Mr. Harris And Miss Stock...
The Times, 1824-05-28T00:00:00

(FURTHItTHER ATTICULAts.) As many false reports of the crcumstances attending the offer of 1Uiss Stocks to accompany r. Harris have been circulated, it may be proper to supply the following particulars, which are said to be authentic :_\r. Harris havingadvertised for a companion, and rn-en. tioned fifty guineas as the sum required for the ascent, three g.'jtle. men applied to bim during the inflation, each offerinig thi.?v gui neas; but for some private reasons, these offers were det'fimed by Mlr. Harris. On his retiring from the commtmttee-room to dress for the ascent, Mliss Stocks came to the window of' t' je~ committee. room, and intimated that she had seen the advertiw ement for a per. son to accompany AMr. HTarri, and was herself w;lflng to do so. On being informned ihat fifty guineas were requiret, she appeared consi_ derablv disappointed; but her aPPlicatiP.o being mentioned to llr. Harri., he went to her, and seeing hvcr disvlay much of the cool courage so necessary in a perilous entzrprise, effered her a seat in his car ttiss Stock was then introioced to some female friends of the committee, who with great propriety asked her if she did not wish the attendance of somne of her family ? She replied, that her mother, who was outside of the gate, had consented to her ascent, but bait declined enterin the gardens. She was then induced, with much persuasion, to take a glass of wine, but would iot accept the offer of additional coverings which some persons thought necessary, as she was dressed In wwhite, without a shawl. BEDDINGTON, (Thursday rnorning.) Immediately after the inquest, the body of the decased was bid out and put into the shell, by order of the churchwardens, Messrs. Simpson and Lambert. Mr. Harris, the father of the deceased, who has the appearance of being about 60 years of age, atrived about four o'cloek yesterday af- ternoon, accompanied by a younger brother of the deceased, a youth about 13 years old. Owng to the circumstance of the jury being at the time viewing the body, he was prevented for sometime from seeing the remains of his son, and went in the interval to the roona of Dgiss Stocks. M1r. Harris asked her wbat his son had snid to her during the voyaee. tShe gave him nearly the same account as tbat which apperred in our paper of yesterday.] He then went into the room ot the deceased several times, and afcerwards took a seat in the bar of the inn, where he was introduced to the sten-mother of iliss Stocks, and he was heard to say that he had repeatedly told his son that he was building a machine for his own destruction; to which he said the answer from his son was, " Never mind that, father; but go and attend to your own business." 'The widovr of the de- ceased has not vet been down, butis expected to-day, as well as the father of Miiss Stocks. Mrs. Stocks returned to London with one of the members of the committee, about six o'clock yesterday evening. MIiss Stocks has passed the night in a very bad state, continually moaning. She says it is too much for her to bear, and is continually praying to God to relieve her. She often says she is sure her reco_ very is impossible. This morning she said, witlh apparent satisfac. tion. that her side was better. About seven o'clock. she drank about half a cup oftea, sincewhich she has complainedof increased pain and restlessness. She awoke from a very short slumber, in the greatest fright, fancying herself in the balloon. So great is thc demand for pieces of the tree against which the balloon struck, that it has been found necessary to station two men near it this morning, to prevent it5 being literally torn up by the roots. Milr. Wallace, the surgeon, was expected every minute, but at eleven o'clock when we left, he had not arrived. All the bustle sand confasion oF? yesterday is now completely subsided. The two pigeons are now almost oompletely recovered from the shock of the fall. 'At 11 o'clock the Rev. Mr. Ferrers, the rector, came to the as- sistanceof the sufferer, and remained with laer some time.. She ex- pressed to him a great wish to see the mother of the deseased, or sone ofher own faniily. and appeared to be considerably composed. It has been said tat hIMiss Stocks is not informed of the death of Mr. Harris. The fact is; she inquired after him on comin.g to ber senses, and was informed of the fatal event. Miss Stocks gives the following account of the accident :_" I ascended the balloon in good spirits, and in consequenPe of the per. sons below holding the ropes, te car was 3 little on one side -Mrr. Harris said he would remedy it, and he threw outsome ballast. In a short time we ascended most rapidlykand we found ourstives going through the douds, which looked like mountains of sn6w. M1r. ffarris.asked metohold the string, and he looked at kis atch. ' He tRt me-that wehbad been up a quarter of an hour, and said -that he hadgot'tw6 pigons. .Heetben again esked me to hold a string,.atsd tien threw outipjeceof paper. Auds.as far-as I recollect at this moment, hesaid the, balloon was fallingrapidly.. Afterthrowlng out more baUast', .ie 2gair ascended, and t through annother -cloud, when 1 fclCmnyseli extremely cold._lie said "Dear girl, *lon't let youtrheart fail; I hope we shall sup. together, and wish that you may- foryourceurae be-connected with mny Ihainilys long a:6you live. Ee tben said tbat we.wiere again descending,n,nd ]dsiredme. if the' balloon should iniclihe on one side,-to layho o d the oD., . I heard the ba'lloon go C'- ip;cla,' and hesaidhewasafraidthe bal. loon was burstin; at which information I tainted, and remember- nothitng move till I found mynelf in bed.." MR. HARRIS AND MlfJSS STOCKS.