The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-11-12
Curious Case of Spontaneous Com
DurtiOp


y curious story of spontaneous com.
bustion in Bedford appears ia the Lon.
don papers. \ house belonging to tho
Slcssrs Howard, implement makers. and
occupied by one Of their workmcn. Was
fnmigated with sulphur with an ospec.
ial view to the Guidance OF certain pest
better known 20 Lohdoners than the hap.
~ dwollers in the country By some
accident a vessel containing broken roll
sulphur leaked the sulphurous fluid cs-
capped into basinettc, burnt through the
bottom, fred the floor. and eat its way
through the plapks, Timely observation
and alarm availed to arrest the progress
Of the fire All was deemed safe. But
on Saturday evening he head of the fam.
lily returned, and on retiring to rest and
having innocently thrown his damp stock
ings on the carpet. what was his aston
ishmcnt at seeing them ignite ! Some.
vine vine service at the Methodist chapel, fire
wa. osain di.coycred in the bouse, C'n.
siderable CONSERVATION was occasiohed
to the assembly by the calling out OF
fireman during service, and also By TIE
masters disappearance from his pew
Thes, fires were suppressed; but IN the
conrse Of the day no less than thirty hres
broke out in different parts Of the house
in the presence Of visitors most respec'
table aul Intelligent men Every part
of the furniture in every room OF the
housa appearcA to be charged with some
mystcri. rs self igniiius gas. Smoke Is,
sued suddenly from cubords, large and
small. from almost every drawer, aud
even from boxes of linen and w1!lcn ma
;,rials which had not been opened tor
some len2th Of time Some of the state
meu.s made before the coroner are So
startling as . be nearly incredible. One
Gentleman laid his handkerchief down up
ON tho sofa, wien it forthwith lgalted'
Another gentleman, while discussing the
marvels Of the day, and washing bis
hands. discovered that the damp towels
on the clothes-horse in the bed room were
on Gre A lady. anxious to prevent FUR
,Ler mischief, had short time previous
" examined box containing articles
apper,aniug to feminine appeared, and
pronouncing it safe, had shut 1t up, ou''
on eoipg to remove it, frl: that 1t was
hot. and, on re.openiug it discovered the
contents in q blaze On the Monday
morning the phenomena, somewhat aba
ted, reappeared, and it was found that a
greater part ofthe property in the house
! was charrel or burnt to finder. An IN
ouiry has been held, aud the chemists are
OF onin;on that the sulphurous fumes, IN
connection with the gas of the charred
wood had charged the entire house with
inaammable gas, which, in some cases by
friction, in others by electricity, had been
from time to time iSnited
The case has been investigated by the
coroner. The facts were as already given,
with the difference that it was used to IL,
migato the house. The succession oi
fires suddenly breaking out IN various
parts of the house without apparent cause
WIS fully proved. \ chemist aud drug
eis, deposed to his belief in spontaneous
combustion. Dr. Barrier gaze hi5 opin'
ion -. There was something pevvadlnG
that house which produced spontaneous
combustion Mr. W. Blower, surgeon
said - There WAS something In the at
nosphere which caused the spontaneous
com mbustion which has been spoken o.
The jury having consulted about half al
hour returned the following verdict -
That the fire On Mr. Alfred Mof.on''
premises was accidentally caused by IN
cautiously placing aud setting fire TO
quantity Of birthstone in pot, tho sam
being placed iu bassinette situated OF
the iirst floor Of the said Promises bu
as to the cause of tho continuation OF hre
on the sald premises, we have hot suil