The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM BOROUaII PR 140 X.

TENTH DAY.
BIRMINGHAM, Fitu)ky.
The inquiry was resumed at tleven o'Llock
morning.

The first witness examined was William Ward.'n, who
was committed to the gaol lest February for six 'reeks,
as a runaway apprentice. Went in on a Tuesday,
and was punished on the following Saturday. I wax
put on the crank, but was unable to do the *lrk. I
was put on bread and water diet, and on Sunday had on
the strait jacket from 9 in the morning until S is the
evening. Once I was strapped to the wall ; the chaplain
came to me, and I told him that I was unable to do et 7
work I was so ill. The doctor (31r. Green) afteraards
came, I told him I had a pain in my hack, hr said "it
was all my idleness." On that dty I was again
in the jacket. On the following Tuesday I had
the jacket on again, and received i•c:, one
meal of six malacca of bread and water. Tho tint task at
the crank was VAX/ revolutions with a %b. weight. I was
several thousand dtticient in consequence of tay weakam.
Ti is task was afterwards increased m it,Ot,o revolutions.
On some days I did my task. The governor esmn to the
cell and make the crank so hard that I couldn't do it.

Mr. Welsby—Wia you swear that the governor coasts
the cell more than (nee and altered the weights of the
crank, in order to increase the punishment?

Witness—Tee ; i have known him come twice a-day and
screw it down.

Mr. Welaby—Wor any one present at the time ?

Witness—Yes ; Taylor, the warder. 1 li Uon the eslhe
and jacket several times. This gave me gr( pain. I had
my bed and gas takeu from me unti: a .ate Lour several
nights.

Welsby—Did the chaplain ever core, to you whilst
you were on the crank ?

Witness—Yes.
Mr. Webby—What did he say to you
Witness—He talked to me ali.r.,ut the !scripture., ..ittd made
me my.

Captain Williams—l see that from the IMI to the
of March you did the whole of your task. Ur. one day pa
performed as zany as 11,000 revolutions ou the ctauls. /10*
was that ?

\Vitncu—l didn't know that I did it.
Captain Williams—Did the governor cvcr Nehten the
crank ? -

Witness—No; it always turned harder after he left.
Sometime, aftcr he had guile away I rung the Lill and the
warder came and 'Witco the crank fur me. I was put in
the jacket and collar on two Sundays.
The Rev. W. Sherwin was recalled, and r..led by Capt.
Williams—Was it an ordiaray occurrence when a prisoner
did not perform his crank labour on one clay that he bad
bread and water and the straitjacket tic next i
Witni.ss.—lt wa.. There were many punishments of
which I knew nothing.
•

William Lawson depmed that be saw the last wily's ia
his cell in the strait jacket strapptd to the was;; on a San.
day ; he had fallen us if from c shaustino, acd appeared to
be strangled; witness raised him, took MI the collar, and
sprinkled him with water. Communi . ated the fact to Freer
the deputy-governor, and suggested to hit, t:.at the jacket
should be taken off, he said that it was on by order of the
governor, And he could nut interfere. Had seta the boy is
the jacket en other occasions utter he kit the crank. Re.
membered Maiden's Led being talon from hint, hut that
was a very ficquent occurrence as r. garded pi:toners in this
gaol. . . _

Taylor, the late warder, was recalled. h e deposed that
Warden was always complaining when at the crank, and
that he reported his complaints to the governor. If he
(witness) ever increased the weight on the crank it would
be by the governor's orden. Recollected seeing the pri-
sonerin the strait jacket and collar on a Sunday.
Freer, the deputy-governor, re-called—Rememberol
Warden being strapped; to the wall o❑ a Sunday, and his
attention being called to his exhausted condition by Law.
son, whose evidence he corroborated in the essential pun-
eulars. Had himself eased Warden's crank labour, in con•
sequence of its being too hard for him. The governor had
frequently ordered boys to be put into the punishment
jacket mail such time as they said they wont: work. There
was no record of such punishment on the books. It was an
invariable rule iu this prison to punish prisoners by depriv.
ing them of food—of bed—of gas, and.putting them into
the punishment jacket, in canes where they did not do their
I crank labour.

Capt. Williams—Mr. Austin, are all the puzisiaments
inflicted on this bay in the punishment bares?
Lieut. Austin—They are not.
Capt. Williams—Why not ?
Lieut. Austin—lt was not the practice in this prison.
Mr. Welsby—lie was put in the jacket on a Sun Cay,
and strapped to the wall. Should not that base been re.
corded ?

Lieut. Austin—lt should. It was an azcident il omission.

The Rev. Mr. Sherwin recalled and examined—Had
often complained to the visiting justices that much of the
misconduct of prisoners at the gaol arose out of the circum-
stance of their not being sufficiently employed when con-
fined to their cells ; but an objection had been raised by a
visiting justice that employing prisoners at trades in gaol
would militate apinst trades outside the gaol.
Dr: lialy—Who is the visiting justice that said that?

Witneee'—l don't remember.

Mr. Weisby—To what do you annotate the cause of the
prisoners fainting in chapel?
Witness—Their having to stand throueli all the service
excopt the sermon; and the heat and stench is very great.
Prisoners have said to me that they could endure a service
twice as long if they could sit.
Itathbene, the shoemaker at the gaol, was examined in
relation to the case of a prisoner named Bailey Canny, an
Irish boy, Id years old. The witness said—ln April last I
was called from the chop to assist in putting the strait
jacket on the prisoner. He would not work. He
said he had not food enough. The elder Cot-
terill told noe to lay hold of him, and afterwards
the governor, Freer, and one of the warders, was sent for.
Whilst talking to him, Freer tripped up th' prisoner's
heels, and when the latter was on the ground feil en his
chest with both his knees, at the same time saying, "That
is the way to lick him." The prisouer had the jacket en
at that time, and three or four cans of water were thrown
over him. The prisoner was at that time insen-
sible. He was at that time strapped to the wall, and
whilst in that position, Freer, the deputy governor,
slapped him ic the face. The governor then went up to
him and pressed his nose and lips with his Mogen,
and said, " You scoundrel, I'll get you flqe,red." I said
that I had a little dog at home, and that I wouldn't treat it
in that manner. The prisoner was pinned to the wall with
a Dole in • corner of his cell. I helped to put the jacket on
him. He complained of pain, crying out that he was in
great agony. I prose.' his arms back by the governor's
orders, and Freer pulled the straps of the jacket
two holes tighter. The boy was black in the face
before I lelt the cell, and foamed at the month.
Harley, another of the officers at the gaol, spoke of the
violence of the prisoner, who tore up the floor of his cell
and barricaded himself in his cell ; and threw brick-ends
et the olllcers : attempts wero made to pin him to the wall
by means of • pole. For some time the boy evaded
this ; at length Freer thrust the pole violently at him and
pinned him to the wall. The boy shouted, "Oh Lord !
Oh Lord ! " and fell. The governor said duel hurt him,
but the boy struggled violently and spit into Freer's face.
At this time he was hooting violently, and the governor
seized him by the nose with his fingers ; the blood trickled
down his nostrils, and he licked it into his mouth. The boy
still hooted, and ultimately the governor ordered witness to
get a bag and put his head in; for some time he was units
ble to procure one, but ultimately got one from nathbone
and took it to the governor, who told him to take it back,
that he didn't require it then.
Helyoake, the barber at the gaol, deposed that he once
saw the prisoner in the refractory cell ; he was strapped to
the wall, sad Freer strapped his legs. The governor said
to the boy, "You scoundrel, I'll get you flogged," stud
pressed the prisoner's nose flat to his face, and held his
mouth. On that occasion the prisoner's cell was not barri-
caded with bricks, neither was the floor of the cell torn up.
Mr. Webby—ls what you say true, or have you core-
pared notes with anybody.
Witness—Yes ; it is.

Freer and Lieu. t. Austin, the governor, were next called.
The latter denied positively that he had ever pulled the
prisoner's nose ; but he admitted that be had thrrab.ned tO
get him a good thrashing, because of his violence.
The inquiry• was again adjourned.

STATUE OP THE LATE SIR ROBERT PEEL IN WEST.
MINSTRR AllllllY.—Gibsoa's statue of the lets Sir Robert
Peel has been erected in the north transept of Westminster
Abbey, under the superintendence of the sculptor. The
statue was sculptured in Rome. It is of the life size, in
pure white inarhlo, and stands on a pedestal of b:ne-
veined marble. The likeness is good, and the attitude
expressive, rer resenting the late statesman in the act of
addressing the senate, and marking an emphasis by the
pressure of the palm of the left hand with a scroll which
he holds in the right band.
DEATH OF SIR PECKHAM NIICKLEWATTE, BART.
This hon. baronet, who died at his scat en diiday, iu his
sixty-eighth year, was created a baronet during the late
Lord Melbourne's administration, in ISM ; he married, it♦
1336, the sister of the late Lord Bateman.
DEATH OF Mn. BLEWITT, TUB COMPOSER.—TS
death ut the above-named public favourite, both as tke
composer and simzer of sprightly and humorous song%
took place in town, early in the present week, under those
comfortleiss circumstances that but too °den attend the
demin of celebrities of the theatrical profession. Mr.
Biewitt is stated to have closed his slays in great poverty,
leaving a widow and family of iltildrin to depend upon
eleemosynary aid for whatever temporary provision can bo
obtained for them in their bereavement. Mr. Blewitt
composed the spirited music to the highly humorous gel
of " Barney Brallaghan's Courtship," and this song first
brought him into notice as a composer. The musical
world has, in a brief period, been deprived of the talents
of three celebrated comic vocalists. lludsou died a few
months ago; Blrwitt has not long sonic( him; and John
l'..rry has re iced from the profession, through illness of
ehrolio Lind, which incapacitates hint from appeals*
before the public.

B.IRNST.IPLE BRIBERY COMMISSION.

BARNSTAPLE, Thirionar Niosr.

The inquiry was resumed to-day, when
Mr. Owego 'fite lisyslon, grocer and ',semen, who had
113 t he. a particular:y active at the last election, but " un-
derte.A to d s rert.i . things," produced a list of fourteen
(:,.wiles himself) to whom he had paid 61. each
w their v tee. They voted for Breenridge and Fraser.
Lois' of the fourteen were " Gayslons," and related to
',Anew, why we. empowered to treat "for the family."
The other then w, r s nut relatives, bat had put themselves
%and.. rite( et received the mosey from Mr. John
r,tler, at the honey of the latter, a few days after
the thetion Mr. Potter told him to go into a
d,r'. closet upstairs, and he would find iomethin,r.
W.tntos went there, and found 901. on a Shelf.
Witness, in addition to the 61., received 21. for Lis tumble,
aaJ one of the tither ••tisydoes," a silversmith, who had
to c from L odors, received 31. for travelling ezocrises.
TM*, last •11111 wore paid by Mr. Young or Mr. Penes.
Witt.ew had no toots, for voting in 1317 ; but was paid in
1,11. Always voted on the conservative shirt. Wu known
as a friend of the party, and it was almost unnecessary to
twirl' his vote. On t►e night before the nomination day,
Mr. M snit told witness that if anything 13 the
shape of money was passing after the election, he and
"the Until," should have abate and share with the rest.
Witness tint asked Mr. Marsh whether he thought there
would be any money passing. Mr. Marsh gave witness
authority to " arrange" with others, as well as with the
family. Mr. Breinridge called tipm witless SeTerul times ;
bat never cantas•od him for his vote ; nor asked him to se.
cure " the family" for Aim. Mr. Bremridge knew they
always went that way. Mr. John Gaydon, relieving officer,
was cousin to witness, but not on witnew's list ; hiving a list
Of his own. John U tydon, of Swenbridge, since dead, ought
to have been on witness's list, as witness bad paid him 21.
fur a split vote. Witness got this money at a sec ,nd visit to
Mr. r‘tur, and also 21. extra for William Gaydon, maws,
fur hi, exertions. .

Mr. Weld am Avery, mayor and returning officer at the
last descents (formerly proprietor of the North Dci.on
Journal, be' now a merchant at Bristol) said—Lord
Ebrington cslled upon him towards the end of 18;1 to state
that his brother, the Hon. J. Furtescue, was shout to re-
sign, and that his lordship would come forward at the neat
election in his stead. Witness, as proprietor of a loc el
ocupaper, toile an active part in politics. Went to Lon-
don to communicate with his lordship in February before
the election, the expenses of the journey being paid by Mr.
Clay, Lord Ebrington's agent. Witness went to ascertain
the feeling. of Lord Ebrington with regard to bringing for-
ward a wooed candidate on the liberal side. When his
lordship first spoke to witness upon the subject, he said he
would not spend a single farthing illegally, and wit-
ey.s stronely counselled him not to etyma to Dim-,
staple, beli-ving it to be utterly useless for any one'
to contest the borough upon strict purity principles. His
lordship, however, said he was determined to give the re-
spectable portion of the constituency an opportunity of
vatiog lea him upon those principles. Witness himself was
always an advise, te of purity of election. Lord Ebrington
was most intl. 'Ode throughout in his adherence to the
purity principle. Witness made another journey to London,
in the month of Joe., to consult with regard to a second
Candidate, with a friend who had written to him upon the
subject; bat it is-ued in nothing. Witness appointed gen-
tlemen whom he knew to be private solicitors to Earl For-
testae, as deputy-returning officers; but without the
slightest possible reference to that fact. The appointment
was known two days before the election, and no complaint
was made about it by any one. Witness anew of no money
being spent ill gaily, or of any illegal practices, upon the
put of Lord Ebrington, or his party, during the election.
So far as his observation extended, the election of 1847 was
a perfectly pure election.
Win. Held tijuld, draper and householder, voted for
Lord Ebrington at the last election, admitted having given
some old clothes to a voter named John Knill, but without
any reference to his vote. Knill always said he should
vote for Lord Ebrington, although he knew money was
given on the other side. Witness gave the clothes simply
in charity, as Kola was very ragged.
Mr. John Osydon, silversmith, and freeman (but renting
a home at 101.), applied to be heard by the commissioners,
in denial of a statement mado by Mr. 0 Tite Gaydon, that
the latter l.ad given him 61. for his vote. This statement
was not true. AVitness had received from Mr. G. T. Gay-
don the sum of lit, with a perfect understanding that the
whole was for his brother Henry, who had come from Lon-
don to vote. Witness remitted the money to his brother.
Was not aware that his own name was on the list, and was
sot told that part of the money was for himself. Never
heard from any of the" Gaydon. ' that 61. wee the fair pries
of a vote.
Chief Commissioner—What! and a Gaydon yourself!
Why you are not one of the family. (Laughter.)
Et ouniation resumed—Witness hoped to prove he was
intone of " the family" en that occasion. His brother was
a journeyman watchmaker. Began to think that money
was given fur voting when he got the 141. for his brother.
Stepp reed so much of the 14!. to be fer bribery as was over
his brother'. expenses. Had written to tell his brother, he
would meet likely get his expenses if he ear= down to vote.
G. T. Widen was witness's fourth or fifth cousin.
(Laughter.) Before the election, he called on wituew, and
told hiss be had his name on his list, when witness told him
to take it off; as he neither expected air wished to be paid
in any shape whatever ; but if his brother Henry came
down front London, he would expect to be paid -his ex-
penses ; rod if the party thought proper to make him a
present, no doubt he would be glad to receive it. Mr. 0. T
Osydou bad a list at the time, and witness guessed that the
hat insect money; but, alter what he had said,
Calculated that any money could be got for him. Was sot
upon visiting terms with the other Gaydoos, and was pro-
bably better off then some of them. O. T. Osydon, when
he gave witness the 141., did not say bow much of the
May wee for him, and how much for his brother. Did
get 1•11 O. T. Gaydes that he would not have any money
kr his vote. Oat of the lel. kept three sovereigns, which
his brother owed to hiss, and sent the other eleven to hie
brother in a parcel, by railway, with other things.
Mr. G. T. Geldes reitalled—When be called at the shop
ef the last witness, and asked him if he would like to have
his same es the list, he shelled about a little, and them
laid: "Yon might if you liked." Witness said,
leg well; I'll put your name down," and that Wall
all that pesiod. Nothing was said about the brother's
vote. By putting a name on the list witness meant having
any money which might be paid atm the 'let:ties. After-
wards told the last witness that his name had been put mi
the list. He said, " Very well," and witness did not see
him &gala until he went fee the mosey after the election.
Wiesen, thee told him he had got his and his brother's
mosey, and gave him 14!.
Mrs. Elisabeth Garbo, wife of Mr. G. T. Gaydon, re-
membered that a few days after the last election, Mr. John
Gayest, silversmith, came is her husband " for his mosey,"
as esesived two parcels; one of which contained 6L was
*likseelf, and the other, containing 6!., and a farther
ma (Me amount of which she did not remember) for ea-
=esv for his brother. Her husband discovered that
paid two "Henry Osyclon's," when there was only
cme oa his list ; and witness consequently went to Mr. J.
Gaydsa to ask if hie brother was the one who should be
?Ltd. Mr. J. Gaydon said his brother must be the right
Henry Gaydon, as his parcel ountaised mousy for sepenees
besides the St Witness then took their list to Mr. Yoang,
who said he would look over their books to see if it was
right ; if eo he would send them the 6!. He afterwards
did so.
The Chief Commissioner said Henry Gaydon, brother of
Mr. J. Cleydoo, would be summoned from London to clear
the matter up. In the meantime he cautioned the relatives
of the brother and the professional gentlemen oa both
sides not to communicate with him in any way until he
appeared is *art.
Jobs Saha freeman, was canvassed by Mr. Willis, for
when he reeked, in April, 18-52, oa behalf of Lord Miring-
tee, ail tali that if he did net promise a eke so he might
lash the jeb apes which he was thia ea, hat ahead
net have Imam When the job wee Sle. was
du to wawa. hat Mr. Willie mil he should set have it
rear he veal for Lord Ebrinetbse. Afterwards Mr.
Kingson clammed witness for his lordship, and told him he
would see the M. set right, and witness was paid the day
before the sleeting. Said he would vote for Lord Ebring-
ton if his lordship
_wanted his vote, but finding his lord-
ship 62 or 63 Wind at half-past two, thought he could do
Lord Ebrington we good, and so voted for Bremridge and
Feuer. (Laughter.) Mr. Willis had told witness he
thought he could afford to give him 51. for a single vote if
he same to hint the day after the electior, and if be gave
two TOM to his lordship he should be handsomely paid.
Wiener thought he could give two votes to one candidate.
Got IX for voting for Bremridge and Fraser.
Mr. J. Willis, householder and member of Lord Ebring-
ton's committee, denied the entire statement of the previous
'item. There was a disputed item of 21. Ile. between
them for work done by Selden in the February before the
election. &Ides often applied for it, and did so a day or
two before the election, when witness, being a strong
Verlag onian, thought it as well to settle matter, so as to
keep Selden in a good temper. He therefor* said he would
give him 11. to settle the dispute, and Selden agreed to
take it. Witerss would not have given him the It if it
had not been election time ; but all the rest of Selden's
statement was entirely untrue. Selden had sent in a bill
of ;/. is. for work which witness thou,tht worth about 21.
Witness paid the 11. to Selden in the presence of two
of his servants.

G. 11.Fearse, muter mariner, householder, voted for
Brunridge and Fraser, and was afterwards paid GI. by Mr.
J. Y. Haub.
Burge Fairchild, pensioner and householder, the day
before the election met Mr. t. B. Brown, who said, "Ten,
George, ten," from which witness understood he mizbt fret
10/. by voting f3r Lord Ehrington. Voted on the other stile
and was afterwards paid 6!. by err. Featherstone. Would
not have vote 1 for Ehrington for 201. Mr. Brown knew he
would not vote for him.
George Howard, freeman, wee canvassed by several gen-
theinca for Lord Ehrington, two of whom gave him Iv.
each and on. Ga. Witness would not promise, but they
told him to do what he could. (Laughter.) Witness voted
for Brecoridge and leaser, and got a
Adjourned till Friday.

THE LATE FIRE IN CANNON•STREET, WEST.
Yesterday Mr. William Payne, the coroner, held an
quizy at the Sugar Loaf T , Caanon-street West, into
the cause and origin of the recent fire that broke out on
the premises of Ur. Richard Bell, No. 21, Cannon-sereet
West, chemical vests match manufacturer, at an early hour
on Monday morning. The inquiry was instituted in con-
s. queues of some 'entree ntations snide to the coroner, by
the in..abitares of Cannon-street, that the outbreak was
to be attributed to the dangerous nature of the business.
The COt.)11( r said, aithough he had summoned the jury
it meet be understood that they etendcd voluntarily. For
five years he had held an inquiry upon fires that
had taken place in toe City, and he wee satisfied that
great goo • had resulted from it. Some of the mem-1
tiers et the corporation, however, thought proper to doubt
their legality, end that a witness giving evidence that
was false could not be indicted for perjury ; the 7
took the opinion of conned on the subject, and it
was somewhat strange that those very memo. n et the cor-
poratiou were now eryieg up the commission leaned by the
crown. New no person was bound to attend as a witness,
awl if they did no person could be convicted of perjury for
the evidence given by them; he (the coroner), notrith-
standing the opinion of counsel, mi.intained that an inquiry
or this nature wss strictly a legal one, and he knew that
many of thi judges were of that opinion, and that opinion
was expriseed by the late Lard Chief Justice, however some
corporator. el, oe to interfere and object to the inquiries on
the ground of legality, although they advocated a tribunal
lees legal of the two. 11, wended entirely at the desire of
the inhabitants, and did not intend to receive any fee. He
attended becalm it was suggested by the inhabitants ; aid
although the inquiry might occupy some hours of his time
he felt bound ass public officer to give it, and he believed
that then was some reasunalite hope that good would result
from it. Although the jury had been summoned by him,
they must be considered as voluntary.
The jury having viewed the premises, evidence was given
as to this discovery of the fire.
Janus Russell, police constable, 474, stated that en Mon-
day morning, about half-past two or three, he was in Can-
non-street West; from the direction of Garlick-hill he smelt
fire, and by the time he got to the end of the new Mete he
saw flame and smoke coming from the top of a house, but
did not know what house; he sprang his rattle and called
fire, when another constable came up and sent him for the
engines.
Police-constable Green, 421, stated, that when he came
he discovered the fire to ber at Mr. Bell's ; he did not ring
any bell, na he was aware that no person slept on the pre-
mises. Ao merely sprang his rattle, and gave an alarm of
tiro. The engines and firemen speedily came up and suc-
ceeded in extinguishing the fire.
A number of witnesses, cousisting of several of the lire
brigade, and several of the inhabitants were examined at
some length, but their evidence did not tend to any satis-
factory elucidation of the C4lllO of the fire.
The Coroner having addreseed the jury, they, after some
deliberation, returned a verdict—" That the evidence be-
Lee them was not sufficient to trace the origin of the fire,"
at the same time they unanimously agreed to a resolution
which was drawn up and signed by the foreman in the
nature of a protest or request to be presented by the Alder-
man of the ward, expressive if their opinion that the ma-
nufacture and warehousing of articles liable to spontaneous
combustion was, if not illegal, most dangerous, an calling
upon the authorities to take steps to prohibit the continu-
ance of such trades within the city.
The inquiry then terminated.