The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-05-10 00:00:00

THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT NETHERTON.
DUDLEY.

Mr. Brooke Robinson held an adjourned inquest on
Monday afternoon, on the body of Thomas Skelding (37),
an engineer in the employ of Messrs. Jones, Buffery
Colli.ry, Dudley, at the Crown Inn, Cinder) Bank. Mr.
Underhill represented Messrs. Jones, and Mr. Marten
and Mr. Alexauder Smith, civil engineers, were present.
After the formal evidence of the deceased'e capabilities
as an engineer, the Coroner called John Platt a man who
was hurt at the same time as the deceased was killed.
This witness said he attended at the colliery to take •
day's work, and found Skelding attending the engine.
Witness saw that the water was low and opened the
furnace door. He saw that the crown of the balloons
shaped boiler was red hot, and at once rushed to the
safety.yalve to loose off the steam. In the meantime
Skeldiug bad poured in a lot of cold water, and the
boiler exploded. In answer to Mr. Underhill, witness
said the engineer should see to the water in the boiler.
The buoy showing the water in the boiler should be
examined every half-hour.
John Martin, who regularly worked the engine attached
to the boiler, said he was ill on the day of the explosion,
sod sent the keys to Skelding. Its had worked the
engine more than twelve months ; in fact, since the firm
bought the colliery. Repairs had been made since he
had had the engine, but none at the time of the purchase.
The boiler was safe, and would have lasted ten years
except for careless use. The pit bad to play on the day
of the explosion through witness's illness, but Skelding
was pumping water for the breezo-oyens.
William Hanks, the chartermaster, said when he
found that Martin could not attend he sent for Skelding
who did odd turns at the engines. The deceased, how.
ever, declined tb loose the men down, and the colliers
dispersed. Witness went home, but he knew that Mr.
Evans set Skelding to pump water for the breeze-makers,
By Mr. Underhill: Wielding said, just before his
death, that he had water too low in the boiler.
Richard Evans, engineer, said that Wielding told him
the horse in the pit wanted attending to, sad witness
let the men down and drew them P. He gave Skelding
orders eso to pomp some water. In his opinion
deceased knew how to work the engine, and the reason
he did not let the men down was that he was not there
early enough.
By Mr. Underhill: There was plenty of water in the
boiler when he left.

In answer to • juror, witness said the explosion took
place about eleven o'clock, and there was time for the
boiler to become short of water.
Edward Probert, boilergnaker, Billion, stated that
there had been • periodical inspection of the boiler, and
he repaired it a month before the explosion. He believed
that the boiler was safe, and he knew it was capable of
carrying treble the pressure it had on it when the ex-
plosion_occurred..

Mr. H. J. Marten, C.E . read a report which he had
prepared. It stated the boiler was an old one. The
safety-valve was said to have had no weight, but the
lever itself giving a 411). pressure. The water was low,
but the boiler did not rend at the over-heated part, but
at athin part below, which had not been observed. The
screwpatches put on prevented leakage, but did not
restores trength. Had the boiler been of equal thickness
it would shortly have bursted at the over-heated part.
The plate at the rent was one-sixteenth of an inch thick.
The boiler was not insured.
Mr. Alexander Smith, CE., gave corroborative evi-
d -nee.

_
Mr. E. Joum, oue of the proprietors of the colliery,
:tated that he engaged She Wing about two months before
he explosion as an ongine-erector, sad to take bye-ferns

with the other eolliery•whiders. /Ikelding had stated
that he could work any engine on the estate.
Liter a short consaltation, the jury returneka verdict
of " Accidental death."

ATTEMPTED,;CHILD,,,XURDER. AND BUICIDIE

AT DUDLEY.
Mk shocking case of attempted child murder and suicide
occurred at Dudley on Iburedsy. A. hatter, named ,
Iteujamin;Cook, resided in Martin Hill Street, Dudley,
with his wife and two children, the youngest of whom
was only three months old, but for some time past they
had not lived comfortably together, in consequence of
Mrs. Cook's intinaperate habits. ;Frequent, quarrels
took place between the man and wife, and their married
Ide was said to be, and no doubt was anything but • bed
of roses. Indeed, some weeks beck the wile attempted
to •drown herself, but she was fortanately rescued from
a watery grave. She had, however, no sooner recovered
from the effects of liar rash act than she again returned
to her drinking habits, and frequently ene_was in •
delirious state. Lately she bad entirely given herself tap
to the bottle, mad the result was that her manner and
conduct were such ea to arouse the sympathy and atten-
uon of her neighbours. Chief among tuese was a Mrs.
Clatcherty, who seems to have carefully and attentively
watched sue actions of lira. Cook, and aid all she could
to restrain tier drinking propensities. Yesterday morn-
g, Mrs. Clatcherty paid • visit to Mrs. Cook's house,
'or the purpose, she says offetchtug,,away some soft
water, widen she wanted for domestic purposes, Airs.
cook was sitting on a bench in an apparent state of
stupor, and both Liar children were mama and unwashed.
arc. clatcherty took the children to her own homes and
there gave them, what they had not had for many days,
g good washing, and dressed them. the youngest child
got a little troublesome, and it was taken back to its
mother. Mrs. Clatcherty asked for some food for the
other sou, but • conversation ensuing, she went away
without it. Having occasion to return to Martin Hill
Street, she found Mrs. Cooke front door fastened.
She 11004 gained admittance, to and that Mrs. Cook had
attempted to destroy herself by cutting her throat, and
had a•so cut We throat of her infolit staid, blood was
freely flowing down her breast from the wound and her
garments were saturated with blood. The child, with
its throat cut, was in her arms, and Mrs. Cook appeared
tube in an unconscious state. As alarm war raised,
and on the arrival of Pulicivaergeant ',Lerwick he at once
sent for Dr. Bradley, and that gentleman was
promptly
in attendance. it was diacoverod that the windpipe of
the child was severed, and that there was no chance of
saving Aside. The wounds inflicted on the woman was
found not to be of a dangerous nature, and she was con-
veyed to the Dudley l'ohce Cells. It was stated that
Mrs. Cook had fur • long time been under the delusion
that her husband would carry out his idle threat, and
leave her with the two children, and it is believed that
this idea, coupled with her liking for intoxicating
beveragos, induced her to commit the fearful deed with
which she now stands charged. When asked, on Thurs. ,
day morning, by Mrs. Clatcherty, if she should take the
children away, Mrs. Cook replied "You can, if you have
more right to them than I have." A pocket-knife and
two table knives were found by the police on the table,
covered with blood. The husband is said to be a steady
and industrious mac, and the only drawback to his
domestic happiness seems to have been his wife's fond•
nese for liquor. On Thursday night the child was still
alive, but gradually sinking. The mother has been re-
moved to the Workhouse in custody of the police.