The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-31 00:00:00

'THE TOWER OF LONDON.

The Tower, as probably every country cousin knows,
is actually a number of towers, barracks, private
residences, store-rooms, and a church, surrounded on
three sides by ramparts and a deep trench, situated
on the northern bank of the Thames, just beyond the
City boundaries. It is• in fact, one of the oldest
buildings in the metropolis, and, owing to its historic
surroundings, is also one of the most interesting
structures that London has to show. The par-
ticular portion of the grand old fortress selected
hy some miscreant or miscreants upon which to
ccr.ak their vengeance is that denominated the
Gr, at or White Tower, which forms the central
object in the vast range of buildings. It was, as a
matter of fact, the original building cf them all,
and was the outcome of the determination of William
the Conqueror to dominate the people over whom he
had obtained sway by conquest. In the banquetting
hull, a room about 90ft. long a- d 60ft wide, were
-stacked a vast number of new Martini-Henry rifles,
ready for issue to the variaus depnts. They were in
two tiers, one above the other, and in open spaces by
the windows were also stacks of ancient fire-arms,
while against the walls were trophies of swords, lances,
and other weapons, intermingled with flags. About
18in. from the wall which divides this apartment
from St. John's Chapel there stood on Saturday
one of the stacks of rifles referred to, and
the supposition is that some person must have
deposited behind this stack an explosive of some
kind or other, which has caused all the mis-
chief. It appears that as nearly as possible at
two o'clock, while a considerable number. of people
were in the building, a terrific explosion occurred,
described by one of the soldiers on duty as similar to
the bursting of a gun. There was also observes a
brilliant flash of flame, and instantly those people
who were unluckily in the particular locality were, in
addition to being deafened by the sound, blinded and
injured more or less by falling timbers and broken
class which showered upon them. The rifles in the
south-east corner of the Banqueting Hall came
toppling down on to the floor, the ceiling immediately
above was rent for a distance of some feet, and
several of the magnificent plate-glass cases, full of
ancient arms and armour, in the floor above, fell to
pieces. and the skylights in the roof gave way with
a terrific crash. At the time of the occurrence there
were many men and women in the builiing, and
these gave vent to loud cries and screams. When,
however, the dust cleared away, the officials in
charge immediately set to work to ascertain the
amount of damage done, and render assistance to
the injured. Assistant Commissary-General Thorne,
who was in charge of the establishment, rushed in to
find r,n excited throng of people making their way
outwards, and flame issuing from the floor. While
other officials attended to those who were frightened
and hurt, the Commissionary-General turned his at-
tention to extinguishing the fire. Under the direction
of Art* Garnham the hydrants and other flamesala-
doing apparatus were quickly brought into requisition
and in a very short space of time left practically little
or nothing for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, under
Captain Shaw, and their three engines to do. There
were at the time three constables on duty in the build-
ing and these devoted their attention more particu-
larly to the injured visitors. These were, however,
happily not very numerous, as, although many had
been struck by the falling debris, the majority of
thorn 4.
loose who sustained the most severe Injuries were
Annie Nunn, aged 19, of Poplar. who was suffering
from a burn on the face; Elizabeth Ballam, aged 20,
resident in the same locality, who had sustained in-
juries to the face from contusion; Herbert George,
aged 11, of Bow, whose fingers were cut and his thigh
injured; and Ernest Stratton, aged 12, also of Bow,
who was cut on the side of the head. A police cordon
was immediately formed up outside the western gate,
refusing passage even to the gate except for good and
sufficient reason, Warders and police collected all
the visitors, took their names and addresses, and dis-
missed them in little paities by the western gate as
rapidly as possible. Meantime the news of the out-
rage had spread, and officers and officials of the
Tower who were away on leave hurried back to the
scene of their duty, while many distinguished visitors
came to witness the effect of the explosion. The
Lord Mayor arrived very speedily from the Man-
sion House, followed later in he afternoon by
Count Miinster (the German Ambassador), and
many officers of the Horse Guards' Staff, by Lord
Chelmsford and General Milman, the major of the
Tower. Under the direction of Lord Chelmsford and
General Milman, an examination of the scene of the
explosion was made directly the Tower Fire Brigade
had reported the fire extinguished. It was found
that the flooring for some distance round and the
nearest rifle racks in the banqueting hall were torn
into splinters, hundreds of the valuable arms were
piled together in a heap, some smashed and twisted,
from having experienced the full force of the explo-
sion, the damage being graduated in the case of
others; until some were not visibly injured, or only
damaged to the extent of being displaced and deluged
with water. The result of the examination by
the high officials, in conjunction with Colonel
Munro, the assistant commissioner of polico,
Colonel Bowman, assistant - commissioner of
the City Police, Superintendent Arnold, and
Inspector Aberline was the conclusion that the explo:.
sion was caused by dynamite. This was at once com-
municated to the War Office, with an expression of
opinion that the explosion at the Tower and that at
We,ttninster were the work of the same agency, and
were intended to take place at or about the same
time.

One young man was arrested out of the number
.of
visitors who were present at the time of the explosion,
and he was seen and questioned in the evening by
Colonel Munro, the newly-appointed Commissioner
of Police, and Superintendent Arnold, of the IT
Division. He is stated to be an Irish American, and
had .E 7 in his possession. He gave an address which
was found to be false, and remains in custody.
Inspector West, of the same division, about the same
time took the statement of two women who had been
visiting the Tower, with a little girl, and who saw two
men acting in a suspicious manner near the scene of
the explosion.

From early morning on Sunday crowds of people
congregated in the vicinity of the Tower, anxious, if
po.,ible, to see any signs of the explosion. In the
afternoon the Duke of Cambridge, attended by
Colonel Lord Algernon Lennox, one of his aides de-
camp, arrived at the Tower, and was conducted over
the building by Major-General Milman. An inspection
of the White Tower showed that, without one or two
exceptions, the glass in every window has been
shattered, while in in- many instances the leaden
framework as well had been blown bodily out, and
was merely sustained by the junction with the stone-
work of one small portion. The south face of the
clock was also broken, but the works appeared to be
uninjured, as the clock still indicated the correct time.
Fragments of glass bestrewed the ground of the great
quadrangle in which the White Tower stands, but
sin enlarly enough not one of the surrounding build-
ings has sustained any damage whatever. Although
every window in St. John's Cha)pel is shattered, it
was observed that Queen Elizabeth's Armoury, which
is im medial ely underneath it was not injured in a similar
way That is aecounted for by the fact that the doer
leading into the former place was standing open,
while that into the latter was closed, and when the
explosion occurred the wave would appear to have
been 'carried right round the chapel with such force as to
shatter all the glass, and in the case of the eastern
windows, to dislodge portions of the stone into which
the leaden frame of the windows was inserted. In the
northern wall of this structure also against which it is
supposed the explosive was placed, there is a slight
crack visible, and- some of the plaster has fallen. The
damage it is computed will reach several thousands of
DOURCLII.

On Monday morning there was a considerable
crowd round Palace-yard, but no one was allowed
access to the building except those having business
there, as Colonel Majendie and the other Inspectors
of Explosives were continuing their investigation of
the scene of the outrage in the House of Commons.
The utmost precautions were taken for the
safety of other buildings in the metropolis,
particularly at the Government and other publip
offices in and out of the City, while at the General
Post and London Central Telegraph offices
searching parties were organiied immediately
after the explosion, and a thorough search made
throughout those buildings. At t'he Metropolitan
Railway precautions were taken, and att suspicious
travellers are narrowly watched both by the railway

and the police authorities. It has been thought advis-
able that the police on duty at the House of Deten-
tion, Clerkenwell, Coldbath-fields, Clerkenwell, and
the Model Prison, Caledonian-road, should be con-
siderably strengthened, in case any attempt similar
to that which was perpetrated in December, 1867,
at the House of Detention, Clerkenwell, should be
made again, and persons of a suspicious character
passing near those prisons are closely watched.
The State apartments at Windsor were closed, and a
notice to the effect that they would remain closed
until further orders was exhibited on the gates of the
office opposite the Round Tower, and in consequence
of the recent attempts to destroy public buildings,
Mr. G. M. Bander, the superintendent of the Royal
Courts of Justice, has issued a notice to the effect
that the gatekeepers have had instructions to satisfy
themselves (by examination if necessary) of the con-
tents of any bag, parcel, &.c., before it will be allowed
to be taken into the building.
Photographers from the War and Home Offices
have been engaged in taking negatives at the scene of
the explosion in the Tower. Tolerably satisfactory
pictures, considering the defective light, were obtained
of the wreckage from various positions. Colonel
Majendie and his assistants having been engaged at
the House of Commons, had to defer their special
examination of the Tower until Tuesday. There is
now really no doubt as to the manner in which the
explosion was caused. During the day there were
numerous applications for admission, but very few were
successful, mere curiosity being, in the majority of cases,
the only pretext the applicants could offer in support
of their-rinuests. Amongst those who inspected
the scene were General Alderson, Surveyor General
of Ordnance, Colonel Arbuthnot, Superintendent of
the Small Arms Factory at ElifieJcl, and Colonel
Hume. A notice was posted outside the ticket office
door stating that the exhibitions are closed to the
public for the present, and it will probably be some
weeks before order is restored. The damage inside
the Tower proves to be even greater than at first ap-
peared, but still comparatively few of the objects in
the collection of ancient implements of warfare have
been destroyed, and the total pecuniary loss will not,
it is thought, amount to more than a few hundred
pounds.
Colonel Majendie states that in the inspection
made on Sunday of the scene of the explosion at the
entrance to the crypt, it was discovered that the
large chamber underneath the stairs extending right
across Westminster Hall has had hundreds of stones
removed, and the steps themselves have been re-
moved and then have settled down again. There is
a vast space here for the explosive to expend its
energy upon, and he states that if the explosion
had taken place in the narrow confined staircase, the
structural damage would have been very much
greater. The same result applies to the explosion in
the House. There, again, the force of the dynamite
was first directed downwards, entering a chamber
nearly 20 feet deep, and extending below the whole
area of the House.
The Postmaster-General met with a T.-I/ions adven-
ture at the Post Office on Sunday afternoon. He
gained admission by the usual entrance; but was then
confronted by the policeman on duty, who resolutely
refused to permit him to advance further, or to retire,
until he consulted his sergeant. When the latter
arrived upon the scene the Postmaster-General de-
manded to see the clerk on duty, Mr. Hill, who at
once confirmed the identity of his chief. The
explosions had awakened the zeal of the constable on
ditty.
The Scotland-yard authorities have been unre-
mitting in their inquiries, and are not without hope
that from the mass of information which they have
already received from a variety of sources, they will
be able to lay their hands upon the miscreants sooner
or later. They are, however, commendably reticent,
and absolutely refuse to give any information respect-
ing the person arrested. Great importance is attached
to the arrest of the man Cunningham, and it is
understood that the evidence given at Bow-street
by no means represents the amount of information
respecting the prisoner and his antecedents that
the police have in their hands. Inspector Abbeline
was put into the witness-box solely for the purpose of
giving evidence sufficient to justify the magistrate in
remanding the prisoner. Since Cunningham's arrest
his lodgings have been thoroughly overhauled, and it
is said that documents of a suspicious character were
found in his travelling-box, but upon this point the
police authorities naturally decline to give the
slightelit information either in confirmation or denial.
It is also rumoured that this man has made impor-
tant revelations, in consequence of which the police
are following up the line of action in which they are
engaged.

PRISONER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE.
James Gilbert Cunningham was charged at the
Bow-street Court on Monday with being concerned in
causing the explosion at the Tower of London.
The case was heard before Sir James Ingham in
the Extradition Court, and was commenced suddenly
at about a quarter past two o'clock. Superintendent
'Williamson, of Scotland-yard, was present, and Mr.
Stephens, solicitor to the Treasury, arrived soon after
the proceedings had begun.
Frederick Abberline said: I am an inspector
attached to the H Division. About 2.40 p.m.
on 'Saturday last—l -went to the Tower of London,
where I found the gates closed and a number
of persons detained. There I was instructed,
with other officers, to take the names and addresses
and occupations of all persons before they were
allowed to go. Amongst others the prisoner presented
himself. He gave the name of James Gilbert, of a
street that sounded like Cherbourgh-street. He was
asked where the Cherbourgh-street was, and he said
Whitechapel. I then asked him what part of White-
chapel, as I knew no such street. I asked him where
it was, and he said," near Great Alie-street." The
inspector who was writing down the address said, `IDo
you mean Scarborough-street?" He said 'Yes,
that is the name of the street." He was then asked
what he was. Ultimately he said he was a labourer.
Sir James: He said what?

Witness: At first he said nothing, but when I
asked him again he said a labourer. I asked him
where he was employed; he said "Nowhere." I
asked him what countryman be was. Between each
question and answer there was some hesitation in his
manner that caused me to question him closely. He
said, "I am an Englishman." I asked him to be
pod enough to tell me where he was employed last.
He said, "At Liverpool." I asked him where, and he
said, "At the docks." I asked him what he was
doing in London, and how long he had been here.
He said, "Oh! I have been here two or three weeks."
I asked why he came to London. He replied, "To
try and better myself." I asked how long he had
been in Liverpool. He said, "Two or three months."
I then passed him to the police office, where the
superintendent and other officers were. He was
further interrogated. During the time that I was
there I heard a long statement he had made read to
him. Amongst other things-
Sir James: Have you the statement here?
Witness: I have not.

Sir James: Then I cannot hear it. When you
returned a written statement was being read over
to him. Tell me what he said while you were
there.

Witness: He said he resided at 30, Great Preston-
street, Whitechapel, where he was known by the
name of Gilbert, and that he moved from there to 32,
Scarborough-street. After making inquiries at 32,
Scarborough-street, and finding that he was known
there by another name, Dalton--
Sir James: Was that before he was removed from
the Tower?
Witness: No; before he was removed from the
Tower I took from his person three keys. One he
said was the latch key of 32, Scarborough-street. The
other two keys related to a box and a bag in his
room. He also said he had been in America, and
came over in a vessel where he passed by the name of
Cunningham.
Sir J. Ingham: Did you understand how long he
had been in A.merica ?

Witness: About five years. I think that is about
all his statement in my presence. I was directed to
accompany him to his lodgings, where I saw a black
box and brown bag. They were taken possession of
by the police. He was then taken to Leman-street
Police-station. Shortly after arriving there a telegram
was received from Liverpool contradictory of the
statement he had made. I said to him, "We have
received a reply from Liverpool, and no such person
as Gilbert appears to be known at the addresses you
have given, and the man whose name you mentioned
says he had no person residing thee who worked at
the docks." He had mentioned the name of Stock
several times as the person with whom he lodged.
I subsequently had a conversation with him about a
brown box he brought with him to Prescott-street.
Sir James Ingham then asked the prisoner if he
wished to ask any questions.
Prisoner: About what?

Sir James-: About anything you like--any question
you think proper.
Flrisoner : Well, he asked me what I was, and said
that I stuttered when I replied to the word. I did
not. I answered questions as quick as he asked me.
Inspector Abberline then gave formal evidence of
the exPlosion, remarking that on passing from the
banqueting-room to the armoury the place appeared
in great disorder, and there was a large hole in the
floor.

Sir James Ingham: Without going into details,
did you form any opinion as to whether the damage
might have been caused by some explosive substance?
Inspector Abberline : I have no doubt it was caused
by some explosive substance.
Sir James Ingham: Were there any personsjl
Injured?
Witness: There were persons injured, but I have
not seen them myself.
Sir James: Did you look at the prisoner's hands?
Witness: Yes.
Have you anything to say about them; are they
those of a dock labourer.
Witness: Yes; they are hard.
Sir James (to prisoner): Have you any question to"
put to witness?
Prisoner: I didn't hear what he said about my
hands.

Witness: I say they are coarse.
Prisoner: Oh! Well, I have no question to ask
him.

Sir James: Very well. You will be remanded until
this day week.
The prisoner was then remanded.

EMII