The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-08 00:00:00

THE PALL OF A HOUSE AT ISLINGTON.

After our report left yesterday,
Daniel Wallis, Hi, John-street, PentonvUle, aid-1 was
foreman of the plasterers employed on the building of the
Wheatabeavee. I was present when the accident happened.
I both heard and maw the building fall. I saw signs of its
falling about three minutes before it fell. I saw two open-
ings acmes the window-arches cm the ground floor. I did
Dot think the accident would occur. I and my brother went
and told Mr. Chapman, end then went on to the middle of
the scaffold, not knowing there was any danger. Soon after
this my brother told an there mocks were getting bigger,
end told Mr. Chapman alio ; upon which Mr. Chapman told
me to call the men off the enfold, as there was something
the matter. The deceased were strargen to me. I
did not call them, as it was out of my power. I knew they
were working inside the first Boor, bat I did not al
to them, as I was told to call the men off the scaffold.
I had been engaged from the Thursday week previous to
the accident. I gave everybody warning I saw on the
scaffold. The boy did not hear me tell "everybody" to
came off the scaffold and when I got or. doors off I saw
him on the scaffold and beckoned him down, and be jumped
off on to • sand heap. The centres of the whole of the five
openings were struck the day before. It is quite • comma"
occurrence for cracks to happen. I did not see the pier
"buckling." Mr. Chapman, after giving me an order
to go away, went inside the building. I have con-
stantly seen Mr. Williams, the architect, about the
works. I was oa the ground floor scaffold when I raw
eleven cracks. I told Meldrum, the foreman of the
bricklayers. He was, I think, underneath the scaffold.
I pointed out these cracks to him. I said, " Here's •
crack here and a crack there ;" and be said, " Yea, all
right." I saw the shore out the farthest from the Agricul-
tural-hall and the doorstep in. The cornice of the shop
hoot was finished • day or two before the accident. The
cracks became large enough to put a peony piece in only on
the morning of the accident. The only shore I saw away on
the morning of the accident was the one next to Mr.Cuflin's.
I saw nothing at all to indicate any danger but the cracks.
I said to m 7 mate a week before the accident happened,
" This work is rather round." There was no "dubbing out
at all." One of the piers is standing Dow, with the cement
upon it. I noticed the bulging of the buildinl when I first
came to the work, and I told my mate of it. I did not
consider it • "bulging," but a "rounding." This was on
the face of the brestsummer.

Rarbut Wallis 11, Alfred-place, Ball's-pond, said—l was
working as a plasterer on the building when the accident
happened. The (root of the building bulged to this extent,
that our work was out about an inch and a quarter at each
erd, and there was nothing in the middle. I told illeldnun
of this, sod be said he supposed the brestaummer bad given
way a little. I caonot say if the upper pert of the work had
even way. I could not see the brestsummer, as there was
fear feet of work in front of it. It was the left-hand centre
pier I saw giving way.
John Mullins, l'arceleoourt, High-street, Islington, a
labourer, said-1 was serail: bricklayer who was under-
.... .
Pron,d