The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-08-27 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE THAMES.

An accident, which it was at first thought would
result in a s:rious lose of life, happened on Monday
evening on the River Thames, towarda-the close of
the Horaelydown Regatta. The final beat was being
rowed for a prize in the form of a boat named the
Ally Sloper. During the exciten.ent about 40 people
clambered on to the top of a cargo of bay on board
the barge Maria, of Harwich, which was anchored
off Ray's coal wharf. The tide was on the ebb at
the time, and as the barge first ground d she beelel
over slightly towards the river, the hay overbalanced
on account of the extra weight, and fell into the
water, carrying with it all the people who were on top.
Twelve of these fell in the river, and the utmost ex-
citement and alarm was caused lest they should all be
drowned. Eleven of the number, however, either
succeeded in getting on the hay again, which was
floating, or were rescued by boats. The body of ono
man named Jeremiah Bryant, of 132, Wolseley-
buildings, Bermondsey, was recovered some time
afterwards, but life was extinct. There is an impres-
sion on the part of those who were present that
another man was drowned, but the Thames Police,
who were soon on the spot, and rendered all the
assistance in their power, have been unable to recover
any more bodies. The accident happened at half-
past seven, and the police were engaged in dragging
the river until half-past 10 without any result, ano,
as by that time the tide had so far receded that the
mud was visible, they abandoned the search.

Throughout Tuesday various rumours which
turned out to be baseless—were afloat as to the
number of bodies recovered in the course of the
night and morning in connection with the capsizing of
the barge Maria, on Monday evening, during the pro-
gress of the Horselydown Regatta on the Thames, the
most circumstantial one being that conveyed to the
police at Bermondsey-street by a Thames policeman,
who stated that two other bodies had been got out of
the mud and conveyed to the Horselydown mortuary.
Other rumours were to the effect that three other
bodies had been picked up at various spots alona the
river between Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. Up to
Tuesday evening the police authorities, however, had
no authentic information of there being any bodies
recovered beyond that of the man Jeremiah Bryan,
which was picked up immediately after the occurrence
and conveyed to the mortuary at Horselydown.
Dragging was carried on in the neighbourhood of
Ray's Wharf, Horselydown, where the disaster oc-
curred, but without succees ; and this, together with
the fact that only one person was reported missing to
the police at Bermondsey on Tuesday, convinced the
authorities that the loss of life would not exceed
two.

Two hundred quay labourers employed by Messrs:
Brown and MiLaren, Glasgow, struck work on Tuesday
against a reduction of Id. per hour in their wages.
Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone on Tuesday evening perceiv-
ing from Hawarden Castle grounds dense volumes of
smoke arising in the neighbourhood of the buildirgo at
Well House Farm, the largest separate agricultural
holding on the Hawarden -Estate, ordered a pony
carriage to be brought round, and toire; her with Mr.
W. H. Gladstone, left for the spot. When the party
arrived at the Are they found an immense stack of
valuable clover, said to contain 61 tons, in full blaze.
Mr. Gladstone took deep interest in the prompt
measures adopted by the members of the Chester
Volunteer Fire Brigade to prevent the flames spreading
to 'a number of stacks standirg in dangerous prcximity,
and it was only when these steps were crowned with
complete success that Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone left the
farm. The stack was burnt to the ground. It is sup-
posed that the fire originated through some lighted
cinders which had been raked out of an engine attached

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to a thrashing machine working adjacent.
-
Mr. Tatlock, Coroner for Chester, held an adjourned
inquest on Tuesday touching the death of Wm Lewes,
30, lead smelter, who died suddenly in Chester In-
firmary while under the influence of chloroform. He
received an injury to his hand, and went to Chester
Infirmary to have a portion of the diseased bone re-
moved. The operation being very painfnl, it was de-
cided to administer chloroform, and accordingly Dr.
Mann, the visiting surgeon, placed the man under its
influence, but he died before Dr. Lees, the house
surgeon. could perform the operation. A post mortem
examination showed that the deceased had suffered It
from fatty degeneration of the heart. Dr. Taylor, who -
maths the post-mortem examination, said that the state •
of the heart was such that in his opinion death would
have ensued on the operation even without chloroform.
A verdict in accordance with the evidence was
returned.
There was a large gathering of the military and
civilians in York Minster on Tuesday morning, where a
marriage is a rare event, on the occasion of the wedding
of Miss Constance Daniell, daughter of Major-General
C. F. J. Daniell, C. 8., commanding the Northern
District, ,with Lieut. 0. Graves Sowle, Bls„;_sion.of Sic
0. IV:Graintie olleiatid;
and the service was fully choral. The bride was given
away by her father. Colonel Graves Sawle was the
bridegroom's best man. Among those present were the
Archbishop of York and Mrs. Thomson, the Lord
Mayor of York, Lord Ralph Kerr, the Dean of
Ripon, and Mrs. Fremantle, the Deputy Master of the
Mint, Sir G. and Lady Rowley, the Hon. Reginald and
Mrs. Parker, Mr. and the Hoe. Mrs. H. Ferrer, and
many others. After a reception at GOVeranient House,
the bride and bridegroom left fog The ghlidnxith
Wattoti, Rertfortlshire,