The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-03-02 00:00:00

THE LATE AILTRDERS Ar GREENWICH.

No discover) has been node that may be likely to
lead to the apprehension of the murderers of Mr.
Bird and Mary Simnion.,, the perpetration of which
excited so much horror.

The inhabitants of GrlPlll‘ich hose ()tiered a greet
reward for the discovery of the inhuman wretches.
A Magistrate from ti.e metropolis. accompanied
by officers, lately went down to make further en.
tjuiries into the dark traosacti.rsi, and to give direc-
tions to them which might tend is the discovery. We
are sorry to say that stick praiseworthy conduct has
not been successful.
On Wednesday last the premises of the late Mr.
Bird were ageill searched by she officers of Union.
hall. The privy (which hail escaped the notice of
the Police) was emptied, information having been
given that the instrument by which the death of the
unfortunate persons W3ll effected, was likely to be
found there; such, however, proved sot to be the
case. A whip was found, the handle of which was
covered with gore. The Officers also found a quati.
tiny of blood upon the pump-handle, which leads
them to suppose that after the murders were com.
milted, the persons washed themselves at the pump.
Their search in the privy did not furnish the Officers
with any further elms. That the murders were com-
mitted by some person or persons who were well ac.
quinted with the family, is the opinion of every one
who has viewed the pternises. The report of a natu-
ral son of the deceased Mr. Bird being suspected of
the murders, is without the lea►t foundation. Mr.
Bird's legitimate son lives with his uncle, at Royal
Bid, Greenwich, some short distance from his late
father's house ; lie h•►d not resided with his father
for a considerable time prior to his demise.

It is staled, that a will made by the deceased, a
short time previous to his death, has not been found.
The seven Guineas which it was stated that Mary
Simmons had nt the time of her decease, are ascer.
gained to have been given by tier to a person a short
time prior to that event, for the purpose of placing
for her in the funds. The only articles or property
of any description that is missing are three watches
of trifling value, and there is no positive proof that
they Mere in the house when the murders were coin-
mitted (though it. is generally supposed that they
were). and valuable property was left behind. It is
supposed that the object of the %Wales was not
plunder, but merely the **inking off" of Mr. Bird,
which they could not effect, except they murdered
the servant, without being discovered, and therefore
Ole met the same fgt..

The Duncombe, bound to Jamaica, ran on
shore near Cork the 25th oft. but ts as discbaring, and
it was ,spectral would be got oft.
The Hassan, Jones, from.llristol to Tobago, put
bath on Saturday, lesks, and must discharge.
&IMAM DEATlL—WedttParlay etessing Mr. Auld,
of No. 6, Surrey-street, Bleckfriars'.road, dined
with a large party at the Freemason's Tavern, where
he remained until about II o'clock, at which time
he left it in a hackney-cuach to go home; on the
coach arriving at his house, the coachmen opened the
coach door to let him out, bet to his great surprise
lie found him a corpse.
Snocturso hivenza.--Do the evening of Monday
or Tuesday arennight, a' most inhuman murder was
committed. on the person of Elisabeth Low, a
widow, about 75 years of age, residing iu the centre
of the very populous village of Dunning. It would
appear, by the marks of violence exhibited on her
body, that the monster by whom this diabolical deed
was per twirated, had effected his bloody purpose by
a single Mow with an axe, so as to fracture com-
pletely the skull. The murderer seems to have after.
wards proceeded very deliberately to rob the house,
as every moveat.le article which it contained was
carried off. The circumstances of this case are so
atrocious, and so unusual In this part of the king-
dom, that •everyel..stion should be made by the in-
habitants of tine neighbourhood, in aid of the CI&
ficePti tu- tliscUrer -the villaio w Ito could
be guilty of such a complcated act of micktduen.—
. (Caledonian Mortars, ). •

CALAMIMUS FIRE.
•
•
Sunday morning. a few minutes berore six o'clock. at the
moment the watchmen were leaving their poets, an alarm of tire
Was given at the house of Mr. Wheeler (lute Mr. Celle). grocer,
No. 480. Strand, corner of Ilewit's.conn, nearly opeoshe
Hungerford street. Shouts of •` Fire r became so general
from one end of the Strand to the other, that In a few whence
after the first alarm a sight of the most heart-rend ng descent.
teen took place : -men and women were seen rushing out of
doors in their night clothes, and children arteally in us gate of
'nudity. Al the house of Mr. Minter a sight more dreaded
was witnessed; at the front window, second door, ens Weer,.
td Mrs. Wheeler. with a child in her arms ; she leaned out of
the wits low, holding the child by its clothes for a considerable
time, ereleavosiring to excite the attention of persons under-
needs to catch the child. Ahe dropped the infant, and it fell
upon the heads of the.crintee; at the moment she loosed the
child, a blaze and volume:if:intake rushed through the window
where Mrs Wheeler stoOdi.she was not afterwarde seen, and
therefore mast have fallen a victim to the flameasSalrhe child was
only a few months old; and was seeking ITO& bretiet. In
about a minute after the child dropped from tbe4vinclow, one
of the sboemen of Mr. W heater, whose name. is l'asSer, seas
seen nt the Window of the third floor. which was completely
enveloped in tire and smoke ; seeing no hopes of relief from
his perilous situation. lie threw eimsell out of the a aldose ; lie
fell upon his head, which was cut open. his limbs were broken.
and he instantly expired ; the body was carried 117 Si. Martin's
workhouse. Before if was carried from the ground, auuther
of Mr. Wheater's shopmen, unused Lloyd, fell upon the pave-
mein ; he had thrown himself
dew ; his fall was broke by his droppinj "pea a proketioa, hut
he was injured so dneadfully, the. no hopes are ereertatissd of
Lis recovers. He was carried en Ike snug of Mr. Watts, chemist,
in 11w sieigh,suerhouti, who ordered the man to he lake', in
rtie We. mimeo. I sifirma. y (as he rissld resider bins no service),
es.as according's done. Al the back of ite• 1111111 W Mr.
sll :sewer was tumid. itearly hose:bible. on the ground. lie had
sthrown (entod through a hack a Milos, at use top of the stairs
wa
the landing of the first flaar He wits iieured sery aisle% by 1
the fall. sad was carried in. the isitll4e 01. Mr. V) hilebrouk, the
Cannot' wine 1//0111S. iii Ilettgerford-sircie here he was put to
bed ; his enquiries after his a ife and child acre truly digress-
leg His eitile was shown to bins ; his little tens were berm.
and ins head cut. though not dangerously. A neighbour had
the child soak it.
A great smeller of firemen reside in Hungerford-street, and
they torte ter, prompt') on the premiers ; but nu water could
he got fur 'twee starters pf an lionr, and :he dames were co".
n. s r,ieating ith sue greatest rapidity to the t -cited' Mr. Ash-
Wail eau iihroker, Sir. Bockieglenu. brut:betakes, and air.
!toe le), carver, gilder, and picture trarwr tanker. The fire-
men were running from plug to plug. and nu eater could he
gut, while the ih•eves were busily emptoyed in plundering the
premises. fled carrying off the property. Very fee of the pa.
ri-Is roiteanles had arrived, and one o: them sent to the Horse-
(Maids, requesting some soldiers to keep the mob from the
bleedings. In sitend a quarter of an hour afterwards. part of a
eienpany of the third regiment of Geards, were dispatched
from the guard- and placed un er the asitho isv of the
constables, mid shorty. fierwards another conspany ; they erre
placed at the disposal of the Civil Authority. Property to a
great sentient had in the mean time been carried away by the
thieves. The family of Mr. Aehman had jog time to escape
loom the house before it was in a general eindlaerati n front
the cal ar to the garret. One of the female servan s was actu-
ally dragged out of the hosse by a constabie (Skeet-ton); she
had only her night.clothes on, and wished to put other clothes
upon her; but if she bad remained a minute Imager, she must
have beeo destroyed.
Mr. Ashman Mid a number of guns in his house, several of
whi Is were loaded, and were heard to go off. Two men were
observed carrying of several guns from the premises; they
were pursued-by a constable along Piccadilly, bet effected
their crew. Two other persons a ere stopped by an officer of
• rlburough-street Police, wish a quantify of stolen property.
The houses of Mr. Wheater, Mr. Aslinmit, Mr. Buckingham.
and Mr. Rowley, west eiiiirely destroyed by half past eight
"clock in the morning. and all the property (except a few mi.
ding things which a ere carried into St. Martin's church-yard)
was destroyed. 'f he engines were not supplied with water un-
lit seven o'clock. The flumes continued their ravages chieey at
the houses inliew itt's.court, at the back of thee above tour houses
(which were before nine o'rloek entirely "suttee). The poor °e-
rupted% had but very little time to get out of It.tirdwellistgs,rind
therefore could save but very little of their property. the
children were Carrie,' into St. Manila's church-yard, and wrap-
ped in blankets, their apparel baying been consumed.
The extent of ilits awful and melancholy disaster is not yet
known ; the following is already siwertained s--Mrs. Whneer
was tourist to death. A shown ate named Sturgeon, who resided
nt ;gip. 6, Artillery place, Stretten erreiel, Weaminger. shared
the came fate. Another shopirnin, mimed rasker, was killed in
Icapieg from the third floor window. Another shoperum, wetted
Lloyd, who is now at the 'nose of Mr. Barton. inionitinger,
Strand, is so dreadfully injured by throwing himself from a
window, that he is not expected to live many hours. Mr.
Whenter is in a dangerous state, and the child is not expected
bas recover from the injuries it as received. No other person is
missing. The value of the property destroyed is incalsulable. -
There is no positive proof how the tire commenced ; bet it is
generally stated to hare been caused in the following maimer
Ou ever) Saturday. the flue for the purpose of yr:inning St.
hlartiii. church is lighted, and on last Saturday night ii has
noticed by the ieltabentits of Church-court nod Hew iteb.court.
that the chimney of the church neatest large sparks of lire. -nee
of which were carried into the air a considerable distance heeisse
they were extinguished. and mine fe:l on tile top: of the houses
iu an 'tithed state. Au alarm sac then made, ant it teas pro-
posed 111 send for the beadle ; but on a redden the fire disappear-
ed. and it 110, thought unnecessary. The houses which stir de-
'tropd are within 613 yards of the church. and it is ronjeetstrrd
that the sparks conummicated to some ambits' Rife isubssaure, and
did 1101 'week out into it flaule until early nest morning. Mr.
W heater', slateinrin of the fire is a: follows:- Ile awoke on Sun.
tiny monting about As tick, and foiled his camber. which wits
on the second door. full of smoke ; he awoke his wife, who lay
with her child in her :Arms by his side, stud told her to get up or
she a old he burnt to death. He leaped out of bed, and ran
up stairs to alarm his bitumen ; he called to them ; they an-
swered ; he ran (loon stairs again. and could sue see his wife
aed child fur the thick smoke that till d the place ; lie supposed
that she hat ran down stairs; he attempted to go sifter her, but
was prevented by the dames issuing up the stairs; he ran hack
and got to a wiudow at the top of the landing place of the
second floor, when he could proceed no for-her. Ile forced the
induw out with kis arms, and put his head through to get air.
as he was :stoma sull'orated; as muss a- hr hart recovered himself
a little, hr found she dames had reached his legs, aid they began
to bore; lie had time only to recommend himself to the twe-
e:cline of his Maker, mid threw biassed through the window-
frame.
At ll o'clock on Sunday morning the body of Mrs. Wheeler
wa, got tint of the ruins a dreadful spectacle. She was pat into
a shell and carried to St. Martin's workhouse. The body of the
shop:Hail 11:1• seen a short time afterwards behind a chimney,
between two half burnt pieces of timber, where it was saw
trended in the view of the spectators, 11 most appalling sight.—
The remains of the body were taken in the course of the day
(where the two other bodies are lying for the Coroner's In-
quest) to St. Martin's workhouse. The house of Mr. eireensill
is Aso greatly injured the fire there hunt ou• afresh after the
others were extinguished, at hslf:past 12 on Sunday.
The High Consiableof Westmeosier, Nfr. Lee, attended, and
exerted himself with great effect, with the assistance of the sol-
diery. to keep off the mob, and to preserve a clear way for the
op. ruti 0000 s of the firemen. We lame since learned that the
shopman's name Was Morris.