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Leader (1850-1860), 22nd August 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 797

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      Untitled Article

      Wa : 887 , August 22- 1857 . ] T H E I . E A B E R . _„ ..:,. . _ _ 1

      Untitled Article

      " house in Shadwell was struck by lightning on the ma dav A large stone chimney was forced from the JSwork of the roo ^ and carried by a sudden gust of ™ ind across the street into the back premises of an Ssite neighbour , by which the roof of an outhouse * Jas partially destroyed , but no personal injury was sustained by the inmates . The roofs of several buildings in the same neighbourhood were also similarly damaged . Most of the eastern suburbs were much injured , and the low-lying lands of Essex suffered greatly from water and lifihtniDg * The south-eastern pinnacle of St . Michael ' s Church , Stamford , was struck down by the electric fluid . The iron clamps fastening the mass of the masonry together were first caught by the lightning ,, which-at every point

      drove out large masses of the stonework , and , reaching the base of the pinnacle , uplifted the whole mass , which weighs abont fifteen hundredweight . To this it imparted a kind of circular motion , dashing it into fragments , and then escaped down an iron rain-spout , and passed into the earth without doing any more damage .

      The town of Retford has been inundated to such an extent that even the high lands around it were covered with water . The flood invaded the churchyard * though it stands high , and persons were taken out of their houses in boats . The crops lying in the fields were swept away , or utterly destroyed ; and several heads of cattle were lost . A great fall of earth was caused by the rain at Scarborough , on the eastern face of the Castle-hill . A semicircular piece of about half an acre has gone sheer down , leaving a precipitous face from the top to the bottom , a

      depth of nearly two hundred feet . The quantity of earth and rock which has fallen cannot be less than a hundred thousand tons in weight , and is probably much more . There was a large cavern there , which was entered from the Castle-yard , at no great depth below its surface . It was regarded as a curiosity by the people of Scarborough , and , when the 28 th Regiment had an encampment in the Castle-yard three years ago , the officers sometimes had their mess in the cavern . This rude banqueting hall has perished with the portion of the cliff which has fallen .

      Very serious floods have occurred in Manchester , where the water has poured into many of the manufactories , doing immense damage . Horses and other animals have been carried away , and there has been a great loss of property . A house was set 'fire to by the lightning , but the property was sayedU At Stowe , in Lincolnshire , on Thursday week , during a thunderstorm , some stacks of corn were set on fire by the lightning , and in one instance a field of standing corn was also set on fire , and destroyed . The West Riding of Yorkshire was visited on the night of Friday week with a terrific storm of thunder and lightning , which caused great destruction of property , and unhappily did not terminate without loss of life . A house at Morley , nearly opposite to the railway station , was

      completely washed away by the flood , and at Saddleworth a great portion of the towing-path connected with the canal was carried off . The Standedge Tunnel , the property of the London and North Western Railway Company , which ia nearly three miles in length , was for some time three feet deep in water , causing great delay to the mail train to Manchester andCrewe . AtMarsden , two bridges , one built of iron and the other of wood , were destroyed , and also a great number of cattle ; and much damage was done to the mills , the lower stories of some being completely filled with water . At Milnesbridge , near Huddersfield , several mills and houses were f looded , and a bridge over the river was torn up to the foundation , so that not a vestige of it now remains . Other bridges and houses were destroyed ; and at Farnloy , a village about three miles from Huddersfield , a woman

      was < struck dead in her chair by the lightning . The whole of Derbyshire suffered greatly from the rains ; and the various railway lines traversing it were for a time blocked up by the flood . Whitchurch , in Shropshire , has also been invaded by the waters , which created great havoc . On the night of Thursday week , the electric fluid struck the Flag Tower of Windsor Castle , displacing about four tons of the parapet , but doing no further damage . One of the trees in the . Homo Park , nearly opposite the residence of the Duchess of Kent , was struck by the lightning and stripped of a considerable portion of bark . An elderly woman was found dead in her bed on the following morning ; her death ia supposed to liavo been occasioned by fright at the violence of the storm .

      At Thorpe , the lightning struck a barn belonging to Mr . Joseph Taylor , causing great destruction of farm property and produce . At Heading , tha lightning struck the engine-house at Messrs . Barratt , Exnll , and Co . 's . Two Irish labourers , who had boon reaping a field of benns near Woodhouso , Loicestershiro , woro struck tload by the lightning on Thursday week , while taking shelter under an oak . Owing to the excessive rains , an immanso mass of rock , consisting o £ earth and atones , fell In ^ lio doop cutting near Warmaworth , on the South Yorkshire Railway , last Saturday night . Thq excavation at thla point ia abont one hundred foot deep , chiefly through

      on Monday morning . During the floods in Lancashire last Saturday night , the water collected on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway at Walsden to such a depth as to put out the fire of the engine , and the train was stopped for upwards of five hours .

      limestone ; and large beams of timber were placed across the gullet at intervals to strengthen it . Shortly before nine o ' clock on Saturday night , a goods train passed through the cutting , and almost immediately afterwards one of the crossbeams was heard to crack , and a fall of rock succeeded . The greater portion of the material dropped into the large stone -quarries at the end of the cutting , but sufficient fell on the line to block it up . Fortunately , a person engaged on the line witnessed the accident in time to stop an approaching passenger train from Sheffield and Barnsley , the inmates of which were conveyed back to the Conisborough station and forwarded thence to Doncaster by road . A ballast-engine , however , was thrown across the lines on Sunday night at the scene of the landslip ; but the rail was open again

      Untitled Article

      ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS . Two serious accidents have occurred on the Great Northern Railway , in consequence of the late heary rains . The line was flooded on Thursday week , near Carlton , owing to the insufficiency of the culverts to carry away the immense body of w ater which pressed against them , and which therefore rose to the level of the line , and washed away the ballast and the embankment ( only a few feet high ) , leaving the rails and sleepers suspended like a skeleton above the flood . When the fish train from the north came to the spot it plunged into the gulf , and engine and trucks were instantly submerged . Almost at the same instant , the Edinburgh passenger train came Up from the south , at a rate of between forty and fifty miles an hour , and fell " with a horrible crash into the hole , one of the passenger carriages being thrown completely on the top of another . Most of the passengers had settled themselves into sleeping positio ns * when they were awakened by the shock of the breakdown , and at the same moment were thrown into the torrent . Several of the passengers were considerably shaken and bruised ; and one sustained a spinal injury , while the leg of another was broken . The traffic was impeded for some days .

      A fatal catastrophe has occurred on the Lincoln and Nottingham branch of the Midland Railway . One of the rails gave way , and several empty carriages next the engine left the metals . A panic seized the passengers In the-other-carriages , ' and several leaped but on to the embankment . In doing this , a young lady got her dress entangled in some part of the carriage , and fell on the line . The wheels immediately went over her , and she was killed . . . .. A horrible accident ( says the Durham Advertiser ) occurred on Thursday week to a pitman named Hunter , at

      the Elemore colliery . Hunter , and another man named Lishman , having finished work , came to the bottom of the Lady pit , to be drawn to ' bank . ' They both placed their feet in the loop of a chain , attached to the engine at the mouth of the pit , and , holding to the chain by their hands , began to ascend . After being drawn about half the distance , a loop in the descending chain got over Hunter ' s head , which was completely torn from his body . The headless trunk came to ' bank' with Lishman , the feet in the loop , and the hands still grasping the chain .

      Three lads have been drowned in a creek of the Medway , near Rochester , while bathing . One of them got out of his depth ; tbe others went to hia assistance ; a fourth went off for help ; and tbe three in the wator sank . It is reported in the north of Scotland that another lamentable boat accident has occurred off the Zetland Islands—tho fourth during the present-summer . Seven fishermen arc said to bo drowned by this last catastrophe . A man , named William Harper , forty-five years of age , has been nearly torn to pieces by a horse . He went into a stable for the purpose of feeding the animal , when it seized him by tho hair of the head , and commenced biting him over the head and faco in a frightful manner , nnd shaking him like a dog . Ho was extricated , and convoyed to St . Thomas's Hospital ; 'but no hopes arc entertained of hia recovery .

      Sarah Whetton , wife of a labouring man living at Moss Pitt , two miles from Stafford ( says a Manchester paper ) , was crossing tho London nnd North-Western Railway , near Stafford , on Tuesday , when she was cut down by a train from Birmingham , travelling at express speed . Neither tho engine-driver nor guard noticed any obstruction to the train ; but , on its arriving at Stafford , blood and pieces of llosh woro observed on tho engine . A porter was sent ulong tho Hue , nnd nt tho Mosa Pitt crossing lie discovered tho mangled lemninH of the woman . Tho body hnd boon cut in two across tho bowels , and numerous fragments lay strowod about , presenting a most fearful Hpectaclo . Mrs . Whotton waa eighty yoars of ago , and tho mother of sixteen children , moat of whom are living . She waa in possession of nil her faculties , nnd , «« uho could hoar well , it is not easy to account for her not being aware of tho appro * 0 '* ° f tu 0 train .

      Untitled Article

      SPOLLEN ON THE STAGE . The course pursued by Spollen since his acquittal of the murder of Mr . Little has been very extraordinary . He first went about among his former fellow-workmen , soliciting subscriptions ; but , on these being indignantly refused , he tried another and still more audacious expedient . He advertised that he would give a ' personal narrative , ' at the Prince Patrick Theatre . This he accordingly did on Tuesday , at two periods of the day . The first occasion was at one ^ o ' clock , r . M . Very few persons were present , and these consisted chiefly of youths , representatives of the press , and policemen . Spbllen ' a eldest son James officiated as money-taker , and afterwards , as will be seen , came on the stage . On the

      hero of the day making his appearance , lie addressed the audience in a speech which was not a ' narrative' at all , personal or otherwise , but merely an appeal for pecuniary assistance for himself and son . He said he believed his wife would ' do nothing * for this eonthat she had ' excluded' him . After he had gone on for some time , ho was interrupted by a Mr . Fitzpatrick , one of the audience , who protested against Spollen being allowed to make a speech , adding : — " The fewness of the audience shows that the public are so disgusted that they would not come to listen to this man . If you encourage him , you will be only holding out a bounty to others to follow his example . I come here to-day determined to do my best to show a good example to my fellow-citizens . It is a monstrous thing for that man to come forward to make speeches and to expect to have an audience of the citizens of Dublin . You ( addressing

      Spollen ) got off through the merciful charge of the judge , but there was not a man of the jury that was convinced of your innocence . " Young Spollen hero entered the room , and tried to prevent Mr . Fitzpatrick going on , telling him he was not a gentleman . Tho elder Spollen also called for tho interference of tho police , as there was rent paid for tho place . ' Mr . Fitzpatrick then aaked him who told his wife where the money was . " That is nothing to you , sir , " answered young Spollen , striking in before his father could reply . Mr . Fitzpatrick rejoined that , if he remained till six , ho would not let Spollen go on any further till ho had answered that question . On this , young Spollen said ho would have the questioner removed by a policeman if ho did not desist . Mr . Fitzpatrick retorted that ho had seen many actors on tho stage , but never listened to a man so brazen as young Spollen .

      After aomo further uparring , Spollon , senior , saul : ¦—" Just answer me ono question . " Mr . Fitzpatrick : " The jury have acquitted you , and I cannot say anything . " Spollen , son .: " Answer this question . Supposing I waa tho most guilty man in exiatonco , would you run mo into a hole to Btarve . Now , answer that humane question , " Mr . Fitzpatrick : u Upon my word , I would run vou into whoro you would bo away from tho public , that you might not do further miachiof . " Spollen , son . : " That is not a very Christian opinion . " Mr , Fitzpatrick : " Tho Lord Mayor ought to atop these proceedings . I hope ho will do so . " Spollon , acn . : " I hope it will not bo tho cttso . " Mr . Fitzpntrick : " At any rate there is no ono to listen to you now ; so I may go awny . " Mr . Fit / . patrick the older

      thou loft the room , nnd , after a pause , Spollon proceeded in a low voico . Ho characterized Mr . Fitzpntrlok ' a " ebullition of temper" " not very Chriatian . " Ho then naked what ho was to do , and palmed aa if for an aiittwor , but did not got Ono . IIo then again dilated on IjIh helpless condition , und said that , if it woro not for tlio encumbrance of his family , ho could go into ono of tho poor-houses . Hero lie paused again fora considerable timp , and wipod hU oyos with his handkerchief . On resuming , lio onao more put It to the audience to «» y what ho had best do , and complained " that tho sacred bond of matrimony should bo destroyed by his wllb . " Thou , rising , ho said : — "I think , gentlemen , you will admit I am deserving in Homo way of support . You w » U admit that Mr . Fitaspatrick ' s display——" Ono of tho gcntlomen r . ra « onth « ro interrnntod Spollon ,

      Untitled Article

      STATE OF TRADE . The reports from the manufacturing towns for the week ending last Saturday show a good general business . At Manchester , the markets have been steady , and , since the arrival of the Overland Mail , there have been some , purchases for India . The Birmingham advices are favourable , as regards the iron trade , the orders for America having increased , while in some of the general manufactures of the place there is remarkable animation . At Nottingham , this is usually the dull season . In the woollen districts , the state of prices induces caution ; but there is no want of confidence . The Irish linen markets have been heavy . —Times .

      In the general business of tho port of London during the same week there has been increased activity , the arrivals from the Baltic haying been very large . The number of ships reported inwards was 317 , being 150 more than the previous week . These included 16 with cargoes of sugar , one from Hpng-Kong with tea , and the unusually large number of 100 with cargoes of grain . The total number of vessels cleared outward was 150 , including 25 in ballast , showing an increase of 15 . Of those cleared outward , five are for Shanghai direct , and two for Hone-Kong . — Idem .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 22, 1857, page 797, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2206/page/5/