The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-23 00:00:00

FHB FIRE ADD LOST OF FOUR LIVES IN

ORIPPIJIGATE.

°DRONER'S INQUEa.-(THIS DAY.)

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This (Friday) forenoon, at eleven o'clock, Mr.
Siefert Payne, the coroner for London and Southwark,
ime.d. an inquest in the parish church of St. Odes's, Crip-
on the bodies of Sophia Joel, aged 53 ; Samuel
Waged 28; Hannah Johnson, aged 27 • and Annette
Joel, re aged 2S, who perished in the fro that took place in
the premier belonging to Mr. Joel, wholesale stationer,
No. 42, Fore-street, Cripplegate. The inquiry, as might be
e:peeled, created a most painful amount of interest.
Mbrierned Coroner mid that as another body was lying
in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, be should swear the jury,
sad thee proceed to the hospital, and after viewing the
body, take the evidence in each case.
Henry Coleman Joel said that he resided at 42, Fors-
aker, Crippler**, and after doweling the different rooms
in which the unfortunate persons slept, proceeded to say
that the lower part of the building was used as a shop or
warehouse, and contained books and papers. There might
hove been some light papers in the shop which could
easily ignite. Witness's bedroom was on the second '
floor back. He went out cm Tuesday night about half-put six
Ara. 11m shop was not then closed. His mother at-
tended to the business during his absence. He returned at
one o'clock la the morning, and was then smoking a short
pipa Lipari entering the shop he locked the door and went
straight uparirs, sad took the key into his mother's room.
He bad still his in his mouth ; the tobacco was alight.
He then to his own bedroom, and placed the pipe '
in the state it then was, on the drawers. He did not take
the pipe to smoke in bed. There was some ash on the top
of the tobacco in the pipe. The pipe when laid down
would be on its side. It would be hot, but not red-
hot. He took his clothes off and hung them behind
the door and went to bed, soon falling asleep ee he was very
tired. Shortly after he had gone to bed he heard some one
cry out "Fire." He immediately got rip, and put his browsers
and coat on. He then saw a slight reflection of fire
from below through his own window. He
hastened to his mother's room in order to get the
key of the street door. He pulled up the blind of
his mother's room, and he told her that he thought there
Was a fire, but not to be at all alarmed as he would go
down and see. He was certain that she was then
awake. He came down the stain into the shop and opened
the street-door. He was obliged to put his arm throuka
gins window in order to get into the shop. He was ob d
to get into the shop before he could reach the street. e
found a policeman at the door, who, upon his reaching the
street, refused to let him mar again. The shop was then
MI of smoke. The fire escape came, and witness assisted
tb get it in front of the house. The conductor ascended,
and he saw his ester drop from one of the upper floor win.
down He could not form the least ides as to how the fire
ceourred. He did not think ft was caused from his pipe.
Pithee.oonstsble No. 106, of the City force, said that on
Wednesday morning, as hel wee proceeding along his beat
in Forisetreet, he heard • load crackling noise proceeding
from Mr. Joel's premises. He at once sprang his rattle and
knocked at the door, and in • few minutes the bat witnessI
came out of the start door, and he closed it immediately
afterwards. The fire escape came almost directly after-
wards, being propelled by the conductor andthrse strangers.
He saw the machine raised to the second floor, and the girl
fell to the ground. (At this stage of the proceedings the
constable became so deeply affected that he was obliged
to be curled out of the court.)
William Pert said that he was called to the fire, and ar-
rived there in about fir minutes after with the engine from
Whitecrowstrest. He thee saw the fire raging principally
at the back of the premises. He left the engine there, and
ran off for the engines at Jeffrey.equare. Upon his return
he misted to get the fire extinguished. Before the fire was
entirely extinguished, he and others found the bodies is the
ruins. One was found on the ground floor, neer the ethical's.
By the Coroner—He should may the fire began in the back
part of the house on the ground floor. It could not have
°warred in the reamer, u that wu found to be quite en-
tire and free from burning.
Adam Briggs, conductor of the Royal Society's fire escape,
said that he arrived from the Finsbury-circus etation in
throe minutes after being called, when he found to all ap-
pearance the back of the shop on fire. He with assistance
pitched his escape in front of house and was told that per-
sons were in the wood floor, and upon getting there, he
heard faint cries of " Help" proceeding from the third icor.
He then threw up his fly ladder, and ascended
it, and as be was in the act of pulling out the deceased
Annette Joel, she made a plunge and both fell, the female
falling upon the ground, but witness's foot caught in one
of the rounds of the machine, which prevented his falling
to the ground.
By a juror—He bad been in the society's employment
8 years, and well understood the management and working
of the escape. He had the female in his arms, and she had
her feet on the window ell when she made a plunge, and
he was obliged to release his hold. He thee hanged to
the escape with hie head downwards. He knew nothing
as to the origin of the fire.
George White, police-sergeant, City force, No. 3. said
that his attention was called to the premises by the previous
allow who had gives evidence, and when the door was
opened and Mr. Joel came out, he noticed • great body of
flame at the back of the shop. The opening of the door
might have fanned the flames and made them spread the
faster.

After some further evidence had been taken,
The learned Coroner summed up, and the jury returned
a verdict of "Accidental death."

Mr. Inspector Gordon and Captain Shaw attended
°fiddly to watch the camp, au well u Mr. Win. Hodeoll,
of the Atlas ; and Mears. Toplis and Harding, of the
Al canoe Fire-offloeu.

ALDERNEY HARBOUR. THE DIVISION Lair
MORT. Ayrton's amendment last sight, proposing a
select committee to inquire into the amount for which the
harbour and fortifications at Alderney will be completed,
was supported by lowed conservatives, including Mr.
Bentinck, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Da Cane, Mr. Haliburton, Mr.
Macdonogh, Lord B. Montagu, Lord NW, Sir S. North-
er..., Mr. Whiteside, tic. The government, however, bad
the support of Mr. Butler Johnstone, Mr. A. F. Egerton,
Mr. W. Egerton, Captain Gladstone, Mr. Matins, Sir John
Pakington, General Peel, Mr. J. B. Stanhope, CoL Strut,
Mr. Walpole, sad a few other ormaervatives.

Pone-RA TEI AND PAIIPELISN.-80Verai compare,-
tire statements relating to poor-rates and pauperism in the
half-year ending Michaelmas lut were issued this morning.
The expenditure for that period, in 647 unions and single
perishes, shows an increase of 133,2121. over the correspond-
lag period in 1860. The average price of wheat during the
name half-years was, in 1860, 55;1.100. per imperial quarter,
and in 1864 53a. 51d. There was an increase of expense in
wok diviiios, the West Midland and North Midland showing
the greatest augmentation. Forty-one counties show an in-
muse, sod four counties, namely, North York, Cumber-
land, Ward. bad Barks, show a theism. The increase in
Nottingleunahins ow as math se 26 per amt.

RIIMBINTATION of KlDDlClMlNSTER.—Yester-
toloasfeitereomi Mr. Heddlietoe retired from the contort
White le therefore now the only candidate.

MIL BILAESZT AND THE SHREWSBURY ELECTION.
—We eon Mate positively that it is not the intention of
Mr. Brasov, jua., to contest Shrewsbury, although • re-
quisition dosed by *early ore halt the electors was got up
requesting him to allow the liberal party to propose him, and
Uwe is me doabb be would here been returned by • large
majority. We believe that Mr. Robertson, C.L, of Shrews-
Wry, willbe the liberal aandidetu He is • man of high
stead*, • thorough liberal. possames grit class busloads'
babas, aid hes keg bass reenacted with all large railway
works is Sluopsidre.—Liverpool Mercury.
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„Claim. Pura”. -- "thia Bzrzwo DAL—.
THURSDAY, MAY 22. Admiesions ac poyinoot, 1,W.38 ;
ditto, by mason tickets, 715; foto!, 2,653.