The Sun. — 1847-03-02 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE NEAR PRESTON. PRESTON, FEB. 28.—0 n Saturday morning a report fl% circnlated in rreston that a woman of respectability, pita Leadbetter, residing at Walton-le-Dale, about one roile__„,f a half from this town, had committed suicide by drowM. herself in the river Ribble, after having administered pow to her five children. In the course of the day circumeten happened which, it is to be feared, confirm the rumour. appears that Mrs. Leadbetter, whose husband is a shoe" e broker in Manchester, has for the last twelve months residing at Walton-le-Dale with her children at the house o 0 Mr. Livesey, her father, a highly-respectable gentleman, some time ago retired from the cotton trade. About let o'clock on Friday evening last she left the house of her fa! _..,g unknown to the family, after having assisted an attend, in putting the children to bed; previous to which she ja ministered a dose of what she called medicine to each,, the presence of the servant. About ten o'clock in the ea ing all the children began to complain of illness, and et, appeared to be affected in a similar manner. The circu;ci, stance alarmed the inmates of the house, and hirg• !Atte better not having returned, information was given laidd neighbours, with a view of making inquiry for her. It be stated that for some days previous Mrs. Leadbetteravirg been exceedingly low spirited, and the fact of her ap in in ed the house on Friday evening, and not return g, uced the connexion with the children's sudden illness, the whole family to suspect that something was wrongevening was spent in the village in a fruitless h man on the Mrs. Leadbetter, and towards morning a fisierd after some river Ribble went in a boat in search of her, n • er called time he discovered the body in that part of the river in the the Walton Salmon Fishery, lying about a yard deepr. water. It was immediately forwarded to the house of iH Livesey, there to await a coroner's inquest. In the mean time the children had continued to get worse during the evening, and a surgeon was sent for, who applied the 00'1' remedies, when four of them began to improve. One, bowever, named Fanny, gradually got worse, and eventual search for died about four o'clock on Saturday afternoon. IV° all glad to say that the other children are considered out danger. An inquest was held on the bodies, but was adjourned until s Monday evening for further evidence, and in the meantime' postmortem examination of the body was to be made.  RoflOtUmSola'nlßd houSrEs 6th—reelnC was created in the immediate vicinity of Battle-brilgS4oo etshteerudtamy ost afternoon,exeitem excitement tetavemran la, ti consequence of the sudden outbreak of a fire in the LoD Fever Hospital, situate in St. Pancras-road, liing's'scilbe The flames first showed themselves by shooting throne's:De, roof of the nurse-ward, at the northern end of the bui!uln7o From the strong hold the fire had then obtained, it bee it, quite clear that the inmates would be unable to subit., and the first thing sought to be accomplished was thesooo moval of the patients from the burning building. 11' ides as the intelligence was communicated to them, some were may be formed of the state of consternation thqsakee thrown into. Owing, however, to the one i.ote by the heads of the Institution, not one of the Pati.seir was hurt in being removed, and from the fact of rig having been well wrapped up, it is to be hoped that jo. will not ultimately receive any injury. As soon es.tb.:oocl, formation was received at the fire-stations, Mr. Brawn" air the superintendent, and Mr. Colf, the foreman of the ° PIA* trict, started to the scene with six or seven brigade gloat' and were followed by others of the parish, and Mr. Cou.sod, ton with the West of England one. By the Pew'ere however, that the first engine arrived, the flantea .oieft mounting most fearfully, and it was the general o,les that the entire range of premises was doomed to desoiAss tion. The firemen, however, set to work most vigore,wol), and carrying the hose to the top of the building, the) tamed full power over the fire, and were enabled t°,5,0, vent the conflagration from travelling further ; but sttl were unable to get the flames entirely extinguished, 'oh the roof of the nurses' ward, between 20 and 30 feet glessa was burned off, the ceilings below damaged by water, 'ts the beds and other furniture severely injured by "5' removal. fol' THE SMALL DEBTS Acv.—Yesterday the d its lowing notice was issued throughout the metropolis liee environs:—" Notice is hereby given, that in consequell: of the notification in the supplement to the London Gazei,"o4 the sth of February instant, that the New County us oo Act will come into operation on the 15th of March ne.:(,`,l be further sitting of the Courts of Requests in London will ill held after that date, and no eummonses or executionixese be issued after Tuesday, March 2 (this day), but the onsg of the Courts will continue open as usual, for the receifro, and payment of money until Wednesday, the 10th of Me the l'ublic notice will be given of the commencement of Ns operation of the New County Court under the Act of and 10th Vic., cap. 95." t° INFLUX or