Saturday 14 Dec 1844 (p. 2, col. 8 - p. 3, col. 1) We copied, from a Sunderland paper last week, a paragraph insinuating that the Rev. J. S. SMITH, who is supposed to have been drowned while bathing near that town, had fled abroad on the wings of love, with a young lady belonging to his congregation. We have been requested to state that the report is wholly without foundation, and we with pleasure do justice to the character of the late lamented gentleman, who appears to have been held in high respect in Sunderland. It appears the report originated with some malicious persons in Whitby. FATAL ACCIDENT IN A COAL PIT.-On Thursday week, between five and six o'clock, a serious accident occurred at Parton Pit, by which a man named John Shilton lost his life. The deceased, who had only left his wife and numerous family about an hour and a half, was in the act of laying one of his jumpers, which he was about to use, when the roof gave way and between twenty and thirty cwts. of top coal fell upon him, which fractured his skull and arm in a shocking manner, and otherwise so bruised him that he only spoke twice after the catastrophe occurred. His partner, who was only a few yards distant when the accident took place, lost no time in procuring assistance to remove him home, where he was immediately attended by Mr. Fidler, surgeon, of this town, who used every conceivable means to restore life, but in vain.-Whitehaven Herald. A melancholy but singular coincidence connected with this neighbourhood has just taken place. The news of the death of Mr. A. G. FINLAY, master of the Bilton of Newcastle, at Calcutta, reached North Shields, his native town, during last week. Mrs. FINLAY, who had recently been confined in child-bed, died at North Shields, on the 5th of November. The outward mail crossing the "Isthmus of Suez," conveying the intelligence to India of Mrs. FINLAY's death, at the same moment met the overland mail conveying to England the melancholy information of Mr. FINLAY's death. A woman, named Margaret CHARLTON, accidentally set fire to her gown, in her room in Sandgate, Newcastle, and was dreadfully burnt. She was removed to the Infirmary, where she died on Monday last. An inquest was held before Mr. STOKER, coroner, and a verdict was returned of "Accidental death."