The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1825-03-15 (London, England)

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.  TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.  Sta,—Having this day read in your Paper an account of tlic late destructive fire, which occurred soon after one o'clock on Sunday morning, we conceive it a duty we owe the Public, and that muchinjured individual Mr. Vizer, to state most distinctly, that the fire did not originate on his premises, but on those of the drug mills of Messrs. Bentley and %Vocal adjoinirg. These facts we state from our own personal observations. made immediately after the commencement of the fire, sonic of us being threatened with the sad effects of the devouring element. We also beg to state, that Mr. Vizcr's lois appears to be double the amount of his insurance. (Sighed) Thomas Collingwood, High Holborn. J. Runat, 124, High Holborn. M. llowitt ironmonger, 123, High Holborn. E. Ives and Co. Little Queen-street. William Frost, Little Queemstreet. Edward Bullock, 211, High Ilolborn. J. Richards, 122, High lielbotn. March 14th, 1825. We have made further inquiries and find our first report incorrect as to where the fire commenced, and also as to the amount of loss, which we learn exceeds 50,0001.—ED1 T.  On Friday the 4th instant Francis Harrison, clerk to the Fradley Janet:on Canal, put a period to his existence by discharging the contents of a loaded blunderbuss through his head.  In the night of Friday week a melancholy circumstance took place near Berwick: James Beveridge, about 17 years of age, while conveying smuggled spirits from Spittal, was shot through the heart by one of the crew of the Preventive boat. The crew, with a body of Excise officers, were on the watch, as a few days before a vessel had landed her whole cargo at Spittal. An inquest was held on the body at Tweedmoutli, before Michael Hall, Esq. Coroner, and a verdict was returned of " Wilful Murder." The boy was shot in the act of running away, after throwing down the keg. James Stephenson, who fired the pistol, has been committed to Durham gaol. The following inquest was held last week at Green-lane, Sonthsea, on the body of Mary Ann Cavanagh, very far advanced in pregnancy, who, on Wednesday evening, from her alann at the report that a Ghost had been seen near the house, was seized with eotivelsive fits, and became insensible till the next evening, when she died. Verdict— `• Died by the Visitation of God." The Hampshire 'telegraph says the ghost has been discovered to be a shoemaker's apprentice, who has been committed to prison for one of his pranks subsequent to the death of this poor woman.  On Thursday an inquest was held at the sign of the British Volunteer, in 111inshull-street, Manchester, on the body of the wife of Mr. James Bentley, a respectable shopkeeper in that neighbourhood. Mr. Bentley had retied to bed rather early on Tuesrlav evening, in consequence of indisposition, leaving Mrs. Bentley up. A servant-maid of the above-named public-house stated, that the deceased purchased some spirits between ten and eleven o'clock, and requested her tuistress would allow one of her servants to accompany her home. Examinant was accordingly sent, and she not only saw Mrs. Bentley safe in h.r own house, but was careful to observe that she secured the street door. Early in the morning, bowever, Mr. B. discovered the heart-rending spectacle of his wifclttite dead at the bottom of the cellar itepe.--Verdict—,Aecidental L'ce.M.