The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-10 00:00:00

MR. WOODS' STATEMENT.

One readers will recollect a story of an attempt to
murder a Mr. Woods. at a house in Manchester-buildings,
by. John Thaetell, as it is believed, ai•ted by Joseph Hunt.
Mr. Woods has published the following statement of that

time mita cc* :
• " Oa the morning of Monday, Oct. 7th. about a quarter
before seven o'clock, a man, habited as a journeyman
carpenter, about five feet eight or nine incites high, of dark
complexion, and with large black whiskers, called at Mr.
Woods' residence, and stated that a lady of the named
Brese, with whom Mr. Woods was well acquainted, was
desirous of seeing. him upon some important business, at a
house in a street in Westminster, the name of which be
• did not know, bet it was a street just beyond the Horse
Ouards. Mr. W. Was not satisfied with the account, and
q'eatiooe4 him as to the cause of Mrs. Brew being in
Westminver; she resitting at Kensington ? His answer
was, hat she was stopping at a friend's house, and wished
to see Mr. W. that morning as she was going out of town.
Upon this M.. W. accompanied him to Manchester-build•
logs, where he stopped at No. 10, which Mr. W. imme-
diately saw was not inhabited. The door being ajar. his
serpicions were awakener! that all was not correct, and he
desired the man to step in, and tell Mrs. Brew, that he
(Mr. W.) was there. The man entered, and having
pro•eed-r1 along the hall or passage as far as the back
parlour door, Mr. MIAs saw John There!) spring from
the back parlour and strike 'he man a heavy blow, which
knocked him tA jai great violence against the opposite wall.
The man hallooed out something which Mr. Woods did not
distinctly tindeistand, brit to the effect that Thurtell had
dtistikra his man. Mr. W. immediately retired, nut
runr•ing. nor related by J. Thortell, as it is stated by some
of the Newspapers, but walking at an ordinary pace ; and.
on looking back from the end of the street, he saw the
messenger st the door of the house gazing after him, but
not attempting any pursuit. Upon this Mr. Woods waited
On the son of Mrs. Brew, and was informed by him that
tbat lady had been for three weeks in the Isle of Man.
What follows is very mysterious. On hls return home he
found the following letter, which had been left at his resi-
dence by a man of shabby appearance, almost immediately
on his quitting the house with the messenger.
" DIAR Sta--An unknown friend informs you that
there is a writ oat against you for 161.: keep out of the
way till after Friday next.'
64 In the evening of the same day he received the
follow-
ing letter also:--
MONDAY ArTZRNOON, 4 o'cr.oce.--Sta —1 am happy
to inform you. that an unknown friend of yours es settled
the action. which you where about to be arrested for this
morning fur 161 and costs : therefore you have no (secedes
to make yourself uneasy about it. I understand you are
indebted to a Mr. Otixens for his interfreisee in this
ungentlemanly art. 1 am, Sir, yours, 4 JNO. CLARKS.'
" Clifford's Inn.'"

FIRS.—A fire broke out on Saturday evening, at N 0.4,
Pinion Place, Edgeware Road, occupied by Mr. Remnant,
which destroyed the interior, together with the whole of
the furniture. It was occasioned by the boiling over of a
chemical preparation in the back parlonr, and the flames
were so rapid that the inmates had but time to escape. 'rbe
falling in of the walls stopped further mischief.
• ANOTHIR FIRS AT I...MR.—DOVER, Nov. 70-14114
night, at eight o'clock, the alarm was given of another
fire having broken out at the Duke of Wellington public
boom, in Snargate Street, in this town, and from the
sensation created by the calamitous fire of the day before,'
four engines and many hundred persons were soon at the
spot. Large volumes of smoke Issued from an upper
back bed room window, and now and then flames ; but
from the prompt assistance rendered and an excellent
supply of water, the fire was got under in the course of
an hour, and the only damage done was a bed, second bot-
tom flooring rafters, and a girder of the room where the
fire broke out being destroyed. and the house deluged
with water. How the fire happened is at present cave-
-1 Ted in mystery; but, from circumstances that have sub-
seqnently transpired, a strong suspicion has been excited
that it did not arise from accident. A servant maid of the
house has undergone a private examination to day before
the Magistrates, but nothing was elicited. There is little
doubt but a candle had been placed under the bed ; bat
whether by the landlord's children, or by whom, is not I
known. it is a little strenge, however, that the servant
should have brought her box, containing her clothes,'
down staiis yesterday morning; and upon being question-
eeti on this point, else stated it was for the purpose of hav-
ing her box painted.
ROesitT Score.—The evening previous to his execu-
tion, he m ule en unusually hearty supper, and about
1,2 k at night remarked to those with him that lie
thoeld get no rest unless be were ." lead asleep." Por-
tions of Scripture were then read to him, by one well
fitted for such a duty, and he soon fell into a sound
dumber. About an hoar afterwards he awoke and earn-
estly and cheerfully joined in prayer. Wiien his devotions
wereended. he enter•il into discourse, and recounted many
of his youthful frolics, and feats of running, Ike. ; and
expressed hope that Wednesday (the day of execution)
'would prove the most tempestuous that ever fell from the.
Leavens. so that many people might be prevented from
witnessied his death. In the morning. after making a
good breAraitt. he employed himself in packing up his
and smile religions books, which •n ere io be sent
• to his wile etid children. lie was even so collected and
an provident, as to write the address of his wife for Dr.
Munro, that the clothes in which he suffered might also
re sent to his wife atter his dissection ;'and on one of the
books, which W 47 given to him in• hie ionfi.lement, was
written ail advice to his children to read them, but not
IS lead them to any pewn, as those oho wanted books
light bu• the fjr themselves.—(f atly' Mail.)

'sight buy thew 1