The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-04-08
The BrRrISo or THE HuMAs BoDr BY

| Cyclopgdia. Ira these cases the body be.
came so saturated with spirits, thatit took
fire either spontaneously or by the prox.
unity OF flame, which otherwise could have
produced no injury. We extract the FOL-
lowing.
Mary Clues, aged fifty, was much sd-
dicted to intoxication. Her propensity to
this was such, that for about a year scarce
ly a day passed in which she did not drink
at least half pint ofIum or aniseed water.
Her health gradually declined; she was
attacked with jaundice, and was confined
to her bed. She still continued ber old
habit Of drinking. One morning she fell
on the floor; and nor weakness having pre-.
vented her getting up, she remained 30 till
some one entered and put her to bed. The
following night she wished to be left alone.
A woman, on quitting her, had put coal on
the FIRE, and placed light on chair at
the head of the bed. Al FIVE in the morn.
ing a smoke was seen issuing through the
window, and the door being broken open,
some flames which were in the room were
soon extinguished. Between the bed and
the chimney were found the remains ofthe
unfortunate Clues. One leg and thigh
were still entire, but there remained moth
! ing Of the skin, the muscles, or the yiscera,
The bones Of the Uranium, the breast, the
spine, and the upper extremites, were en-.
tirely calcined. The furniture had sus.
tanned little injury. The side Of the bed
next the chimney had suffered most; the
wood oft was slightly burnt, but the feath-
! ers, Clothes and covering, was safe. Moth
ing except the body exhibited any strong
traces Of fire.
Grace Pitt, aged about 60, had n habit
| of coming down from her bedroom, half
| dressed, to smoke pipe. One night she
came down as usual Her daughter who
| slept with her, did not perceive she was
| absent till next morning, when she went
down TO the kitchen, found her mother
stretched out on the right side, with her
head near the grate, having the appear.
ance Of a log of wood consumed by fire,
without on apparent flame. The iGtid
odor and smoke which exhaled from the
body almost suiTocated somo OF the neigh
bors, who hastencd to the girls assistance.
The trunk was in some measure incinerat-
ed, and rescmbled heap of Goals covered
with white ashes. The head, The arms,
the legs, and the thighs, had also partici
pated in tho burning. This woman hat
drank large quantity of spurious liquor
There was no fire in the CRATE, and the
candle had burned entirely out in the can.
dlestick, which was close to her. Besides
! there was found near the consumed body
the clothes Of a child and paper screen,
which had sustained no injury. The dress
of this woman consisted OF q cotton gown.
lie Cat relates another instance, which
occurred in l794 Madame de Boiseon,
eighty years Of age, exceedingly mcsgre
who had drank nothing but spirits for sev.
eral years, was sitting in her elbow chair
before tho fire, while her waiting maid
went out Of the room for few minutes.
On her return, seeing her mistress on fire,
sbo Immediately gave IN alarm, and some
people having come to her assistance, one
or them endeavored to extinguish the
flames with his hand, but they adhered t.
it,a ifit had been dipped in brandy. Wa.
ter was thrown on the lady in abundance.
yet the fire appeared moro violent and wa.
not extinguished ill the whole flesh had
been consumed. Her skeleton exceeding.
| ly blnck, remained entire in The chair,
which was only little scorched.
| The combustion is almost always gener.
al, but sometimes partial: the feet, hands,
and top of the head, are the only parts that
have been preserved. Although very
large quantity of wood is necessary for
burning q corpse, this kind ofburning oc
ours without innaming the most combustl-
bic substances. The presence of mir is
shown not TO be necessary; and it is found
that water, instead of extinguishing the
fire, only gives IT moro activity. When
the fame has disappeared, the combustion
continues within the body. Eng. paper.
Pdricide The North Carolina Spec.
tator contains the following particulars of
| a most horrid act Of parricido which was
perpetrated in Union District, s. c. Oh the
! lth ult,
Mr.. David Symmes, who has for long
time kept the bridge across the Tiger, in
Union, had some alteration with his son
David Symmos, jr. on christmas day, who
cullared and threw him down and stamped
upon The breast of the old gentleman in
most brutal manner. Upon his recovery he
declared that from the unkind abuse which
he received, he was determined to destroy
will which he had made, 81 by which he had
bequeuthed the principal part of his prop
erty to this son. The son on learning that
a lawyer bad been sent for TO execute
new will, took measures TO Illustrate the
design of his father, by bribng some ofthe
negroes, the property Of his father and
himself--io murder him before he could hare
hme 10 alter his CiH! Accordingly two OF
three Of the negroes repaired to the room
where the old man slept and with their
axes struck him in the face, just below his
eyes, and at the same blow cut off his fin.
gers which he had raised to protect his
head; they struck several blows, by which
they Gu, off his arm, and then left their
victim. as they thought, dead; he, however,
survived several days.--The perpetrators
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