The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THI3I*PAY INENING4 :1043T-94ER-6, 1654:

THE ZIPLOSION Ar JUITIL-7

The inquiry touching the death of James Eaves
gad Elisabeth Wright. who expired at Gay's Hospital from
%juries mustaieed by this feeds! catastrophe, was opened
at two o'clock yesterday afternoon at Gay% Hospital before
Yr. W. Payee, the mows for the city of London sod
borough of Southwark.

Mr. Pulsed, isatzooted by Mom Tama, appeared to
welsh the proceedings oe Wulf of Yews. Hall and C
the proprietors of ooe of the reagaziees.

The jury baying been swan'
Mr. Wm. Hall. of Faversham, %eat, a gunpowder manu-
facturer, deposed—We had stores of powder, or • powder
magatioe, at Milt It is about 100 yards from the river.
There is a tramway between it and the river,
cowpoaad of wood, to prevent friction. The wheel;
of the carriage are made of gun metal. There
was sootier magazine, about 200 or 300 yards
from unite. There was a separate tramway to it. The ex-
plosion took place on Saturday morning, at about • quarter
before sew, n o'clock. I was staying jest below Ashford,
which is • &stenos of about 50 miles from the some of the
oxidant. There had bees two barges at our wharf, one of
which belonged to us sod the other to our manager. They
arrived at about midday on Thursday. One of them had
delivered a quantity of powder at Gniveseed, and the other,
I suppose, was discharging into the magazine. I have been
there when they bare been unload*. The powder is in
barrels, which are taken out of the barge by band. One
man can beadle • whole barrel. They were placed upon
trucks sod then carried into the wagering. The barrels
are perfectly safe from leakage, being examined by the
foreman of the coopers before they leave the cooperage,
and then agsra by the foreman of the dusting house before
they are tilled. I do not know bow many barrels were
being unloaded. Rayner, the storekeeper, would be at the
magazine to receive the banal.. They had begun to unload
when this happened. Rimier is dead. He bad two meat-
ants, who axe both dead. The exploeioa Metro) ed the
whole building. My barge wee full, and the other had partly
unloaded at Gramesed. I believe Jerson was the captain
of my barge, and Barber was his mate. They are both
dead. The captain of the other barge was named John
Gladsoe. He is also dead- I do sot know of any person
now living who can throw any light epee the cause of the
explorioe. I am practically aware of the mode is which
gunpowder is f manufactured, having been at it (7= 1 lean is . It composed of saltpetre, brimstone, and c
These articles are amalgamated at the amalgamating
as they aretermed. The dimple are m.xed and placed upon
the runners, worked by steam.
The C,oroner—The object of the questions is to sneer sin
whether Si.. articles might not be kept apart until they are
wanted.

iitness—lt would be impossible, as the peel could not
be fixed. _

Coroosr—Does anything occur to you which would render
explosions Ida probable!
Witness—No ; we take leery precautioe.
Coroner—You think that this did not cries from a con-
tinuous train of powder from the barges to the mapsine.
II the magazine were further removed from the water would
it be utter!

V. iteeea• -I think not, for the commission would be rat-
bcieot to explode it it it were at a much greater distance.
By the Jury—The instant the concussion takes place
the merino opens, and the dash or spark immediately

—By Yr. Pulaod—l
purchased at great expense the mooed
surrouridirig the building in order that people should not he
near the magesice. Rayner had been twelve years in my
larvae, and I believe him to have been • careful, well-eon-
ducted man. He lived in a detached cottage on my ground.
All the moo employed upon the premises wear slippers,
which I procure for them in order that they shall not work
with shoes mode with nails. I have never had as explosion
either at the magazines or barges.
By the Jury—.t are is not allowed upon a loaded barge
even if the hatches are down. lam sot aware that soy of
the men are accustomed to anokieg.
WWI= Monk, foreman of Mr. Hall's mills at Faversham,
deposed—There were two men in the barge which I sent ore;
filled with gunpowder in barrels on Monday. It was to be
delivered at the magazine. Om barge wee called the
Harriett, and the other the Good Design. A portion of the
powder was to be delivered off Crammed. I caneot say
bow the aspiceim took place. Every mesas is takes to
prevent explesioes. The materials which form guepowdm
are all grimed separately and mixed. Neither of the two
articles used in the manufacture of gunpowder would ex-
plode without the third.
By Mr. Poland—T have been at Faversham for 50 years.
The nee who had charge of the barges were very steady
men, and had had charge of powder for years. There is •
fireplace in the cabin, which is divided from the hold by •
wooden partition Hoed with lead.
' By the Jury—The men Rainy always take their food
with them ready cooked.
Policemrgeant Edward Cox, 15 R, deposed—l was at
Erode police-etation as Saturday morning when this hap.
posed. I beard a fearful explosion, and upon going oat at
the heck I raw • large volume of smoke arising. I Mime.
distely supposed that one of the magazines had gone.
got medical assistance and went to the„spot. I assisted is
setting the iojored peaces out of the ruins, and media(
them to the hospital. ! also seat massagers to Woolwich,
as I saw • peat opening is the river beak. I have heard
that two men had been Dear the magazine with a barge
loaded with gunpowder on the previous evening, bat they
went down the river. I have seen the lie:tarmac GAMIN,
who says that his beck was towards the nismaum when he
was suddenly struck in the beck, arid knocked into the river;
hie mate helped him into a hoe; where be became insensible.
It is not true that Grimes said that he saw something like a
flesh of lightning in the barge. He said that ho mate (Bruce)
could tell more about it. Brwe lives at Periwinkle-street,
Ractiff-croes.

--laspecierffell said that Grimes had giun twa or throe
different accounts of the affair.

Mr. Hall was recalled, and deposed that gunpowder would
not explode spootantioanly.
By the Jury—Tbere are so nails in the caskr. The
rolling of a cask over bars gunpowder would not came it to
tunite. We have no mum to suppose that it was an Moen-
diary act. From the appearance of the embankment
should my that the explosion first took place from the
barges.
Inspector Bell recalled—l have seen GAMS, and he said
that lir was opposite the maxarine in a Trinity lighter. He
salted one oFjnis men, named Bruce, to go down and get the
hawser, when alien once be beard an explosion, and was im-
mediately lit tad up in the air to • &stenos of 30 yards, and
he then fell down in the water. I asked him whether he
saw a ftsiih, and he said that he had seen something like •
flash of lightning in the water.
The was Bruce, and a comrade of his named Clarke, re.
termed to by Sergeant Cox in his widows. was sent for by
order of the manor.

Robed Bruos, 8, Periwinkle-street, Rateliff, deposed
that o• Saturday owning be was oe board the ballast
lighter No. 32, in the river, right abreast of the powder
magazine. It we. about 90 minutes to 7 o'clock, aid he
noticed parems walking about oe the bargee aloupide the
powder jetty. but be Gould not toll whether or not they
were unloading. Directly afterwards there was • great
light all around the ballast lighter, and then came some-
thing like a volley of pas, sad the bricks e•me dying into
lied about the ►ightr. He looked up and saw fragms•ts of
the buildings in the air overhead, aid the rubbish began to
splash in the water. Them was • great smoke. He could
not tell what first blew up.
By the Jury—He bad not observed whether there was
any awoke issuing from the bargee, as if cookie, was going
oe. He bed often seen the barge Good Design, and be
never saw the crew Brooking. They were steady men, and
used no bad language on the water.
Jobs Clarke eve similar evidence. He did not see any-
thing mutilators was a great light about his barge, and the
bricks came dying through the sails. Grime., who was on
board, was lifted into the air, and he fell into the water ;
he had not much recollection now of what had happened.
Mr. Sidiey Tether, house surgeon, said that Elisabeth
Wright was brought is deing from isellages, and she died fa
• few =ionise. James Pones bad his skull fractured, and
the right lobs of the brain lacerated.
John Wright said that be worked at Henn. Curtiss
mill■, which were about • quarter of • mile from Menem
H►ll'', where his father lived. Curio's magarias had the
windows blown is by the explosion. His father was killed
in the magazine, and his sister was in bed at the time she
received her injuries.
Ilia. Rams identified the body of James Eanea, as that of
her busload. _ _

It was proved that FANS was is II Shad lent by Mr.
Silver to Mr. Kayly's men at the time of the explosion.
Ilia comrade. who was with him. was buried under moms
Osaka. which protected him from the bricka that fell upon
sod pushed deceased. _ _

The Coroner baring briefly summed up,
The pier, utter a long deliberation, returned the follow-
log special verdict :—" The jury bed that the deceased per-
SOW died by &midget through en explosiori of gunpowder,
but how the explosion took place there is no evidence to
show ; and the jury think that the practice of allowing
stoves or light, of any description on board powder barges
ought to be diseostinusd."
The Inquiry thee tormioated.

BUINOT COLINSO AT CLATIIIOOiL —There bee just
issued tom the pates of MOWS. Spottissroode, Abrs-
bsei's Sacrifice ; • Sermoo for Claybrook Sunday School.
Hy the Right Rev. J. W. Coleus°, D. D., Bishop of Natal."
Amended to the memoir a so instructios on reading the
Scriptures, which was reed instead of • sermou in Clay-
book Church os Suede,. Sept. It.
DI rnwPvLITAN Tv RN PIA —From an official
document just homed it appears that the income from
torapikes to Middlesex lest y. et amounted to 91,3061.
tit Pd. There sill be • onsidemble reduction is the cur.
rest year. is cossequesos of the reoest sbolitioo of turn-
pikes. It is expected that in the metropolis north of the
Themes the highway rates will be greatly iucresaed.
[Advertisement. j-- HOLLOW* Y• OlsTtleltT AND
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of scion. TON it the only safe sod aseMble method of come-
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The estimate sad heathy gigue of Not oway's innlaret
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I THB MURDER OF FOUR CHILDREN AND

LAW 7R7WLIGENCE.

COUNT OP QUINN'S BENCH.
Sittings at Ida prim 111 Middlesex and London, before the
Wight Mon. Mr Aux/sprat RDMEIND Corazon, L. Lord
Chief Justice of Me Majesty's Court of Queen's bath in and
after Mclmams Teeth 1061.. In Taro.—ln Middlessx—First
sitting, Thursday. Nov. second sitting. Wednesday, Noe. 0:
third sitting, Wednesday, Nov. Is, for undelandsd cams only.
In London—There will not be any sitting during term In Leiden.
After terni.—ln Mi..dlesx—WWayi Nov. re. In london—
Saturday, Des. 10. The court will sit at ten o'clock eftry day.
The camas In the Hai for each of the above sitting days la teat,
If not deposed of on those days, will be tried by adjournment on
the days following each of sochidtting days.

loos of which he says, "Mere is so doubt—there tun be no
doubt, and I will take good sere thereekall be to doubt, that
you betted me I.oooi. to 11, that I should not recover menial
Captain Itlakeley more than 30v1." Iu 'mother letter, dated
the ?dot August, Mr. Masabell wrote to Mr. &nett as fol-
lows :—" My letters remaining unanswered, DO 1111,OrDitiVO is
left to me but to adopt such proceedings as are retorted to
when persons attempt to evade the payment of • debt of
honour. I leave you without a shadow of excuse, and ap-
prise you that Captain Blakeley has paid to my solicitor the
amount of the d• es, 47f.1. with the costa I give you
till Monday to consider the course you will panne. If to
part with 1,0001. be inconvenient to you I am quite willing
to give you a reasonable time for payment. This considers-
. 800, therefore, need not occasion your sileoes." Mr.
Beoett after the first letter allowed the nest to remain un-
answered ; and he afterwards received from the defendant a
plated statement narrating the facto, and containing the
alleipition that the bet of 1,0001. was made by Mr. Benett,
with the letter which bad been written be that gentleman's
clerk, and some remarks of Mr. Marshall, to the
effect that • copy of the statement bad been
sent to Mr. Benett with an invitation to add to it any
explanation which may modify or contradict any statement
lin which he may consider it not strictly true. To this
challenge no reply had been received. It would be observed
that Mr. Barrett admits that be recollected emoetbing of the
bet, although he did not remember whether it was accepted,
and did not rattan, to say it was tot. The concluding para-
graph in the statement was as follows:—" Mr. Benett is
said to take great interest in the turf. Merchants and
sporting men will form their own opinion of hie conduct,
and draw their ocioclasioos from the facts herein stated,
which men of bunions and character are not slow to form
when matters of this nature are brought before
them." This statement was accompanied by • letter, which,
as it stated, invited Mr. &nett to make any explanation,
An, and also threatened to publish it at big slob, " The
Stafford," and the Jockey Club, and to send it to St. Peters-
burg and Shanghai, end other places, where Mr. Beeett was
known or had any business traosacticos. The coeteots of
this statement was the libel complained of by Mr. Benett,
who positively swore that no such bet was made or pro-
posed by him, end also that the letter written by his clerk
was not according to the instructions given to him, be having
told him to say be had no recollection of having made such
• bet. _ _

Thw were the facts for the prosecution.
Mr. Sleigh contended that, inasmuch as the defendant
bad or fancied he had • claim upon the complainant, the
statute did not apply, es it was only meant to meet the
case where miscreants attempted, by means of threats, to
extort motley, whets they had not the slightest claim to it,
sod while • charge of felony could not be sustained against
• man who stakes • thing, believing really and truly that it
was his or he had • claim upon it, the present charge could
not be sustained against his chest, as he no doubt believed,
however erroneously, be had • claim for the 1,0001. upon
Mr. Emmett.

The Lord Mayor decided that the statute did apply. and
Mr. Sleigh then proceeded to address the bench upon the
!seta of the CY% but
The Lord Mayor filially said be wu of opinion that the
ease ought to go to ii jury, and committed the defeodant for
trial, accepting bail for his appearasoe, himself in 100/. and
me safety in 1001.