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The Hampshire Chronicle.

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Monday, August 19th, 1782




WINCHESTER, Saturday, August 17.

Late this evening it was discovered, that the felons confined in the dungeon belonging to the county gaol in this city, had for some time past been endeavouring to effect their escape, and had not the discovery been made when it was, every one of them would have been at large before the morning, together with Tyrie, now under sentence of death for high treason, who was the first object to have been released. - The circumstance which led to this discovery is as follows : On Friday evening Tyrie enquired how thick the wall of his cell was. He was answered, Three feet. He expressed some wonder at its being built so thick, and being asked, if he had any thoughts of trying to break out, he answered in the negative; but seemed to intimate that less substance would have been sufficiently secure. The Keeper of the Prison, being struck with the oddity of this conversation, made in the course of his day a minute search round the walls of the cells, and fortunately discovered in the malefactors dungeon a piece of plank, which gave way on receiving a hard stroke with the hammer. On taking out the plank, it was found that the brick work had been removed, nearly the whole thickness of the wall, and the bricks were replaced again in exact order, but so loose as to be taken out in a few minutes. Their tools were also concealed here, consisting of a hammer, some large chissels, a hand - saw, &c. What rendered a discovery very difficult, is the inside of the cells, having been lately white washed, and the plank was cut out in an irregular direction, so as to slip in and out with great nicety, and the delinquents had every morning after their work very carefully done over the crevice with a thick white [ce]ment, so as to correspond exactly with the upper part of the wall. This business is supposed to have been in hand upwards of a fortnight; and it is discovered, that when Graham (who was apprehended here for negotiating counterfeit bank notes) called at the gaol to see Tyrie, he gave him half a guinea, which money appears to have been laid out in purchasing implements to work their escape. - Throughout the whole of Tyrie's deportment since he has been under the dreadful sentence of the law, he had not shewn any apparent expectation of death, and has plainly manifested his reliance on the success of this attempt, which has been thus timely and fortunately frustrated. After securing the prisoners, the Keeper began making the strictest enquiry for the person that furnished them with the implements, who it is much to be wished, will not remain long undetected.
It has been reported, that a reprieve was brought down for Tyrie by a King's Messenger last night; but we have authority to say it is without foundation, and that he will be executed next Saturday at Portsmouth, agreeable to his sentence, which may be seen in his Trial, published at large by J. Wilkes, printer of this paper, from the notes taken in Court by Mr. Gurney.

This morning died, after a short illness, greatly respected and lamented, Francis Swanton, Esq. for many years in the Commission of the Peace. He was a just and upright Magistrate, of a cheerful temper and disposition, and possessed of every qualification that could give a value to, or adorn human nature.

David Tyrie, who was convicted of High-Treason on Saturday, for holding a correspondence with the French, was the projector of the late gold coinage, for which, it is said, he was offered a place of �200 a year, which he refused, considering it inadequate to his services. He was then a clerk to a merchant in London; afterwards he went into trade as a merchant for himself, and failed; he then settled at Gosport, where he committed the crime for which he was cast.
As David Tyrie, convicted last Saturday of holding a treasonable correspondence with France, was able to ascertain an estimate of the sum that would be necessary for bribing a clerk in several of the public offices, are there not some grounds for a suspicion that he had accomplices in some, if not in all the offices alluded to ? This matter should at least, be keenly investigated, that the guilty parties, if there are any, may no longer remain in a situation which enable them to do their country more fatal injury by a single whisper, than an enemy would, perhaps, be able to effect by fair and open hostilities in the course of years.

Since our last, Patrick Crow, Timothy Hanlon, and James Rorks, three private soldiers in the Anglesea militia, were committed to our goal, by John Doswell, Esq. mayor and Mr. J. White, charged with breaking open a bureau in the dwelling-house of Henry Talmage of this city, and stealing about six shillings in half-pence.
Also, Joseph Cull, committed by Henry Compton, Esq. ; for having a gun and several parts of a deer in his possession, for one year's imprisonment.





NOAH's ARK, SOUTHAMPTON,

Consisting of nine Tenements, with a Bathing House, Storehouses, &c. contiguous to the same, to be SOLD in Lots at the Three Tuns in French street, on Friday the 30th of this present August, at six o'clock in the evening, by Mr. THO. ELDRIDGE, Auctioneer.




W I N C H E S T E R

TO be SOLD by AUCTION, on Tuesday, August the 20th instant, by Mr. BRERETON, at Burcher's Assembly-Room in the City of Winchester, ALL the BOOKS, which were to have been sold in May last, and postponed for want of bidders, belonging to the late Reverend Mr. Cutler, of Droxford, they consist of thirty-five large lots of good Books, also Damask Chairs, and some useful furniture - The sale will begin at eleven o'clock.
Mr. Brereton has one perfect Catalogue printed, which will be seen in the room.




SOUTHAMPTON

ALL Persons indebted to the estate of THOMAS FORD, of the Town and County of Southampton, Bookseller, a Bankrupt, are desired immediately to pay the same to Mr. Joseph Taylor, of Southampton aforesaid, one of the Assignees of the said Bankrupt's effects, or to Mr. Thomas Aduley Payne, of the same place, Attorney at Law, otherwise the Assignees will be under the necessity of prosecuting them without further notice.




To the LADIES and GENTLEMEN OF, and IN,
SOUTHAMPTON.

I SHOULD think myself for ever unworthy of all future consideration, had I not taken this earliest opportunity of returning such thanks as flow from a heart actuated by the warmer gratitude, for the uncommon instance of benevolence and support, which last Monday evening I was honoured with, by the appearance of so numerous, so generous an audience. - Let me then presume to say - The Widow and her Orphans BLESS their Benefactors !
ANNE GAUDRY[?]




To C R E D I T O R S.

THE Creditors of JOHN BRICKNELL, late of West-Meon, in the County of Southampton, Schoolmaster and Surveyor, are requested to send an account of their demands, and the nature of their securities, to Mr. Rumbold, of West Meon aforesaid, or to Mr. Winter, of New Alresford, on or before the 24th day of September next. And all persons indebted to the said John Bricknell are desired to pay their respective debts to the said Mr. Rumbold, or Mr. Winter, on or before the said 24th day of September, soon after which a time and place will be fixed for dividing the said John Bricknell's effects among his creditors.




MITCHELDEVER, HANTS.

JAMES, the Brother of JOHN DRAPER, late of Mitcheldever, Shopkeeper, having informed himself of the state of the said John's affairs, would advise him to meet his creditors, and answer their demands as far as his effects will go, which he is warranted in concluding will nearly, if not quite, discharge his whole debts, or at least so far as to satisfy his creditors.
All persons having demands on the said John Draper, will deliver them to Mr. Huntingford, Attorney-at-Law, Odiham, to whom those who are indebted to him will pay their respective debts forthwith, in order to an immediate dividend of the estate and effects of the said John Draper.