The Sun. — 1840-07-06 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY DEATH BY DROWNING.--01) Wednesday morning last a fatal and melancholy accident, which has plunged a respectable family into the utmost grief, occurred to a young lady while bathing at Seacombe, Cheshire, opposite Liverpool. The tide at the period of the occurrence was unusually high, and it appears that the young lady, whose name was Mitchell, accompanied by a female servant, repaired t• a night of steps close to her own residence, both intending to bathe, as had been their usual custom, at the same spot. The waves were rolling furiously at the time, beating against the rocky side of the shore, and the servant-maid advised the unfortunate young lady not to venture in. She, however, disregarded the advice and stepped into the water, when a wave almost immediately carried her into the river. A succeeding wave dashed her back against the rock, and she immediately disappeared to rise no more. It would appear that the deceased had no idea that the title was unusually high, and was consequently deceived in the depth. She was only heard to exclaim, " Save me, save me." A youth, in the service of a young gentleman named Fletcher, at the instant plunged into tli• foaming waters u a most praiseworthy manner, i❑ the Vain attempt to re,:eue her, and he, it is upposel, would hat c met with a similar fate if Mr. Fletcher, his master, who is a good swimmer, had not seen his perilous situation, and plunged in after him, and with much difficulty gained the shore. The hotly was found the same evening at low water, about 100 yards. from the spot where the occurrence took place. It was a good deal mutilated, supposed from haying come in contact with the lar,ge stones on the bed of the river; both eyes of the ill-fated lady were cut out when the body was found. Miss Machell was twenty-six years of age, and resided with her brother and sister, tea yards from the steps where she met her death.  A laughable case of libel was tried at die Lewes Midsummer Sessions on Wednesday. in which an artist and a bookseller, residing in St. James's-street, Brighton, were concerned. Edgar Adolphe (the artist) was indicted for having exhibited a certain scandalous ar.d malicious lib,l, namely, a picture denoting and representing one Charles Andrews (the boAseller), with a pair f ass's ears, with a label i:suing from his mouth, bearing the following words :—" I wish it to be known east, west-, north, sad s'suth, that I have this day sported a full grown pair of ass's ears, which I propose exhibiting daily to the gratification of the passers by, 1840," and bearing in another part of the picture the words, " A View of St. James's-street," and which was intended to represent the said Charles Andrews as an ignorant, obstinate, foolish, low, ridiculous, and contemptible person. Mr. Creasy conducted the prosecution, and called witnesses to prove the resemblance of tide picture, before the ass's ears were appended, to Mr. Andrews. Mr. Cobbett, in his ad_ dregs to the jury for the defendant, convulsed the Ceurt with Laughter, by reading Buffon's description of the asc—" to show that the us had mere virtues than vices—that he was patient, temperate, etc., except when in love, when he was perfectly furious"—( Roars of laughter ) and , quoting Buffon, " He has • tl•se eye, and excellent scent, and a good ear."—(Renewed laughter.) The Chairman summed up, and after a short deliberation, the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the Court sentenced Mr. Adolphe to a fine of 201. and in default of payment he was committed to prison fur three weeks.  Between nine and ten o'clock, on the evening of Saturday last, the bodies of a woman and child were found lotting in the Edinburgh and Glasgow Canal, between Port Llundas and the Tovvnhead ; and as life was not altogether ex. tinct, they were immediately conveyed to the house of Mr. Hill in thtneighbourhood, and medical aid called in. The child, we believe, died immediately, and though everything that skill and humanity could suggest was done for the woman, she also expired about an hour afterwards. As there is no reason to supp.:*e that the bodies came into the canal by accident, we are afraid that this may be considered both a case of suicide and murder. The WOHlan was observed proceeding along the banks of the canal about nine o'clock, bearing the child in her arms, and little doubt can exist that she plunged into the water, carrying the child with her, and this perpetrated a double and revolting crime. She appears to be about thirty years of age, and the child, which is a female, between two and three; and though it is supposed she is the mother of the girl, there is nothing decided known about either of them. The woman appeared to be in very wretched circumstances, and wore a blue printed short gown, and a bombaieen petticoat; and, by those who observed her demeanour, as she wandered about during the day, it is betiered the dreadful act was. prompted by want or infirmity of mind.— Glougow Constitutional.