The Sun. — 1824-01-23 (London, England)

PIERCE'S DISAPPEARANCE.  BRISTOL, JAN. 20.—You have heard of the mysterious disappearance of Mr. PIERCE, a solicitor of this city, being one of the firm of Palmer and Pierce ; but the particulars, in some points, have neither been very circumstantially nor very accurately related, beyond the details of the placards, offering the reward for the discovery of him. I will relate some facts, presuming, however, that this may be another instance of the fatal effects resulting from gambling, or from being known, by some means or other, to gamblers. Mr. Pierce was what some term a "gay" young man. He was a good deal in company, and in very varied company; and. amongst other things he was a good deal attached to what Mr_ Beard, Mr. White's brother-in-law, in his communication with. Sir Richard Birnie, called " Play." Mr. P. belonged to a club, the members or which bound themselves never to play for less than five guinea points, of ten guineas the game ! Such is the rumoured character of the -Whist Club of which Mr. P. stands as a member. He, however, was known to be fond of always playing " very high ;" and it was also known, as he made a sort of boast of it, that he never was without a hundred pouads or two in his pocket to meet emergencies. Besides this, he displayed rings, costly gold chain, &c. He was a single man, and resided with his mother and two sisters at Clifton, which is across the drawbridge, and a short distance out of Bristol,— His office is in Bristol. Since Mr. P.'s alarming disappearance, his mother has been exceedingly ill; and, I lament tot add, she is not expected to live. On Saturday fortnight Mr. P. dined with Mr. Protheroe, riving at that gentleman's residence at five o'clock,. At severs o'clock he was summoned from the party on some business;, which having dispatched, and having paid 301., he returned to• the company, and remained there till half-past twelve. When he left such company, he was not apparently any worse for whathe might have taken during the evening. Where he went to then is not known ; but between two, and three o'clock in the morning he was seen crossing the drawbridge alone, as if he were on the route to Clifton. Beyond that period there is no trace of him. His absence, though it alarmed the family, was not thought of very seriously at first, as about two years ago he set off to Taunton, and there remained three days, without any one knowing what had become of him, till he returned and personally related particu— lars. However, his present disappearance assumed an alarming aspect from the circumstance of a hat having been found next day on the banks of the float or river, with the name of " Chapman, London, maker," inside of it, which hat, ors inquiry, turned out to have been Mr. Pierce's. The water in the float was drawn off for two days, and drags used in every direction ; but instead of meeting with any thing of Mr. Pierce,. the workmen curiously enough met with the body of an Ex-a' eiseman who had been missing for more than two months !' There is every reason to believe that the Exciseman fell inter the water in a state of intoxication, and was thus drowned. However, as to Mr. Pierce, it is remarked here by those whir recollect under what circumstances some other murders have' been committed, and who know Mr. P.'s habits in having money about him which might make him an object of assassins-: don for the purpose of plunder; that it is not very likely the' assassins (supposing Mr. P. unhappily to have been so de-stroyed), would have left the hat to show where the body might be speedily found; on the contrary, they would be more likely' purposely to place it at some point where the body was not to be found, in order to distract attention and search. There are' rome house: of a particular character—for there are such houses in Bristol as well as in London—which ought at once to have' been very rigorously searched; but any search now, after there has been such ample time to dispose of any clothes or pro.- perty that might be possessed, would, it is to be feared, be uses-, less labour.  Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, dated December 19, 1523 :—" COBBETT has petitioned the Legislature of Pennsylvania to refund the amount of a fine (2,000 dollars), paid by him some years since into the State Treasary, It might as well " wrestle with a ghost."