CHRONICLE. 



25 



Mr. Edward Maj'', at Hopgate, 

 Minehead, which raged with un- 

 common fury for several hours, 

 when nearly the whole of the dwel- 

 ling-house, offices, extensive barns, 

 stables, linneys, &c. were consum- 

 ed, together with a quantity of 

 wheat in the barns, farming uten- 

 sils, a mare and colt, some sheep, 

 &c. Most of the household furni- 

 ture was saved, though much in- 

 jured. Not long since, a vessel was 

 scuttled and sunk in Minehead quay, 

 laden wdth corn, for Wales, part of 

 which belonged to Mr. May, who 

 is a considerable dealer in corn; 

 at the same time incendiary hand- 

 bills were stuck up, threatening to 

 bum the houses of all who should 

 continue to .ship wheat and flour at 

 that place, and Mr. May was par- 

 ticularised. 



22nd. This morning the following 

 melancholy circumstance happened 

 in the parish of Siston, Gloucester- 

 shire : Samuel Fussel, of the Crown 

 Inn, Warmly, collector of the taxes 

 for the said parish, attended by the 

 constable and other persons, went 

 to take a distress of some hay, at the 

 house of Edward Wilmot, of Siston- 

 Hill (an old man of very considera- 

 ble property), for some arrears of 

 taxes due from him. Wilmot had 

 before prepared a gun loaded with 

 a ball, which he discharged at Fus- 

 sell as he was passing near his house. 

 The ball entered at the eye, and 

 went through the back part of the 

 head, and he instantly expired. — 

 Wilmot was observed to recharge 

 the gun, so that it was some time 

 before any person ventured to go 

 near him. When he was appre- 

 hended, a loaded pistol was found 

 in his pocket. 



At the assizes for Gloucestershire, 

 Wilmot was tried and convicted of 



the murder, and hanged at Glou- 

 cester. He was about sixty-four 

 years of age, and for several years 

 in his youth worked in the coal- 

 mines at Bitton ; in this employ he 

 saved some money, and purchased 

 land at Siston, in the same parish, 

 where, by his parsimonious con- 

 duct, he amassed considerable pro- 

 perty. In person he was of low 

 stature, and of a very mean con- 

 temptible appearance ; his dress in 

 general very shabby. Avarice had 

 engrossed his very soul, and dead- 

 ened every sensation of humanity ; 

 indeed, he appeared quite insensi- 

 ble of emotion to the pathetic ad- 

 dress of the judge, who very hu- 

 manely directed, that his property 

 should be divided among his nume- 

 rous poor relations ; as he had most 

 obstinately refused to dispose of any 

 part of it, before his trial, and af- 

 terwards appeared equally inatten- 

 tive to the welfare of those who 

 were to survive him j in short, 

 a more ignorant, stupid, sordid 

 wretch, perhaps never existed. He 

 had lived to an old age, wholly vn- 

 beloved or esteemed ; and justly 

 fell a victim to the offended laws of 

 God and man, unpitied, unlamen- 

 ted. 



29th. Thisday, hismajestywent 

 in state to the house of peers; where 

 he closed the session of parliament, 

 by a speech from the throne. 



Came on, at Worcester assizes, 

 the trial of Samuel F. Waddington, 

 on an information for forestalling 

 hops. The information contained 

 a great many counts : and, after a 

 long trial, which lasted till the 

 evening, the jury found Mr. Wad- 

 dington guilty on all the counts in 

 the information. 



Died. In Clarges-street, Picca- 

 dilly; John Skrimahire Boothby 



