Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-09-25
singular Case Of Spontaneous
Com bustior.

NoII4
The London Times narrates !; series of occur
rences in the town of Bedford, England, which
greatly excited public curiostyaad puzzled The
wiseacres On recent night 40 alarm Of fire
was missed ia that town, whlcl is found to pro-
eaas frofsI ! lssass sshss5 sae st.sanss, In 4ihe
absence of the family, had been thoroughly
cleaning with view to rid it of rermin. In
furherance Of this design lecouse was had 10
fumigation by means of burning sulphur. The
sulphur was duly igni,ed and The vessel placed
in what was deemed a safe position-the middle
of the room and the room vacated. About two
hours thereafter it was discovered that the sui
phurious fluid had escaped from The vessel, fired
the floor and eaten its way through the boards.
The fire was extinguished, and all emed safe.
This as on Tuesday night. On Saturday eve
ming the head of the family returned, and on re-
tirine to resi-, and having innocently thrown his
damp stockings on the carpet, what was his
establishment on seeing them ignite Something
like panic seized the household, but at length
their fears were pacfed and they went to rest,
The n.xt day Sunday while the master was at
church, fire was again discovered in the house
1t was suppressed, but in the course of the day
no l. IS Than thirty fires broke out in different
parts of the house in The presence of most respec
table and intelligent persons. Says the Times:
Every part Of the furniture III every room
of the hous' appeared to he charged with some
mysterious self enilng gas. Smoke issued
suddenly from euphoards, largaand small, from
almost every drawer, and even from boxes
Of linen ard wooen materials which had not
been opened for some length of time prior 10 the
Tuesday S fire Some of the statements made
hef"re the oroner are so startling as to be near
ly Incredible One gentleman aid his handkcr
Chi t down upon the sofa, when i, forthwith ig-
niled. Another gent eman While scussing the
marvels Of the day and washing his hands dis
covered that The damp towes on the horse in The
bed room were On fire. A lady, anxious to pre-
vent further mischief. had short time previously
examined box containing articles apperanins
10 feminine apparel, and pronouucing it safe, had
it shut up, but going 10 remove il fel, that it
was hot, and on re opening 4 sAgpyered he con.
tents in blaze but it is impossible to enum rate
al; the strange fanlasi"s played by this subtle and
mysterious fire. Of course suspicion was soon
awake hut the 'osesl investigation afforded no
ground on which to res, the surulse of foul pay.'
Ga Mohday the same ph"nomena, somew hat
abaled, reappcared. and it wcs fonud that the
greater part Of The property in the house was
charrcd or burnt to tinder A fire coroner held
an inquest upon the subject, and all the above
mentioned ilcilents iii 9th rs, WIRE depost d
to. A lengthy investigation was had, but the
evidence failed to account for the singular occur
rcnces. The evidence of two medical gentlemen
who had tncssed The phenomena, however. in
dicated most remarkable and important cas- of
truths in chemistry. Without serturing to give
a formal solution of The matter. these gentlemen
were of opinion that the sulphurions fumes, in
connection with the gas of the charreI wood
had charged The whole hous with infammabe
gas, which in case Of friction, in others by eec-
trctv, had been from time to time ignilcd.