The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-07-20

~ Reporter states, that in the Western mari of
New Jersey, a drunkard was recently BURNT TO
DEATH in his own house. He came home to.
wards night under the influence Of intoxication,
as usual. HIS wife had to make her escape,
but the children he kept in the house. He was
yet capable OF sitting on a chair. After some
time his wife returned, and succeeded in get
ting the children away with her. This was
now the more easily effected, as a degree of
stuPor had overpowered him. After fifteen or
twenty minutes, the wife, anxious to ascertain
the state of her wretched husband, returned to
the cabin, but on opening the door, she found
the house was filled with dense body Of smoke.
The door was opened, and the corpse of her
wretched husband dragged from the apartment.
His face was unmarried, but his clothing, which
was cotton, was burned up, and his sides con-
sdeFably burned in. He lay about three feet
from small hire on the hearth with his arm
extended towards it. Not long since, in the
eastern part of the same State, the body of
man was found sitting erect by an unfrequent.
ed road SIDE The right hand rested upon
bottle about half full of brandy-and the dull
earth-worms were already preying upon the re-
mains OF poor erring morality. How true is it,
with those who F'pursue strong drink" that
" a; the last, it biteth like a serpent, and sting
eth like an adder
A PAINFUL SCENE was exhibite ed in our viii
lags on Saturday. A colored woman, remarka-
bly, likely, about % years old who had been here
for some time and behaved very well. was ar
rested as n slave. The proof was sufficient
and sho was taken off, the semblance of sorrow
and despair. Universal sympathy seemed to
be felt for her fate. Her master PreSbyte-
rian Clergyman from Richmond. (Va.) it was
said felt some apprehensions lest there should
be an attempt to rescue her. Much as public
feeling was excited we do not apprehend there
was the remotest danger 1t is the law of the
land, and obedience to the law is here re-
gardsd the first duty of good citizen. Some
talk OF buying her freedom prevailed but it was
said that the owner asked or 600 dollars,
which, OF course, might be received as a refusal
to sell. While the Richmond clergyman exer
clses his right to reclaim his slave we shall ex-
ercise ours as the conductor of free press by
sayng-that we hope he may be merciful and
pray that he may obtain mercy from HIM
whose law if we read il Alright prescrbes, to
" Do as ys would have others do to you"
West Chester (Pa) paper.
IKE NATURAL BRIDGE. 1t appears that the
Natural Bridge over Cedar Creek in Rock.
bridge County, celebrated from Mr.. Jeffer.
sons description of it, has been appropriated
by an individual named Ware, to his own pri
vate emolument He has enclosed the prem
view the curiosity, fee of twenty-five cents
The Lynchburg Virgnan says he has no law
tor collecting this toll, he admits but saws. it
Is has rule" To give color to the extortion. hs
has planted about half an acre of tho most nit
liable barren soil, with corn, enclosed and ont
up gate, and made path way through il
Tor the use of which he demands this heavy
tax, when 1t is practicable, easy, and as near
to descend the hill on one side fhis field. An
nFISad of this els to IF =
ian, party of travellers recently started To
view the bridge, with determination not TO
submit to the imposition On their way thew
were required as usual to pay toll, but refusing
passed round the field, avoiding it altogether |
When they reached the valley below, on their
approach to the bridge, they were assaiIed bv
rapid shower Of large stones, thrown by Ware
and his son, stationed at different points from
above. They were compelled in consequence.
to retrace their steps, and forego partially the |
object for which they had come from great dis. /
tances, and at no slight Inconvenience
FATAL ACCIDENT. Most of our readers aro
doubtlessly familiar with the manner in which
fifty-six weights are loaded and discharged, as
an apology for an artillery piece. 1t consists
simply in charging with powder the hole usu-
ally left in the bottom of the weight, and then
plugging the aperture with a wedge of wood
driven in with great force, SO that at each dis.
charge, the plug, which is usually of hard wood, |
is propelled with such force as to be very dan.
gerous missile. On the 4th inst, man by the
name OF George Canterbury, an nhabitant of
this village, lost his life in a shocking manner,
while engaged in celebrating the anniversary
OF our national independence by firing off fit. |
ty-six IN the manner described II appears that |
an attempt had been made to discharge the !
weight, but the printing had flashed without
producing the desired effect the plug at the
same time, it Is supposed, retaining portion
of the fire, Upon this, Canterbury advanced
to the weight for the purpose of re-prming
when the powder ignited, driving portion of
the plug through the right breast, another frap. {
ment through the neck, another into the head
near the eye, and another through the right |
cheek oblquely into the neck The unfortu-
nate man died almost Immediately
HacanG (N " Observer
Marvin Pierce, respectable mechanic in !
Fulton, n Y, was killed on the morning of the |
4th inst, while engaged in loading a cavity in /
an anvil for the purpose of firing. After charg-
ing the anvil he was driving an iron wedge up |
on the powder, when {probably from the fric. |
ton caused by driving the iron wedge) it ex-
ploded, and the wedge struck him upon the en-
teTnGt carotid artery, near the iugular vein,
and ne oled to death in few minutes. Mr.. P. |
was about 50 years of age, and has left wife |
and two small children to mourn the melan-
choy result of his last rash and indiscreet act.
Orange PaiLadium.
On the 4th inst, several young lads, mem.
bers of one of the schools in Wiamstown, had
procured small swivel and quantity of pow.
der, Tor the purpose of amusing themselves in
hring' and by some accident it exploded unex.
pectedly, and the charge, with the wad, enter.
ed the knee of Henry Steel, and shattered his
leg in such shocking manner, that nmputo.