The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-11 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 11, 1863.

THE FATAL MAI NEAR DRURY-LANE.

CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE DECEASED.
(THIS DAY.)
At eleven o'clock in the forenoon Mr. W. J.
Payne opened en bequest et the St. George's Hotel, in the
Strand, the deaths of Anne Reffall, aged 18
years, and Patterson, aged Td, showman, and shop
attendant to Mr. E. Heed, liasedraper and silk mercer,
who perished in the fire that occurred on the night of
Thursday lad on ',their employer's premises, Bleckmoor-
street, Drury-lane.
Hasekidi Jones said that be was an assistent to Mr. Head,
of Blackmoordreet, Dray-Lure. Mr. Head kept a double-
fronted linendraper's shop, the door being in the middle.
On Thursday evening witness had been at home from the
morning. About a quarter past 10, whilst sitting in
the kitchen, he heard • noise in the shop like the
fall of a chandelier. Witness ran out of the
klloben into the front room first Boor and found
the peerage full of smoke. The two decoded
persons wen also in the kitchen, and he saw them both run
up the stain, and that was the last he saw of either. Wit-
pees got out of the window, passed along the fascia, and
reached the street. when he found the shop on fire
at each side ; but the Imes were then con-
fined to the shop. There were gas burners in the
windows, and he saw Mr. Little turn off the
burners in the bonnet window. When he went up-
stairs he maw that the burners were all turned off except
one which was at the end of the shop. There were some
light mohair goods near the light. There was generally •
glass on the burner, but he did not know whether it was no
ea the night in question. When he went upstairs he left Mr.
Little in the shop. The meter was is the cellar and was
always turned off at 11 o'clock. If the shop door bad been
opened the draught probably might have drifted the light
against the goods hanging up. He let Mr. Little out of
the shop at 10 o'clock, end tilers were only himself, the
two deceased, and Mrs. Heed. The latter was in a front
room upstairs.
By a juror—He let Little out and then came down and
opened the door to let Patterson in. and within five minutes
or so afterwards he heard the noire in the shop.
John Little said that he was in Mr. Heed's employ. The
shop was • large one. There were three separate chard.-
liars in the centre of the shop ; they ware sliding owe, sod
the cups were furnished with water about • month since.
There were also two burners in each window. He was not
aware of any instructions being Sinn as to the time the
chandeliers were to be supplied with water.
Josiah Abchurch, policotonstable No. 90 F, said that on
the evening in question he heard •ayof " Fire!" He ran
to the house and found it shut up, but smoke coming out of
the third floor. He span his rattle, and sent messengers
for the engines and asap's. They arrived as early as pos-
sible. Two minutes afterwards be saw the witness Jones
some out of the find•floor window, sad Mrs. Head jumped
out of another window. That was before the escapeman
had thee to arrive.

Merles Linea, one of the fire brigade, was of opinion
that the fire began at the bottom part of the shop. He
mid not tell whether the gam was on when he got to the
place. He found the two bodies in the second floor, the
woman about 2 feet from the window, and the man about
6 feet from the window. The pariah engine' arrived before
the brigade.
The witness Joules recalled—Mr. Head m at the time of
the outbreak at, Kentish-towel, where he has another house
of bastion.

Wm. King, of Drury-lane, said he had frequently found
the gas escaping from the chandelier, and be had stopped
it by pouring water into the Pups sear the ceiling.
A Juror said hi opiain was that the beet ri the gas.
burning would cause the water to evaporate and then the
gas of neeessity would escape. He thought that there
being so specific directions as to supplying the chandeliers
with water was highly repreheosib
Polieesorgeant Fowler, 12 F, said that be arrived just
before the St. Okenent's escape arrived. He saw some
perilous calling for some one to jump out of window. As
seen as the escape was placed near the house it took fire,
and the conductor was usable to save anyone.
John James Taylor, of 18, Blaelanoor-street, said that his
louse was immediately facing Mr. Head's, and at • quarter
pest 10 o'clock he saw the house was on fire ; two minutes
later the shop appeared like a furnace, and in about a
minute afterwards he saw the witness Jones come out of
the first floor window. Several persons were calling out to
the persons upstairs not to throw themselves out, os the
escape was annum Directly afterwards Mrs. Head threw
beswelf out of window.

After some further evidence,
In answer to the coroner,
Mr. asespeoss Low, the secretary to the Royal Flocietr,
said the lean is charge of the Bow-street escape ought to
have attended whoa called, but ►e was sot a regular cow-
doctor, only a supernumerary acting fora 034 A who was sick.
Mr. Head said that his wife was still lying in the hospital
in a very dangerous state.
The learned coiner having gummed up. the Jury returned
• verdict, " That the deceased were aocidentally burned to
death, but there we. out sufficient evidence to prove how
the fire was caused ; and they recommended the exertions of
Conductor Tamen to the sotios of the society for his inde-
fatigable exertions at the fire, and alms the police."

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OP PROFLIGACY AND
SUICIDE.

nalvEst—(THlS DAY.)
This morn Hr. H. Raffle* Waltliev, deputy
former for 31 ing
esiez„ held an inquiry at the Five Bells
Tavern, Limehonse, respecting the death of William Revell,
aged MI yews, who was alleged to have committed-suicide
under the following circumstance,.
Elba Head, wife of a mariner, said that shelast maw de-
aimed on Saturday week. Witness's husband had just re-
turned from • long Tome. and finding deceased there gaye
him a beating and turned him into the etreet. Deceased got
a black eye and was severely beaten. Witness knew he bed
no mosey, sod mot her little girl after him with 6d. He
had been • workman at the Iron Ship RaiMin Works.
For Ares or fear years past he was in the habit of coming to
wits's, while her husband was at sea. Os the Saturday
afternoon he mote to heraod said that he wanted to spook
to her, but alas said she dared met.
J. Walker, loam's' of the Limehonse-lock. of the river
Loa, said that on Saturday week deceased came to the lock
Laden*, to intim'. His face was damaged. and he ap-
peared to have bees dreadfully thrashed. He told witness,
whom he knew, that the husband of the previous 'item
had returned from sea unexpectedly, and there had been a
dreadful disturbs's*, about his (doceand) cohabiting with
her. He mid that he would endeavour to see her once
more and try to get her to leave her huaband and two chil-
dren, and go with him to Bristol. He sad he would then die II
happy man, but thatafterooon be should destroy himself, sod
end his misery. He appeared to be in ao infatuated Mate, and
witness said to him that it was shameful to go on in such •
way about any woman. Deceased maid, " Yon don't know
how I feel towards her, or what • osseous she is." Witness
said, " Well, if you are going to drown yourself you may as
well do so in my lock, and I will maks some money by &h-
-ie( yen out when you are deed.' Witness did not vetoed
that he should act upon that advice. Deceased offered to
sell witness his num, and west away to try and see Eliza
Heed. Demeasd said that the eomso's husbeed had hit
him to one eye and kicked him is the other.
J. Bones, master of the Richard, on Friday evening saw
the body of the deceased ONUS to the surface of the water,
neer the luck of the Limehouse cot of the Lea. He was
searched, and only twopenceand a razor were found in his
pocket.
The Deputy Coroner, In summing up, said that though
It was no doubt morally certain that deceased had com-
mitted suicide on account of the woman Head it was Dot
proved, and it was still possible that he might here lost hie
life through vengesnee.
The jury concurred, and returned a verdict "That de-
ceased was found dead in the water, bat how he came into
the water there was not euflinent evidence to show."

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