New-York daily tribune., 1856-09-04
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN THE TOWN
OF BEDFORD.

From The L0rdsn ItNes
During the last few days public curiosity has oeen
excited 10 a very urusual pitch by series OF occur
reuces that would be by no means out OF pace III one
Of Mr. Radcfe's romances, but which VIII READ
strangely in the mater-oifact columns OF IfS Ii7es
The several theories of spontaneous combustion have
often been revived, and. i'll the opinion OF mo-t wise
men, have been suCcesslvely and repeatedly expo.ed
But jlst ss late years have witnessed reNlVaI OF
ghost stories, spirit communlcs sons, and dlrect de
moniacs agency it seems rot q little likely that the
ole theories OF spontaneous combustion are coming IN
for another day in their turn If We are to Judge from
the extraordinary revelations which have been not
OF ly i,tstd in gossip, but moet giavey and id,y 10
Qured 10 under the coroners warrant, ana oeiofe
thrt.en men honest and true, and, We msy aad,
picked nep, of this bighy educated borough.
Sketch of the principal facts will probably answer the
San end as arepoh OF the dePosiiohS ,akeu De'oie
the coroner for the result Of this last coorse would
probably be only the sv akeIing of hallncedulous
Wonoer and q wild curiosity
On Tuesday night the 18th inst an alarm OF he
raised, and, On proceeding to the scene OF danger
a bouse abuttipg on the large storeyard belonging 20
Messu Howard, the celebrated implemsnt-makers,
ano tenanttd by one Of tkeir servants, 1t appeared
that the family had taken the opportunity ot the
as'ers absence from me to have q good clearing
Gown with sn especial view to the rldcance OF
certain pest better known to Londoners than the
bappy cweers in the country. In furthersnce OF the
leT part Of this truly hOusewltery design recourse
wac had to iumigatloD. vessel containing broken
roll sulphur was placed in what was deemed safe
po.tioh-yiz in basinette, which wa. removed
from s usual place and set IN the OIL IDLE OF the room
The suphur duly ignited and the room OF course
vscattd by all except the obnt xlous Vermln In the
space of Two hours il WAS discovered that the sui
phulous fluid had escaped into the basinette, had
burnt through the bottom fred the floor and eaten ITS
way through tie panks. Timely observatlon ana
alam availed TO arrest the piogress ot the hie Al
WAS d. ened esfe. But on Saturday evening the
head Of the family returned, and, retiring TO rest,
aud having nr oceuty ihro~D his damp stoc kings On
tb. carpet, what his aston hne at seeing them
ignite Something like pane seized tie housenod
but at length their fears pached and taey went
to rest. On Sunday morning, while the master was
attending Divine service at the Methodist chspei hre
was again discovered iii the house. Considerable con-
s,.rphiion was occasoned to the assembly By the
csirg out of a firemen during service, and aro by
the IL asters oisappeaIance from his pew. lhe nres
were supprestd but in the course OF the day no less
than thty fires broke out in different parts OF the
house. in the prtserce OF vistofs most Respectable
sno intelligent men.
Every part of the fur iture in every room OF the
house appeared TO be charged with some mysterious
self.ignlIng gas. Smoke is-ued suddenly from cup
bOaros, large and email, from almost every drawer,
and even from o, OF linen and wooleu materials
which hao rot BEEN opened for some length OF time
prior TO the Tuesdays fire. Some of the statements
made before the coroner are so startling az 10 De hear
ly cIedib e. One gentleman laid his handkerchief
Gown upon the sofa when 1t forthwith gnlted Another
gentleman, while discussing The marves OF the day
and washing his banor, Uncovered that the camp
towels on the horse in the becrOOm were fire.
lady, aous TO prevent further mischief had short
time previously examined box containing articles
appeitainirg to feminine apparel, and ptonouncDg
safe, had slut 1t Up, but IN going to remove 1t, felt
that il was hot and on reopenng II, discovered the
contents in q blaze; but it is impOesble to enumerste
al the straIge fantasies played by tbis subtle and mye
terlout hre. or course, suspicion was soon awake;
but the closest lnvests alton afforded no ground
which TO rest the surmse OF foul play. On the Monday
morning, the phenomena, somewhat abated, reap
peaed and 1t was found that the greater part of the
property in the house Chared or bMLt to tinder.
Two medical gentemeI-Dr. Barker and Mr.. Blower
VISITED the scene of the fiery my stery, and at noon
made an application 10 the sitting magistrates lin the
absence Of the msyo for sanction to the proposal of
submitting the matter TO the coroner. The coroner
lost no time in sumnfonng jury, which consisted of
TIE most respectable tradesmen OF the town. and which
proceeded 10 busiDass at the George Inn. The in
guest coun enced at 80 p. H. Monday afternoon,
and at O'Clock was adjourned TO Tuesday morning
at 10. On Tuesday it was resumed and concluded by
o'clock .. IN.
In the course of this prolonged inquiry the whole Of
the inclceLts some of which have mentioned above
ny way OF speclmeI,) were deposed TO- and every
tifort to ocouLt for the singular At
enc tin there Wa some g ght hope Of establishing
CORRECTION between the fire Of Tuesday ght aud the
pumerous ubreaks Of the following Sunday, but this
idea was 6banc oned perOrce-eO Tar, at lesst any
oroinsry connection between the two sets Of events
was concerned. The MEDICAL testimony of the two
gentle mtn ranled above was by far the most impOr
TART, inssmuch il most dktircty demolished all pre-
conceived EXPLANATIONS and also because it indicated
most remarkable and important cass Of truths in
PRACTICAL chemistry. Without vetturing TO give a
iormal solution of the phenomena, these get ttemen
w.re Of opinion that the supburOus fumes in
ton tth the gas OF the harred wood had charged
the .Ltre houte with Lfsnm able gas which, in some
csses by friction, in Others BY electricity, had been
hon time TO time ignied.
No 'uspcion of any person survived the first few
bous OF the Iqury although the Jury felt that there
wssIot giOULd for dutinct opinion on the matter.
The deporiti' will doubtless Be submitted TO some
emmett msnpulstors p chemical science, and is to
be hoped that they will be able to give amore precise
,olulion TO the mystery which has filed many a wise
be ad with mrgvbgs as to the spiritual geography Of
the some hat lonely bouse.
The verdict Of the Jury waa, according to the eyi-
deIce 90 far as the first fire roesosy) was concerned
Accidents, and with regard to the other fires the
veIdict was an open one.
ERANCE