The Press. — 1854-04-15 (London, England)

THE PRESS.  U 1 efinttes.  A FIRE broke out on Sunday morning at the residence of Dr. Wolfe, known as Penrhyn-lodge, Park Village East, near Gloucester-gate, Regent'spark. Before it could be extinguished the house was gutted, and a large quantity of furniture and pictures, of the value of 1,0001., destroyed. ANOTHER FIRE occurred on the same day at the Royal Exchange, on the premises of Messrs. Barrup and Co., stationers and bookbinders, destroying a considerable amount of property before the flames could be mastered.  On Sunday evening a third fire broke out in some extensive premises near Great Peter-street, Westmin-ter, occupied by Mr. Williams, a japanner, which were almost entirely destroyed, the adjacent houses being saved with much difficulty. A FOURTH CONFLAGRATION commenced on the previous evening (Saturday) at the printing and lithographic establishment of the Messrs. Waterlow, in London-wall. The workmen, more than a hundred in number, were assembled at the time to receive their weekly wages, and the fire, which commenced in a lower apartment, burst through the staircase and occasioned intense alarm. Fortunately every one was rescued, or succeeded in escaping over the roof without hurt. The flames were afterwards subdued by the strenuous exertions of the firemen, though not before many thousand pounds' worth of damage had been done to the buildings and stock. The loss is amply covered by insurance. WILLIAM THOMPSON, who was convicted at the recent Norwich Assizes of the murder of Lorenz Beha, a travelling watchmaker and jeweller, was executed on Saturday last at Norwich. The convict had made a full confession of his guilt, and fully described the manner in which the horrible crime• was perpetrated. SUICIDE was committed on Thursday week by a cooper named Emmins, who fastened a rope round his neck and attaching the other end to a heavy weight threw it over a beam and was strangled by the tension. Ho had been noticed bringing home the rope a few days previously, but no suspicion of his purpose was entertained. It was stated at the inquest that he had occasionally given symptoms of a weak intellect, and a verdict of " Temporary insanity " was returned. A FARMER NAMED ABRAHAM ROBINSON, residing at Blaxton, near Doncaster, has been committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter, having, by a long series of acts of cruelty, caused or accelerated the death of his mother. One witness, named Mary Taylor, stated at the inquest on the body of the deceased that she had acted as charwoman at Robinson's house, and had frequently seen him strike his mother with a whip or stick without a lash. About five weeks ago he wanted the deceased to pump some water ; she did not speak, and he beat her so severely that she repeatedly cried for mercy. Witness said to Robinson, " Remember she's your mother." He replied, " Yes ; and a d—d nice mother she is." Other witnesses deposed to having heard, when passing Robinson's house, a whip crack, and cries proceeding from the deceased. The poor creature was compelled to do the worst drudgery in the house; was kept in the back kitchen without a fire during the winter nights; and was so completely starved for want of food that she was frequently seen picking bits out of the swill-tub. When she refused to work she was beaten by Robinson or his wife. She had no bed to sleep upon except a bundle of old clothes, with a single rug for a covering. A SEIZURE HAS BEEN EFFECTED AT GLASGOW, on the premises of Messrs. Napier, of two pairs of marine steam-engines of 450-horse power, adapted for screw line-of-battle ships oeheavy frigates, manufactured under contract for the Russian Government. It appears that, as in the case of other recent sei zures, some attempt has been made to set up a subcontract for transferring these engines to a Hamburg house, Merck and Co., in order to evade their confiscation as Russian property. In all about eight vessels calculated for warlike purposes have been in process of construction for Russia since we assumed an attitude of hostility to that power. There is but too much reason to conjecture that two of the number have escaped into the hands of those for whom they were destined. A FATAL ACCIDENT occurred on Monday evening upon the North-Western Railway, resulting in the death of an engine-driver, and the serious injury of the stoker and a passenger, by the up train from London. The catastrophe took place between the Mossley and Staleybridge stations, the engine running off the rails into a bank, where it was thrown over on its side, the tender and guard's van being also thrown over across the down-line. Two second-class carriages next the van were considerably damaged, the front of one being smashed in ; and in this carriage was the only passenger, who was dangerously hurt. ThCdriver died a few hours afterwards.