460 
able farmer, of Rowfant, Sussex, 
on his réturn from shooting, pro- 
ceeded to draw the charge; and, 
having returned to his pouch such 
of the shot as came easily out, pur- 
sued the practice common in such 
cases, of knocking the butt end of 
his gun against the cicling, in order 
to dislodge the rest, whilst his right 
haud was employed at the muzzle to 
catch them. By this the cock was 
forced down, the powder discharged, 
and the hand dreadfully lacerated. 
A surgeon extracted a portion of 
felt from the wound; but some 
fragments remaining, they brought 
on a mortification. ‘The unfortu- 
nate man refusing to submit to am- 
putation, expired under great ageny, 
leaving a widow and six children. 
This night, about half past seven, 
a fire broke out in the elaboratory 
of Mr. Maud, in St. Paul’s-alley, 
Hare-court, Aldersgate-street. The 
conflagration was dreadful. The 
flames spread with the greatest 
rapidity, and the poor unfortunate 
inhabitants who lived adjoining, had 
scarcely time to save even their 
lives. ‘Their furniture and other 
effects are completely destroyed, 
The whole of Paul’s-alley, up to 
Barbican, in three quarters of an 
hour became a heap of ruins. 
15th. Owing to the wet and tem- 
pestuous state of the weather, the 
Cliff to the east of Brighton, be- 
tween the Steine and the Crescent, 
has been undermined by the tide, 
and a great piece of it fell down 
this day. The road to Rottingdean 
is completely severed. Ten unfi- 
nished houses were blown down, 
~ 16th. A correspondence has taken 
place between the deputy high bailiff 
of Westminster, and Mr. Paull, in 
which the latter refuses to pay any 
part of the expences incurred by the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
‘pan, the pistol missed fire. 
: 1806. 
high bailiff, in taking the poll at the 
late election,, except his proportion 
for erecting the hustings. 
17th. Mr. William Ludlam, with 
whom the philanthropic annuity plan 
originated, called ‘a meeting this day 
at the London Tavern, and, on 
being opposed by some of | the 
stock-holders, he grew outrageous, 
and proposed to such of the gentle- 
men as were. dissatisfied with’ his 
management, to purchase . their 
shares at a guinea premium. -Many 
of them acceded to the proposal. 
As soon as the proceedings were 
over, he ordered dinner for himself 
and his clerk, in the front parlour 5 
and, on the waiter bringing in a 
dish of mutton chops, he threw 
them at him, and before he could 
quit the room, discharged at him the 
rest of the dishes, with their contents, 
besides a decanter, and the wine 
it contained. One of the dishes 
perforated a valuable painting in the 
room. On the waiter turning 
round, he saw a horse pistol] pre- 
sented at him, and, before he could 
utter a word, Mr. L. snapped it at 
him, but no powder being in the 
These 
outrageous proceedings alarmed the 
whole tavern, and no person could 
be found to enter the room. Mr, 
L. kept ringing the bell violently, 
but to no purpose. ‘At length Mr. 
Peacock, one of the masters of the | 
tavern, entered the room, when Mr. 
L, after making him drink a glass of 
wine, got between him.and_ the 
door, and, snatching up two pistols, 
threatened to shoot him dead if he 
stirred. ‘The lord-mayor, who was 
dining at the tavern with a select 
party, made out a warrant for his 
apprehension ; but Mr. L. by this 
time aware that measures were tak- 
ing to seize him, sent his clerk to 
his — 
