The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-04 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 4, 1849.

THE COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN STAFFORD-

DUDLEY POIVT, TUE:4MT. Yesterday Mr. 0.
Hinehliffe, the moiler fur the district, held his inquisiticn
at the Royal Oak here, to icquire into the cause of death of
the Garton men wtio loot their lives in consequence of
an explosion in a coal mine, as detailed in the Express
of Thuoday last.
The first witness culled was Henry Bent, who stated that
he went down the pit last Tuesday morning at the usual hone.
There was not sufficient work for all who went down, and be
and others prepared to go up again. Pritchard, the doggie,
having pointed out the place for some of the men to work,
proceeded to the back part of the wait, 200 yards from the
spot where witness stood, where some boys said there was
sulphur, having at the time a lighted candle in his hand.
Tea minutes afterwards an explosion took place, and witness
u very much'• blown" and injured. He became senseless
immediately, and remained so fur some time alter ho had
and been taken out of the work. He had worked
lin this mine fifteen months, and it was the cue,
tem either tor Thomas Pritchard, the doggie, or Jason,
Ws militant, to try it every morning. Pritchard was
s steady sea. On the Saturday previous to the explosion,
at the tians the men gave up work, it appeared free from std.
phew j spin en Sunday night the men went down, and
worked until 8 on Monday morning without there being any
airraof danger.
r: 1 was not in the part of the works on Monday
serning where the explosion took place, and am, therefore,
enable to say in what ►ate it was. I was in the pert where
the expicsion took place on the Thursday morning pre-
viessAy ; it was vary warm at that time, and theta was sul-
phur, which they were driving.
Janus Webb, miner, Dudley Port, was next examined.
He said, I worked in this pit; I assisted the doggie. Last
Tuesday morring at six o'clock I went down first to try the
help. I did this on the right hand side of the pit, and as.
eirteined that there was no sulphur. Thomas flitch/1d
Mow to me after I bad tried the lamp ; he had at that time a
lighted candle in his hand, having just come out of the aide
et work where the explosion took place ; he had not then
taken the lighted candle to that side of the
week where the sulphur existed. He remained with me
five minutes, and then went away with a candle in his
hand ; and ten minutes afterwards the explosion took place.
I eentained in the pit about twenty minutes after the ex-
plodon, having been rely much stunned. I had no idea
Mud there was any suljbur in the pit when I taw Pritchard.
Ow Wednesday awning I examined the dams
et
the pit. The explosion had blown them
every one out. I had not examined them before,
but at the time I looked at them on account of
the air having to go down and up and down again, the part
where the explosion took place was not sufficiently venti-
lated. The afr•head is eleven feet from the back of the
work where it fired. I don't think it was sufficient to air
tha ►ide at the work. Pritchard bad been doggie of this pit
from its commencement. Had never heard him complain of
the air heads. At this moment every bit of air there coal
be with the present means had been driven to this side of
the work, and it was still full of sulphur. The
workmen complained two months since De Pritchard that
the air-headings were not carried sufficiently back. It was
the duty of Pritchard to sea that they were so. He bad
the heading driven out, and he believed that it then an-
swered the purpose required, but still there was not air
enough to a rye the three sides of work. I think that if
there had been a doorway between the two pits there would
have been a sufficient draught of air. Elijah Jutson, who
is since dead, told me how the explosion took place. I
saw him on Wednesday morning; he was then very ill, and
said "he hat got too much." I asked him how
it went off, meaning the sulphur ; be replied
" Thomas Pritchard and me came from the back of the
work to the last spout but one to the next ; I said, do you
think it will hunt? Thomas said no. I unscrewed the
lamp, Thomas lighted his candle. I went down on my hands
and knees. lie came back about four feet, and the fire went
off from his candle. I was looking at the candle when it was
lighted, and saw t►e sulphur round it."
By a juror—The spot where they unscrewed the lamp
was about 29 yards from the last spout.
Jacob Smith, 01 Dudley Port, miner, was next called. He
deposed to the effect that he had worked in the pit ten
weeks ; that he went down the pit at 6 o'clock last Tuesday
morning ; he worked at that side of work where the explo-
sion took p'ace on the previous Saturday afternoon. Thomas
Pritchard (since deceased) was with him. Witness put in sae
of the dams at that side of the work that afternoon;
it was trade of slack and coals, and was fixed in

Side; to force the air up the work.
James Walton, a miner, stated that he visited the pit on
the Tuesday after the explosion had taken place, and before
all the bodies had been taken out, which he assisted in re-
moving. He had been down the pit again that day, and
examined it from one end to the other. There was no sulphur,
and it was in a fit state fir any man to work. The claws
had been put in again and further back. Was not aware
what state the pt was in before the explosion. Believed the
sir went three war, whereu now it went one way.
William Pritchard, brother of the doggie of the pit, killed
by the explosion, stated that ho had been down the pit a
ft might before the accident. At that time there was no
eulphur, and the air-ways were In such a state as to be capa-
ble of carrying off any that might arise. Tried the lamp
in order to ascertain whether the air had stopped anywhere,
and foutd that it had not. Usually accompanied his brother
down the tit early in the morning, to try the lamp be.ore
the men went to their work, but did not go on the morning
of the accident. His opinion was that the air-ways were
suffideirly large to ventilate the three different puts of the
mine.
T. Mills, sub-inspector e the county constabulary, was
next called. He stated that, having hear] of the dangerous
Maus et Jutson, the assistant to the doggie, be went to him,
and the man having given him to understand that he was
initiressed with the idea that he should not live, he (witness)
received from him a declaration to the effect that he hod ta Id
Pritchard, on the morning sf the explosion, that there was
sulphur in the pit. They afterwards went to look at the
spout, and feud air blowing from the top of the dem.
Pritchard then unscrewed the lamp, lighted the
candle, pat out the lamp, and went to the dam
and looked at it, and there was a good deal of air blowing
over the top of it. Pritchard was in the spout at the time
the explosion took place. It was six or seven momenta after
the lamp was unscrewsl that the sulphur fired. The boys
had been brushing the holing in that part of the pit for the
purpose of dispersing the sulphur. The sulphur was white
at the time be spoke to Pritchard about it.
Emanuel Fisher, a youth, deposed that he went down to
work in the pit on the Tuesday morning of the explosion.
Thomas Pritchard told him and the other two boys to brush
array the eulphur. He left us (wieners said) with a lamp
and raid he should come back to us. We were brushing it
away with our waistcoats in that part of the pit where the
sulphur existed, and in about ten minutes it fired. it came
amongst us and killed nine boys on the spot, and seriously
injured me.
Mr. James Morris, the agent at the colliery, produced a
plan of the workings, and expressed his belief that if
Pritchard had properly stopped a dam pointed out, the cur-
rent of sir pawing would have been sufficient to properly
ventilate the pit ; instead of which the sulphur had accumu-
lated by the spout where the air escaped, and at the spot
where it was fired by the candle,
At this stage of the proceedings the inquiry was again ad.
journed, in order to give time for some competent per-
sons appointed by the jury to inspect the mine. it having
been previously placid in the same state as it was prior tothe
exilosion. This will enable them to form an opinion as to
the means provided fur efficient ventilation.
The interment of the f aurteen persons who lost their lives
by the occurr..nce took place last Friday afternoon. Many
thousands of per, ins wiinessad the mournful termination to
'a event which has made many families destitute, and many
'dren orphans.

SPORTING.

NEWMARKET JULY MEETING.-NEWMARKET,

TUESDAY.

IIaNDICAP SWEEPSTAKES ot 20 soVS. mob, 5 ft if de-
clared, for 3-yr-ulds, &a. New T.Y.C. 11 sue. 6of
whom declared.
Duke of RutlandaNint, 3 yrs, Sat Ilb (Boyce) 1
CaL Peel's Tetrad, 4 yrs, Set 31b fratuu.l 2
Loed ClUden's The Widow, aged, Sat ;lb ....—.....(lobinson 3
Sir. Barnea Little Charley, 3 yrs, Est 101 b )Pearl 4
Lord Enter's ennuis, S yrs, Set 31b (Bartholomew) 5
MATCH, 100, Is It. T.Y.C.

Duke of Bedford's Minto, 4 yrs, eat 121 b ... ........ .... -Butler) .
Sir J. Hawley's etirabout, 2 'rig Iht 10Ib (Pearl) 2
JULY STAKES of 50 SOTS. seek, 30 ft ; Ice 2-yr-ulds, colts,
Bst 7ib, and fillies, Sat bib; the second to save his stake.
New T.Y.C. (25 subs.)
Mr. Pedley's Sweetheart (Templeman) 1
Mr. H. Freeman's tozree4os (Butler) 2
Sit J. Hawley's Cr (Mann) 3
MATCH, 200, ti. f. Lae* half oils al mew T. Y. C.
Yr. Greeilie's &talette, Mt 41b (Flatman) 1
Duke of Bcd:ord's Scamps Via, est 41b (Butler) I
Bwzirevslss of 10 ROM each, for 3-yr olds elet o.b, feur,
Sat lib, jive est 10ib, six and aged 9st 10,b. 'FILM.w
ank.,
to be sold for 300 sow. 3 subs.
Mr. Combs's f. by Venison, out of Chadlington Med, 3 yrs
(O. Brown) 1
Lard Orford's b c by Cotherstone, out of Mandanc S yrs
(E. Shari)) I
Lord Eseter's Conda, 3 yrs (J. Mann) S
3tol on Mandone colt. Won by • length.
MATCH, 200, h f., Bst 71b each. New T.Y.C.—Lord
Exeter's Nutcracker received from Lord Stanley's Little
Isaac.
MATCH, 200, h ft, Bst 41b each. Lest half mile of New
TX C.—Mr On ville's Ellen Middleton (dead) receives 80
eon. forfeit from Duke of Bedford's Accra.
NEW MATCH FOE THURSDAY —Duke of Bedford's New-
port, 9.t 2.b, mkt Mr. Gerard Bturt's Humphrey, 7st 9ilb.
New T.Y.C. 100, h It.

Eati3 *Manama.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.-YErrziwAy.

SIITINGA AT NISI PRIVE.—BLIDEE Leib DICIMAX &VP •
SPECIAL Juar.

—.....-..
Tae QI.TION O. CUM.—INDICTMENT PO* PaRJURY.
Mr. Knowles, Q C.., end Mr. Prentice were counsel fir
the prosecution, and Mr. Serjeent Bhee, with whew was
Mr. Bramwell, app ared for the defendant. I
Tois was en indictment fur perjury preferred against an
attorney resitting at Little Barnlield•hall, in Butz, by a
Mr. Edmund &anion, a farmer, raid ng in the neignhour-
I hood 01. Little Barnfleld. Toe pirjury sae albite I t^
have been committei by the defendant in hie answer to
a bill in enaneery which had been Bled aft tinat him by the
prosecutor, Edmund Bslinnn, en the 29th of Wife,
1848. The cireudostances of the case, as stated by the 'owned
emoted for the prosecution, in his addre.s to the jury, are
rsubscquent:/ supported by the evidence, were these. it
ppearell that7&rsio brothers, Joseph Smith Salmon, John

Salmon, sad Idannd S limns, the prosecutor, were entitled,
as residuary legalese under the will of their uncle, one John
Smith, who dad in the vier 1826. to considerable landed
property in the neighbourhood of Bar: fl ld, and by the will
it was directed that, upon the youngest brother, Edmund,
arriving at the age of 21, the property should be sold, and
the proceeds divided amongst the brother. Edmund Salmon
attained his majority in November, 1815, but in the previews
June, by the advice of the defendant the property had been
sold by an auctioneer of the name of Franklin, and Mr.
Cutts beams the purchaser of Lot 8, which adjoined his
own property at Little Barefield, for the sum of 2,610 i. It
was now alleged that the defendant had instigated the sale
fee the purpose of becoming podiessed of Lot 8, and that he
bad selected Mr. Franklin se the auctioneer, because he was
a tenant of his. It was also now alleged that he had pur-
chased the property for 2.6101., whereas it was worth 3,5001.
Upon the purchase of Lot 8 by the defendant, it appeared
that the defendant bad net paid any of the purchase, wi:h
the exception of 3801. which he had paid to the
prosecutor, Edmund Salmon, on account of his share of the
2.6101., which amounted to pearl% 9001. The deendant had
subsequently tendered Edmund Samoa the balance of hie
share of the purchase money, but the prosecutor did not re-
ceive it, disputes having amen on the subject. In the month
of May, 1847, Joseph Smith Salmon and John Salmon filed
a bill in Chancery against Mr. Cud!, to c impel him to per-
form the contract he had entered into to purchase lot 8. In
that bill Edmund Salmon was made a defendant. Mr.
Culls_ put in his answer to that bill in July, 1847, and
in his answer he admitted that it was by his
advice as the solicitor of the Salmons that their
property was sold in June, 1845, and that be had the ,
direction of the sale. The defendant, in his answer, ex-
pressed his willingness to complete the contract which he had
entered into to buy lot 8. Subsequently to this, however,
Mr. Edmund Salmon, who tbuught that lot 8, which con-
sisted of a farm called Salmon Farm, had not been fairly
sold, and had been disposed of under its value to suit the
defendant, filed his bill in Chancery against Mr.
Cutts, praying that the sale might be declared
void on the ground of fraud. Mr. Joseph Smith
Salmon and Mr. John Salmon were made defendants to the
bill. The bill was filed is March, 1848, and the answer of
the defendant Cutts was dated the 9th of June, 1848; and it
was upon two statements in that answer that the present
charge of p rjury was founded. The first statement was a
denial on the part of Mr. Cutts that he had at any time ad-
vised the three Salmons, or any of them, to sell the residuary
property left them by their uncle, John Smith. lie also de-
nied in his answer that he had ever been inotructed Ly the
Selmone to have their property told, or that he had ever
caused it to be put up to sale, or that he
ever interfered or acted in or about the ale
of the property belonging to the Salmons. Them
averments, on the part of the defendant, it was now
contended on the part of the prosecution were in direct
opposition to the answer which he had put in to the bill
filed against him by Joseph Smith Salmon and John S clmon.
It was sworn to-day by the three Salmons and their uncle,
a Mr. Spicer, that it was at the suggestion of Mr. Cutts that
the property was sold before Edmund came of age, and that
the management of the sale had been lel*, entirely to the de.
Pendant. It appeared that Mr. Cutts had charged 341. for
acting as the solicitor in etc:leg the sale, end the different
items in his bill of costs showed that he had made all the
necessary arrangements with the auctioneer, Mr. Franklin,
fur effecting the sale.
Mr. Sediant Sbee, for the defendant Cutts, contended
that there was no rliscrepancy between the answer given by
his cleat to the bill filed against him in Chancery by Joseph
S. Salmon and John Salmon and that which he had made to
the bill filed against him by Edmund Salmon. With regard
to the perjury that was charged against the defendant, it was
to be explained in this way. He swore that, as the solicitor
of the Salmons, he had advised the property being sold upon
their first suggesting it, and he meant to deny that he,
as their solicitor, did suavest that the property
should be told. With regard to the defendant's second
averment upon which perjury had been assigned, the de-
fendant merely meant to deny unit he had taken an activ,
or undue part in interfering in the sale, but had merely
done what it was necessary for a solicitor to do. Unita
these circumstances, the learned serjeidat submitted that his
client was entitled to a verdict.
In support of the defendant's case, Mr. R. Franklin, the auc-
tioneer who sold the property, was called, and he stated that
he received his instruct inns to sell the property of the Salmons
from Messrs. Sandell and Me esent, the trustees ef the late
Mr. Smith's will, and that directios a with respect to the sale
' were given by the Salmons thematices and the trustees, and
the defendant did net advise lot 8 to he sold in one lot for
any purpose of his two, nor did he inter:ere in the sale any
more than a soliciUz usually did.
Mr. Ezekiel &nil, who had bid for lot 8 at the sale, was
the next witness celled, n:,l he 'wore that ho was not re-
vs:alined from bidding above a certain sum fur ties lot be-
cause Mr. Cutts wished to buy it, as had been stated by
Edmund Salmon in his bill in chancery.
Mr. Knowles having replied,
Lord Denman very minutely and carefully summed up.
The jury then retired to eocie'elrr their verdict, and, after an
absence of an hour and a half, eeturned into court with a
verdict of Guilty against the r.e endant on the first count,
which charged bias with perjury in denying that he had
suggc steel to the three S ihnons that their property should
be sold before Edmund fi Amon attained his majority.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.—YESTERDAY.
(heroin lea. Consiismoaaalosaornd
Its 0111 SON —Till Sr. ALHANiI BANK.
This was the col:State meeting in the case of R. Gibson,
a partner in the St. Albaus bank. The particulars of the
'allure have already epprred in the Express.
Mr. Lawrence supported the bankrupt's application,
urging that he had pabsel his la. t examination on the Sepa-
rate fiat taken out .gainer him, and that thcre was no
ground for delaying his certificate.
Mr. Bagley, who appeared for Meters. Markham, and
various other creditors on the j iint estate, stated that a joint
fiat had been taken out, and asked that the certificate should
be deferred till proceedings had been had under the joint
fiat.
Mr. Sturt said he had been in prison nearly two months,
and was willing to subm't to the joint fiat on condition of
his discharge.
Mr. George, the solicitor to the detaining creditor, having
corsented to this arrangement, an order was made for his
release ; and Tuesday, the 6th of November was fixed for the
bankrupt to renew his application for his certificate.

P OLICA—Y_EsTERD AY .

SOUTHWARK.

CHOLERA IN A COMMON LODGING-1101:8B. Mr.
Thwaites, the chairman of the board of guardians of St.
Saviour's parish, waited on Mr. Cottinglram, for the purpose
of solicitiag his advice and assistance under the following
circumstances :
The applicant stated that the attention of the paroeldal
authorities had been called to a common loditing-house,
situated in a narrow court or pasmge leading out of Red
Cross square, in which al deaths had recently taken
place owing to cholera, in ics molt malignant feral ; that the
house referred to had only two rooms in it, and he had been
informed, from undoubted authority, that as many as forty
persons men, women, and children occupied them;
that he and the parish surgeon had visited the house, and
found it in a very filthy conoitien ; and that three individua's
in one family had la'ely ben carried off with cholera. He
wished to know whether the parish authorities would be
justified in having placards put up warning persons front
taking up their abode in a house where so many had died of
cholera, and whether they could remove the body of a man
then lying dead in the same place ?
Mr. Cettinghans, in reply, said that such a remedy would
be almost as bad as the disease ; that if placards were po•ted
of such a nature they would probably have the (fleet
of alarming the minds of many persons, and thereby
increasing that which it was intended to prevent,
and that the locality might be completely deserted if such a
step was taken. lie, however, shou'd send an officer down
to the house to require the attendance of the person in
charge of it, Winch, the summoning officer, repaired to the
house and soon returned, accompenied by an old Irish
woman named Neal, who said that it was her husband that
kept the house, but that he eves then lying dead, having es•
pired on Sunday, and that she intended to have him buried
as soon as De was " waked," according to the custom of his
country.
Mr. Cottitgltam pointed out to the old woman the danger
of permitting inch a number of persona to lodge in her house,
and advised her, if she consulted their health, not to p emit
it again, as it would sad in sweeping them all cff with the
dreadful complaint now so prevalent. He also desired her
to have the corpse of her tmeband interred as soon as possible,
and to relinquish her initiation or having a crowd of persona
to t' wake" him.
She promised to comply with these directions, and the
Parties then retire d.