Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1859-08-06 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CRI•SLTY ON BOARD .AN AMERICAN SHIP. —On Saturday last, the second officer of the American ship Helen Foster, was brought up at the Liverpool Police Court, charged with a.ssaulting two or three Austrian seamen on board the IL len Foster. The second mate, it appears, had found fault with the Austrians for the way in which they performed their work, and had struck several of them. Ile likewise threatened to shoot them if they were not "smart." The men, to escape his violence, jumped overboard and made for the shore. One of them, however, Nicholas Joake, only managed to reach the shore, the other, Antonio Ferri, being drowned. As the Liverpool magistrates had no jurisdiction, the case was referred to the police authorities at Birkenhead. —[On Monday, Andrew Adam Davis, second mate of the American ship Ile/. II was charged before the Birkenhead magistrates with a violent outrage upon two Austrian seamen, who, in order to escape the prisoner's violence, had leaped into the river, and while one narrowly escaped drowning, it was believed on Sunday evening that the other, Antonio Forsi, had perished. After great exertions, however, and almost dead from exhaustion, Feral contrived to reach the shore at a place about three miles from the scene of the outrage. Fortunately for the prisoner, he thus escaped an indictment for murder, and was fined 411 s, and costs for the assault.] —.lThoehe,.terl;mmine,. DIsTRKSSING FIRES IN WILTS AND OXON —Two disastrous fires occurred last week (one in Wiltshire and the other in Oxfordshire), by which more than 109 persons, adults and children, have been placed in circumstances of destitution, and for a time deprived of homes. The first was at Buttermere, between five and six miles from the little town of Hungerford, Berks. This village is small, and mostly consisted of cottages. On the Tuesday, towards noon, a fire broke out in a shed in the farm occupied by Mr. Hissey ; it blazed with great fury, and in a few minutes ignited other buildings, and extended to some cottages. All the labourers sere out in the harvest fields, and none but a few children were on the spot. A number of people ran to the place to rescue some of the little furniture which they possessed. In most instances it uas too late, for the fire had obtained such mastery over the five cottages that nothing could arrest its progress, and they were wholly destroyed, with their contents. Three cottages were saved, and the house on the farm of Mr. Hissey, but all the other buildings of Mr. Ilissey fell a prey to the devouring element. Barns, stables, sheds, piggeries, two wheat-stacks, straw stacks, and corn in barns were all burnt. An old woman in one of the cottages, bed ridden for many years, was with difficulty rescued. The distress in the viliage is very great, as more than fifty persons, men, women, and children, are without homes, and all their little property has been consumed. A committee has been formed to raise funds to meet the wants of the poor creatures. On Thursday a similar fire took place at Crowell, a hamletlnear Watling, Oxfordshire. As many as thirteen houses and cottages, including the Wheel public-house, were burnt to the ground. The sight was of the most harrowing description, mothers running about with children in their arms. having lost all their clothing and furniture by the sad calamity. About 70 persons, including men, women, and children, are thrown into distress by this fire. The engine from Sherburn Castle was early on the spot, but water was scarce, and little could be done to check the fire. Temporary provision has been made for the sufferers in barns and outhouses until new houses can be erected or other cottage accommodation can be provided. The fire in each instance is supposed to have originated from children playing with lucifer matches.