The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-01 00:00:00

DEPLORABLE DEATH OF A GIRL THROUGH

CRINOLINE.

An inquiry was held 1-.), Mr. Richards, deputy-
coroner for East Middlesex, last eight, respecting the death
by fire of a young girl named Clara Webster, aged eight
yeen-
Mr. Walter Webster, 2t, Floreston.street. Mae-end-road,
said that he was a clerk in a government office—the Board
of Trade. He had seven children, the eldest of whom was
13 tears of age. His wife died some time since and he gave
up housekeeping ; but when his eldest daughter became 13
he took his present house, thinking that she could manage
at the bead of it. Witham knew nothing of the occurrence
that led to the death of the deceased. _ _

Helen Webster said that she was 13 years of age. On
Saturday last at 2 o'clock she wee coming up Floraton-
street, when she saw her sister in the arms of a police-con-
stable who was tearing from her body her clothes which
were burning. Her legs, arms, chest, and back were
burnt. She was carried to the hospital, and was at-
tended by the surgeons. She made • statement to wit-
ness. She said. '•I was sitting by the tire with four of
my Inters. I wanted to speak to one of them,
sod I crossed the fireplace. My dress went between the
bars, and it caught fire. I rushed, all in a blue, down the
stain into the yard. I then ran back through the hall out
into the street, and a policeman caught hold of me.
Coroner—Did she wear one of those horrible crinolines!
Witnese said that deceased did wear a crinoline.
Polioe-ooestable C. Smith, 925 K (who had bin bands
strapped up from the effects of the barns he had received),
said that last Saturday afternoon, at '2 o'clock. he raw a girl
running out of • house all in flame. Witness went to her
assistance and tore the burning clothes off her. After he
had extinguished the fire be ran with her to the hospital.
He was severely buret in trying to put out the dames.
Mr. W. Coleman, surgeon, said that deceased wee dread-
fully burnt over the neck, face, arms, chest, and legs, in
fact, ell over the body. She died no Sunday from shock to
the heart the result of the burns.

The Coroner having summed up.
are. The jury returned a verdict of "Awl/natal death by
"

UNIVER3ITY COLLEGE 110hPITAL. —At a meeting
of the committee yesterday notice wan received from the
Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Tresaury that the
Paymaater•Geoeral had been authorised to pay to this hos-
pital the sum of 375/., portion of a bequest made by the
late Madame di Lilly to her Majesty, for the benefit of the
poor in Londe,.

SUNDAY TRAINS .—On Tuesday, a public meeting
was held in Queenetzeet-hall, Edinburgh. for the purpose
of adopting measures in opposition to recent encroachments
by the running of railway trains for ordinary traffic on the
Sunday. Sir James Gardiner Baird, Bart., occupied the
chair, and addresses were delivered by the chairman, the
Rev. Sir Henry Moncrieff, Rev. Mr. Miloloo, of Perth ; Rev.
W. Graham, of Newhaven ; Rev. Dr. Macfarlane, of Dal-
keith—all of whom denounced the system of running both
passenger and goods trains on the Sunday, which had been
increased of late on the North British Railway. The
following resolutions were unanimously adopted:—" That
this meeting have learned with regret and alarm that the
North British Railway Company have begun to run trains
for ordinary traffic, upon an extensive scale, OD the Lord's-
day. That this meeting, considering the Divine law of
the Sabbath to be one of the essential supports to vital
and practical Christianity, feel it incumbent on them to
make every exertion for the maintenance of that law, as
it has hitherto been understood by the Scottish people, and
are persuaded that the running of the trains referred to
is defended by reasons, which, if allowed to prevail,
would speedily lead to a most wide-spread and dangerous
interference with the rest and sanctity of the Cbristiau
Sabbath. That this meeting regard the measures of the
North British Railway Company in this direction as tendlob
specially to the injury of the working clasiee, and resolve
to eo.operate with those classes in seeking to have such
measures arrested and reversed. That this meeting resolve
to memorislise the directors of the North British Railway
Company OD this subject, and appoint a committee for the
purpose of giving effect to those resolutions, by conferring
with public bodies, or otherwise, as they may find cape.

-----
CHILD MURDER IN PADDINGTON.--On the 13th
of September the dead body of a ferule child, apparently
about ten days old, was found wrapped in an apron in
the first-class waiting-room of the departure station of
the Great Western Railway at Paddiogton. The skull
was fractured, and • ligature was found tied round the
throat. The inquest, which was opened shortly after-
wards, and has been three times adjourned, was concluded
yesterday, at the Junction Arms, before Dr. Inokester
and • jury. The coroner said, that after the last meet-
ing be wrote to Sir George Grey, who stated that her
Majesty's government would give • reward of SO/. for the
discovery of the perpetrator of the crime. He wrote also
to the parish of Paddington, but they stated they bad no
funds at their disposal from which they could offer •
reward. He thought, however, if vestries were in earnest
they would find the means of giving • reward for so fair
and proper a purpose as detecting the crime of rrurder.
He then wrote to the police, and asked if they had published
the offer of 50/. reward, and he confessed he was rather
astonished when he was told in reply that the usual course
was for the crown to communicate with the parish authori-
ties, who would take the steps to publish the bills. Ho bad
always thought that if there was one duty which more than
another devolved upon the police it was the detection of the
crime of murder. and it now appeared they had circulated the
bills, but unfortunately no further information had aa yet
been obtained. The crime was probatly committed by
the mother of the child. Them was anmethin; very
shocking in that. and we ought not to sit quiet while this
kind of crime was to a large extent prevailing among us.
Ic the first year of his coronership he hold eighty inquests
in which verdicts of murder were returned, and he had
calculated that of all the adult women in that district of
Middlesex, one in every forty had imbued her hands in the
blood of her child. The body of an infant, quite warm,
was recently found at Primrose-hill, and that of a child sin
weeks old had been discovered at Hornsey. No doubt
there was a spurious feeling abroad, and the woman was
looked upon as sinned minor ; but here was the crime
committed, and that was what the law ought to deal with.
The only additional evidence adduced was that of Win.
Hawtrey. of the police, who stated that inquiries hid been
continued, but not the slightest trace bad been ob-
tained of the person who left the child. The jury them
returned • verdict of wilful murder against some pence or
parsons noknowe.
THE SHOCKING AFFAIR IN THE BARED-KN.—The
reports of the inquest held at Bartholomew's Hospital,
upon the body of Mary Deacon, stated that the Rev. R.
May asserted in his evidence that " she was not happy."
He rid (perhaps ie a too* too low for the reporters to
catch correctly) "she was happy." The unfortunate de-
ceased was • member of the Baptist chore, the City
recklerstreet, Golden-lane, Barbican. Her
= Et
is • poor widow, who is by the death of this
daughter deprived to some extent of her livelihood, as
she was partly supported by the deceased. Bach is her
destitution and trouble that Mr. May, the Baptist
minister, writes from 49, Barbican, to say be should be
thankful if some benevolent readers would remit cootrtbo-
tins for bar relief.