Carlisle Patriot, 03 Sep 1825 - Local News (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 03 Sep 1825   (p. 2, col. 5-6 and p. 3, col. 1-2 + 5-6)

 

The Rev. James BAKER, A. M. Chancellor of the Diocese of Durham, is preferred to the rectory of Nuneham Courtenay.

 

INQUESTS.—No less than four inquisitions have been taken since the publication of our last number before Richard LOWRY, Esq. coroner:—At Brow-top, parish of Westward, on Friday last, in view of the body of John HEWITSON, aged 53 years, who met with his death in sinking a well there—the same man whose narrow escape from destruction, while engaged in a similar occupation, we related in our paper of the 13th ultimo! On Thursday the 25th, he was engaged, as we have said, in sinking a well for the Rev. R. MATTHEWS, of Wigton; and when at a depth of eighteen feet below the surface, a large body of sand, through which he had previously penetrated, fell in upon him, and when the poor fellow was dug out, about five hours afterwards, he was dead—indeed, he must have been instantaneously suffocated. Verdict, accidental death. Mr. MATTHEWS, with his wonted humanity, had a surgeon, Mr. NICHOL, in attendance, from the time of the accident, until the body was extricated, in order that all possible assistance might be promptly rendered, but his solicitude was unfortunately unavailing. The sufferer had left behind him an afflicted wife and five children.—On Monday last, at Allonby, on the body of Walter M'KENZIE, aged eleven years, who was drowned, the preceding day, while bathing in Allonby-bay. He was an interesting youth from Edinburgh, and he came to Allonby, with his uncle, for the benefit of bathing and sea air; and what rendered the catastrophe peculiarly distressing, was the fact that he perished before the eyes of his relative, who was unable to rescue him. Verdict, accidental death. Connected with this lamentable catastrophe, the following is communicated in a letter from Allonby to a person resident in Carlisle:—

 

"The poor youth's uncle was standing at the water's edge, and seeing his nephew taken off by the receding tide, he rushed into the water, but being unable to swim, he could not reach the object of his anxiety. Just at this moment, a Levite, a man who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel, though not of the Church of England, passed by on horseback on his way to neighbouring place to preach, and was intreated by the distracted uncle to hasten and alarm the inhabitants of Allonby, the only chance of rescuing the perishing youth, but this was the humane reply: No, his death be upon your head; it is the judgment of the Lord for the violation of the Sabbath."

 

We are assured that this is an unexaggerated, unembellished fact; but we earnestly hope, for the sake of religion, for the sake of human nature, that we shall next week have to lay before our readers a somewhat different version of the heartless story.—On Tuesday last, at Brampton, in view of the body of James WILSON, aged 40 years, a well-known coal-leader, who came to his end under the following circumstances. James WITTAN, of Brampton, deposed that on Monday, returning from Carlisle, he got on a cart belonging to Wm. ARMSTRONG, partly laden with different articles. Near High Crosby, the cart overtook the deceased, who was driving a horse, and appeared to have been far gone in intoxication. At Crosby-moor, the deceased was anxious to mount the cart, and ARMSTRONG, from kindness, permitted him to do so, and he sat upon the foreboard until he arrived near Newby toll-bar, when he suddenly fell off and the wheel passed over his belly, and though immediate assistance was rendered, he died in about a quarter of an hour, merely uttering, "Oh dear, I am killed." Verdict of the Jury, accidental death.—At Wetheral, on Wednesday, on the body of Edmund LANGHORN, aged 50 years, who shot himself through the head with a gun, on the preceding day, while labouring under a fit of mental derangement, and instantly expired. Verdict, Lunacy.

 

The following anecdotes of the unfortunate WILSON have been communicated by a correspondent:—Honest Jamie often indulged, both before and after disposing of his black diamonds, in a cup of ale too much: he was no lover of spirits, though born and bred in the land of poteen. At seven o'clock at night, he might generally be found soliciting custom in Carlisle, but he always arrived in time next morning. He had the misfortune to lose more horses than any of his competitors on that road, yet Jamie was seldom a whole day without one; and no human being ever used a poor animal worse as far as short allowance went. Many a narrow escape from the "fell serjeant" has poor Jamie had! In December, 1823, as Mr. TELFORD, auctioneer, Carlisle, was returning from a sale in Northumberland, he came in contact with Jamie's two carts, near Millhouses, on the Brampton road, standing across the turnpike, blocking up all passage, James lying across the fore-end of one of them, apparently in a lifeless state: no resurrection-man would have doubted the consummation had he fallen in with such a subject. The auctioneer, in his best professional manner, cried aloud, "Dead or alive!" three times, and, with his whip, suited the action to the word. Jamie moved not: on nearer examination the touch told the same tale, 'dead! dead!' there was no motion, no heat, no speculation in his eye. This was at two o'clock, on a stormy morning, in a dreary road! At full gallop the humane auctioneer proceeds to the nearest inn, Mr. Joseph LENNOX's. There he proclaims the death of poor Jamie. The landlady spied approaching trouble, and grumbled, and grumbled; nevertheless, 'prompt' was the word. A door, two chairs, and a candle were placed in an out-house for the reception of the defunct; and off set the landlord and auctioneer to remove the body. But on their arrival, they inspected the black diamond dealer more narrowly, found that he breathed,—that he was not death for want of breath, but only dead-drunk. Coming a little to himself, he talked with his usual license, and received as an appropriate reward,—not the lash of another tongue, but the lash of the whip, and then he was set onwards on his road. This is only one of many similar adventures; and he persisted in his old courses to the end of the chapter, though often warned of the probable fate that awaited him.—Alas! poor Jamie!

 

THE THEATRE.—Until within these few days we had no opportunity of visiting the Theatre. The company, on the whole, is mediocre. The females, in particular, are any thing but shining lights. The men have more merit, especially Mr. FITZWAYLET, who is a good actor in the higher walks of the drama, though his physical powers are confined, and he has a very unnatural goggle of the eyes, literally, as a friend observed on Saturday night, in Lear, "turning them inside out." The manager's own varied abilities are well known; and they would appear to still greater advantage, could he be persuaded to keep himself within reasonable bounds, for, whatever he may think, his proneness to caricature, on all occasions, makes "the judicious grieve," notwithstanding the laugh now and then raised by it in the gallery. Mr. W. ALEXANDER is also well known in Carlisle. Messrs. EMLEY and TAYLOR are new faces. The former is an actor of considerable talent; the latter is respectable. Of the remainder we have nothing to say, except that they belong to the crowd. The old system of late hours is still pursued—it is a very bad one, and loudly calls for reformation.

 

 

[to be continued]