Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1861-08-02 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SUICIDE IN A BELFRY. The inhabitants of the parish of High Littleton, Somerset, were thrown into a great commotion on Saturday night last, between five and six o'clock, by the report that a lad named Collins had commited suicide in the belfry of the old parish church On searching the belfry the boy was-found suspended to one of the bell-ropes. Ile , was immediately cut down and medical aid obtained, but life WAS quite extinct. Tee age of the boy is between fifteen and sixteen. The only cause the neigh. hours can give for this rash act is that he has been unsuccessful in obtaining employment in Bristol, Bath, and other places.  On Saturday last a labouring man named Patrick, residing in Beverley, was woi king in a field of turnips, when a tremendous thunderstorm set in, and the rain descended in torrents. Pattrick and three of his children took refuge under a tree, and while there were struck by an awful flash of lightning, which killed the poor fellow and two of his elalren on the spot. The third child was found insensible, but has since partially recovered. Tha three bodies were removes to the nearest public-house at Hall Bridge, Beverley, to await the coroner's inquest. The tree under which, the unfortunate deceased took refuge was split from top to bottom. A. good-looking, well-dressed French lady, told the Bow-street Police Magistrate R singular story, on Saturday. She stated that she was an object of interest to a gentleman who had pursued her with much zeal and devotion, but whose love she was wholly unable to reciprootte. A short time since he came to her with a loaded pistol, declaring that if she did not as.ent he would "kill himself on the spot." She wrested the pistol from him, and fled to the policestation, requesting permission to leave the dangerous weapon in the hands of the inspector. When she re. turned she found that her admirer had left the house, and she had since ascertained that lie had gone to Paris. She now applied to have the pistol restored to her, but the inspector had hesitated to give it up. The Magistrate referred her back to the police station, where the weapoa was eventually restored to her unloaded.  Another lady has fallen a victim to the prevailing fashion in female attire. Mrs Brodhurst, wife of Dr. Brodhurst, London, had been writing a letter, with a candle by her side; and it is supposed that her muslin Weeve caught fire while she was in the act of reaching across the table for an envelope. Her htbsbaud and servants were immediately on the spot, and engaged in extinguishing the flames, but their efforts were ineffectual, in consequence of the lady wearing a steel Crinoline. Dr. Gull, who was called in, makes a suggestion, fur the prevention of these melancholy and frequent accidents, which ought to be made known and universally adopted where dresses of the present fathinnable dimensions. gaud of material almost as itiflarnable as gun cotton, are worn. The suggestion is simply that a small portion of sulphate of salt, or sulphate of soda, should be put into the starch used in the "getting up" of these dresses. By this means, they would be rendered perfectly incombustible. It will be criminal negligence to omit so simple and efficacious a safeguard. ThE