WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER 5 SEPTEMBER 1851 LOCAL INTELLIGENCE THE LATE MR. TREMAYNE - On Saturday last, all the shops in St. Austell were closed throughout the day in respect for the late MR. TREMAYNE, of Heligan. The bells of the church were muffled and tolled as the hearse passed through the town. COOKE'S ROYAL CIRCUS - On Monday last, MR. COOKE's party gave two performances in a field near St. Austell, belonging to MR. HODGE, of the St. Austell foundry. At twelve o'clock a grand entrance into the town took place, Mr. Cooke driving sixteen horses in hand. The afternoon performance was but thinly attended, but in the evening it was crowded, and the performances gave general satisfaction. MORELAND'S THEATRE - This company performed at the Assembly-Room, Truro, on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, the 28th ult. There was a large attendance on Monday to witness the play entitled "Valsha," or the "Slave Queen," with other entertainments. THE NAVY - MR. JOHN R. RODD, first Lieutenant of HM.S. "Britannia," son of MRS. RODD, of Mount Charles, Truro, has been promoted to the rank of Commander. Commander THOMAS FERRIS (1815) is promoted to be Captain on the reserved list. AN IMPOSTER - On Wednesday the 27th instant, a person under the assumed name of BOWDEN, who stated that he was from Roche, visited many persons in St. Stephens in Branwell, with a begging petition under the pretence that he had lost two horses, worth GBP 30, which had been poisoned out of revenge. The petition bore the signatures of several influential persons in the neighbourhood, but on being closely questioned his evasive answers excited suspicion that all was not right, and he was subsequently apprehended. On the next morning he was brought before Mr. E. COODE, jun., at St. Austell, when he confessed that the whole story was a fabrication and the petition a forgery. He stated that his real name was GEORGE SILVERTON, that his native place was Helston, and that he was by trade a printer. It appeared also from the evidence of police constable WESTLAKE, that the prisoner had been in the neighbourhood with a petition some time previously. He was committed to the house of correction at Bodmin, as a rogue and vagabond for the full period of three calendar months, with hard labour. ABSCONDING OF AN ASSISTANT OVERSEER - No little excitement has existed in Penzance for several days past, in consequence of its having been discovered that MR. JOHN TRUDGEN, the assistant overseer had absconded, leaving a considerable defalcation in his accounts. It appears that a person who wished to see him on Friday last, not finding him at home early in the morning, went to MR. J. B. READ, one of the overseers, and informed him of the fact. Mr. Read, on going up to his residence and making inquiries respecting him, was told that he had left the house on the previous morning about eleven o'clock, and had not been home since. Mr. Read, being aware that there was a defalcation in his accounts of about GBP 200 on the poor's rate, and of about GBP 50 on the lighting rate, immediately suspected that all was not right. We understand that for the poor's rate the overseers hold a bond from the Guarantee Society - for more than the amount of the defalcation. POLICEMAN OLDS, of Penzance, left the town the same day in pursuit, with the warrant in his possession for the arrest of the defaulter. Mr. Trudgen has held the office of assistant overseer for about three years, having previously held the appointment of highway collector. He was also secretary to the teetotal society, and appeared to take great interest in the promotion of temperance principles. It is supposed that he fled for Liverpool via Hayle and Bristol, and that he may have sailed at the former part for America. He is said to have been seen on board the "Brilliant" steamer dressed very smartly, and wearing green spectacles with the supposed purpose of escaping recognition. He is about 54 years of age. LISKEARD COUNTY COURT - On Tuesday last, G.G. KEKEWICH Esq. held a County Court at Liskeard, when several cases of the usual description were tried. WILLIAMS v. SNELL and SYMONS - This case excited considerable interest. The object of the plaintiff was to obtain GBP 10 damages for false imprisonment. MR. BISHOP, solicitor of Fowey, for plaintiff, stated that Williams's tenant under Snell, was in the habit of borrowing a half hundred weight of Snell for the purpose of weighing out his coal to customers, that after having been distrained for rent and turned out of his house, he still rented a stable of Snell in which this weight, unused, lay. Snell brought Symons, a constable, to get this weight, and took Williams into custody and brought him before the Mayor on a charge of felony. The Mayor, after hearing both sides, and knowing that there was ill feeling existing, dismissed the case as frivolous and ungrounded, hence the cause of action. MR. CHILDS, solicitor, Liskeard, for defendants pleaded no detention, and if detention, justification thereof. He argued that no action lay against Snell, and maintained that there was no evidence to show that the man was in custody; that he went home to fetch his wife and went voluntarily before the Mayor; and that no action lay against Symons as he simply did his duty. His Honor thought that the case did not come under his jurisdiction. If a grossly malicious prosecution had been intended by Snell, the case lay in a superior court. Judgment for defendants. FIRE - On Sunday evening last, between eight and nine o'clock, a fire was discovered in the roof of a dwelling-house on a farm called Plynt's Barn, about half a mile from Truro on the Falmouth road, and in the occupation of MR. GREEN. The fire was first discovered near the western end of the roof, and close to the chimney. The alarm being given, a large number of persons congregated on the spot, and one of the town engines and a portion of the fire-brigade were soon there, but from the want of water the engine was of no service. The only supply to be had was from a pump in the farm-yard, and this supply it was deemed proper to reserve in order to check any ignition of the corn-stacks and cattle-houses. In consequence of the dwelling house being very thickly thatched, it was a long time burning, but about half-past twelve o'clock it fell in, and soon after that all danger of the further progress of the fire seemed to have ceased. The stock and furniture, we understand, were insured. The damage cannot have been very considerable amount, as the house was a very old one. The fire has not been in any way clearly accounted for. By some it has been attributed to the chimney taking fire, whilst others suppose it to have been the work of an incendiary. MAIL COACH ACCIDENT - On Wednesday morning last, the two-horse mail from Penzance to Truro being heavily laden, it was deemed necessary to attach a leader, which was ridden by the ostler at Tyack's Hotel, Camborne. The coach proceeded until about two miles from Truro, when on descending Gloweth hill (where the drag is not used) the wheel horses came down so fast that the leader could not keep ahead, and consequently fell. The wheelers fell over the leader, and the coach was upset, precipitating the coachman and passengers into the road. The coachman, named LEVERTON, received a very severe contusion of the face, and on examination it was discovered that his leg was broken. He was brought to Truro in one of the St. Agnes vans which came by at the time, and was immediately seen at the Royal Hotel, by DR. BULLMORE, who from the nature of his wounds deemed it advisable at once to have him removed to the Royal Cornwall Infirmary. On further examination, it was discovered that he had, in addition to the injuries before-mentioned, sustained a fracture of the neck of the thigh-bone, but we hope he will do as well as the nature of the case will admit. There were five passengers on the top of the coach, MR. COCK and MR. COULSON, both of Penzance, and two or three foreigners. Fortunately they all escaped injury, with the exception of Mr. Cock, who with the fall had the bones of his nose fractured, but was immediately attended to on arriving in Truro, and was able to return to his home in the course of the day. The inside passengers were the Rev. CHARLES MOORE, of Penzance, and his family, who we are happy to say all escaped with merely a few bruises. A chaise belonging to MR. ANDREW, of the hotel, Redruth, came up at the time from Truro, and immediately returned there with the mail-bags, and the Rev. C. Moore's family. MR. PEARCE, of the Royal Hotel, Truro, dispatched carriages at once to the scene of the disaster, and the passengers who wished to proceed by the mail arrived at Truro in time to do so. The postillion who was riding the leader received an injury of the leg, but to what extent we have not heard. After the accident he was put into a van from St. Agnes going to Truro, but on meeting SPARKS's omnibus on the way to Redruth, the poor fellow requested to be taken back by it that he might go to his home at Camborne. The coach was so little damaged that it was taken to Penzance again on the same day. MINE ACCIDENT - On Friday last, as a young man called MATTHEW DANIELL was at work in the 50- fathom level to the westward, in Ding Dong mine, a quantity of 'deads' fell away and enclosed him in a small space barely sufficient to allow him to move. Immediate assistance was at hand, and in less than an hour the rubbish was removed, and Daniell taken out, strange to say, unhurt. CORONER'S INQUESTS - The following inquests have been held before MR. JOHN CARLYON, county coroner: On Friday last, at Carharrack, in the parish of Gwennap, on the body of ROBERT BARRETT, aged 21 years. The deceased was a miner, and worked at Bell and Lanarth mine. On Thursday last, he was employed at the adit, landing the water barrel, which two of his comrades were filling from the pump, about 20 fathoms below, when, by some means or other, but it is impossible to say how, as there was no one with him at the time, he fell down by their side and was killed on the spot. Verdict, accidental death. On Tuesday, at St. Agnes, on the body of JOHN COCK, aged 15 years, who was killed at Polberou Consols mine, on Monday, by his clothes getting entangled in some machinery, which he was putting to work. Verdict, Accidental death. Julia Mosman, OPC for St.Austell,Charlestown, and Treverbyn Website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell W. Briton newspaper transcripts at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad Please visit the OPC website at http://cornwall-opc.org