stated at the
Bromsgrove Petty Sessions yesterday, that the murderer bad
been apprehended, but our latest accounts from the scene of
the tragedy do not confirm the statement, and the last re-
port received at the County Police Station, in this city, also
states that he has not yet been taken.—Worcester Journal,
Dec. 29.

GALWAY, DEC. 25.—One of the most melancholy cir-
cumstances on record occurred here this morning at six (From the Cheltenham Looker-on.)
o'clock. The parish chapel of St. Nicholas was, as is usual, There seems to be no doubt but that there is to be another
crowded by the poorer classes of persons to hear first mass. ' intermarriage between the Citizen-King and that of the Ducal
Some person in the gallery broke one of the rails, which House of Coburg. The second son (Prince Agustus) of
alarmed the rest so much that a rush was made down the Duke Ferdinand of Coburg Kohary is to marry the Princess
stairs, and so great was the struggle for freedom that thirty Clementine. Duke Ferdinand fixes the apanage of his son
persons were actually suffocated by the numbers literally at £4,000 a-year, which few will think a very liberal '
pro-
lying over them. While I write this the dead are passing on vision for one who is to support a daughter of the Royal
doors carried by their friends. In fact, the whole town pre- House of Fiance. We will undertake to say, that the Duke
sents a melancholy spectacle, the friends and relatives of tilt of Hamilton will do something better for the Marquis of
unfortunate sufferers running here and there in a distracted Douglas whenle marries the Princess of Baden. The present
state. When I went to the spot the scene was awful; the Duke of Bedford, when Marquis of Tavistock, had £lO,OOO
large temperance room next the chapel was full' of the unfor- a-year settled on him by his father, when he married. It is
tunate victims laid out in rows, waiting some friends to re- not as if Duke Ferdinand were very poor, for he married the
cognise and take them to their dismal homes. Several heiress of the first and last Prince of Kohary,—one who made
medical men were in attendance, but all they could do was an immense fortune in trade, and invested it in a title and
to open a vein in each, which had no effect. I next went to estates, leaving his daughter one of the greatest matches in
the watch-house where several lay in the same state. How- Germany. and of whom Duke Ferdinand was the greatest
ever, one man who had been bled recovered ; also two wooer. Duke Ferdidand must therefore be rich • he has no
women ; one of the latter cannot survive long. I was in- other children to provide for, his eldest son being on the
formed by the apothecary of the dispensary that he had throne of Portugal, and his daughter is Duchess de Nemours ;
succeeded in recovering five who were brought to him in this son is therefore to be the heir of the Kohary property.
time. Several more are despaired of. £4,000 a-year secures therefore rather a shabby allowance
Since writing the above a gentleman has called on me, for the future Kohary and husband of a royal bride; but in
who states he was in the gallery at the time, and that it was pecuniary matters both papas are likely to look very sharp,
the ladder used for lighting the candles, that fell from the for Louis Philippe has the reputation of being rather a keen
place where it was hung, that caused the first alarm. How- man, and so, perhaps, after all, it is only " diamond cut
ever, it matters little what caused it—the numbers stated are diamond."
dead, and many are not expected to live the day. The approaching accouchement of her Majesty is beginning
At this moment (two o'clock) thirty-five persons are dead, to be a subject of conversation. We do not affect to be in
and it is supposed that from ten to fifteen more will shortly the confidence of either Sir James Clark or Dr. Locock, and
be numbered among the dead. There are a great many, be- therefore we do not pretend to fix a day when this interest-
sides, maimed. They are all of the lower classes, such as ing event may be expected to happen. There are two fashion-
poor tradesmen, labourers, and servants—no respectable able newspapers, however, who would fain persuade us they
persons among them. There was no danger at all of the gal- are in the secret; but, unfortunately, one fixes the time at
lery giving way; it is very strongly built, and would bear the latter end of February, and the other the latter end of
four times the weight that was on it at the time. There May, which is guessing with rather too wide a margin to be
must have been between four and five thousand people in it very satisfactory. The fact is, that her Majesty has become
at the time.—Dublin paper. much more matronly since the birth of the Prince of Wales,
and she has latterly adopted a style of dress which tends to
conceal, in a great degree, any alteration in her appearance.
We must, therefore, be content to remain for the present
unenlightened. Connected with this subject has appeared a
hint, that it may be expected that the• Duchess of Kent,
assisted by Prince Albert, will hold the Drawing Rooms this
season; but we hold this to be fudge—neither more or less,