The Express.
London, England, 1854-01-05 00:00:00

CORONERS INQUEST ON THE GREAT tiro element; and he bed•ved that on no previous ooetsiln
of • great fire iad is math judgmcat, caducei, and in-
FIRE IN THE CITY. trepidity been displard.
Mr. °Minds hating handed ten guineas to the Lord
Mayor fur the poor-bes from the firm, bowed and retired.

-4.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Wm. Parse, die cermet
of London, held a lengthened inquily at the Old Red Lion
Tavern, Csenon-street West, for the purpose et mortar
lag " how certain •arebouses in Brad-etre% braise
barest es 1k1111147 sight last." The lesesigalse,whi:h
mast essideseMe to istab was atteniall It
_Mr. ilierasria-
tesdent Beeidweed sod met of the aseestales aseseted
with the various isseresse aim iseseatedi is the leas.
The learned catorter mietteek to MU the aqua is son-
seratesee eta requidelest Muted by easy a the .emln-
fluelial mordents is Me ward, having Welt presented to
him, :equates bile to do so. The jury having been
mere, the (Mesas evidence was takes:
Molten Colley, poliermutable 475, said that on Sire-
day eight last be was on duty in Bread-street, Cheapidde,
sod as neer as poesible he dimmer the fire at a quarter
per ten o'clock. He had pared down the sweeties% r
Mr. Townend's men were closing the premises, at ten
minutes after ten. He stopped in front of the house, ea he
bad been is the habit of doing, and saw the porter come sp
from the cellar, alter he had turned the gas off. Wits=
held his lamp for the man to see to leek the dor. Witsem
then proceeded down towards Watlingstreet,and on gain-
ing the corner he turned round to look down the street,
Greediest to his orders from the Superintendent, when he
saw an unusual glare of light on Messrs. Foster's premises.
He ran down the street, and found Mr. Toweeers bat
warehouse " all in flames." Nnt more than five Musts
bad elapsed from the time he held his lamp at the deer till
the outbreak took place. He sprang hie rattle, sad at the
ear time found fire coming over the shutters on the 'mead
floor. The engines having arrived, they were, after ease
time lost in waiting for water, set to week,
when the premises by that period were in one
body of flame. lie looked through the key-hole
of Mr. Greenlee.' warehouse and found that building also
in lames. Ile soloed that before Mr. Townead's door
was berm open to admit the water from the engines.
When Mr. Braidwood arrived he informed him that the
next warehouse was also on fire, whew he took a poleaxe
sad broke the door open. Witness then found that the pre-
seises were all on fir
By the Coroner—The firs extended upwards. Four per-
sons left Mr. Townend's premises. He knew them all by
*ht.
Kr. Thomas Upton, of Sydenisam-hfil, proved that he
was the owner of several of the houses in Bread-street.
That occupied by Mr. Toward was one of his. Having
tally &erred the different herr sad given the names of
1 the esesplers, he said that he believed there was • briek
wall it 14 inches thick and 10 or 12 feet high between
Townend's and °runless' praises, with a skylight over
it. Mum Townend's wershoese went beck at far as
Meer. Liddiard's, he behead. Me Gm& it wee possible
that a Ire • ht have bee. 411111illildleted from Towaend's
' or Wee verse, by means of the sky.
gesisestleg melee:ay sal.
Mr. Btultvee& acid that be knew the premises destroyed
tolerably well. He arrived at the fire about five minutes
after it was dieeraired. The firemen got there before he
did. The premises were ea hie arrival all on fire, including
those of Massa Gressisse. The building was a very large
erne, but MAIM Mls Mama wanhonses. The place wee
se thoroughly based, that he weld not tell en whir pe-
rms the Bee began. Witness did not ea the Ire la
Greseleraf preeden es its first arrival, bet he did 10
Mesas alterweede, Mies hi attendee was ceded by
pedesmae. lie did use use Towseed's doer °posed. His
was that the Bee meat bass semseseei k either
•rtireit end's or:Greselese peeseiesl6 MOM Oeseb had two
wisdom that everbabeil the remise. esd Ma in shot
dmagh the.. The forme In In Mears. Oneelese ware-
brae, he Omagh% did see bus thrash the wall. He was
useble to form ray kiss es te the ewe et the la.
Frederick Webb, umbeesemse to Mr. Towseed, said
that he left the prudese et 10 minutes pest l 0 Veloek on
Saturday sight. He was le Mellish part et the shop before
be lelt, atm bed to go Mere to lash hie overcoat. Then
wee see this the APIA Med el dm In the middle of
the werebenes wee • mai Mau, bat the Ire in it was quite
eat belt as beer bellen be Wt. There was nothing in the
back warehouse to I.lolllBi for the fire breaking out. Them
was a brick wall petition and a skylight between hie
master's and Mr. Cheenlese premise. He had not the
slightest ides es to hew the fire was caused. There was
nothing in the promisee likely to ignite spontaneously. The
stove was let into the well and was covered over with ins,
week. There was nothing at the back likely to eat fire to
the premier, as there was a strong wall between Mr. Torn
end's and Liddiard's premises. were seven begs a
shellac in the plum, but there was no naphtha.
John Pays, a porter at the same premises, said that be
turned the gas off at ten minutes past 10 o'clock. He had
been in the back warehouse shortly before, but there wee
no appearance of Ike there. After leavingthe pries he
was going to his home at Bermondsey, and had just
reached street West, when he heard the alarms.
He turned back and found the building on fire. The pollee
would not allow him to appears near enough to the pre-
mises to look in. He did not have a light to go into the
err, but he came back the beet way he could wirer
we.
John Bridges, engineer at the Watling-street engine
station, said that he was present when Messrs: Townend'b
door was broken open, and he then sew • light over the
shatters of the shop, and threagh the windows of the first
floor. He was called tore fire at 20 minutes past ten, and
he went there directly. He had ao opportunity of looking
at the next bones when he first arrived. In ten minute
afterwards he however found that Mr. erasures' ware-
house was likewise in flames. He thought the fire did not
come from the basement.
Wm. Stevens, • porter at Messrs. Liddiard's. aid that
the back of their premier was burned down. He was in
the premises when the fire broke out. His attention was
attracted by a loud crackling noise, but he hardly knew
whether it was in Tewnend's or Greenlee,' premises. He
was at the time on the top floor but one of the building,
and from all he mild see he was inclined to think the fire
rase from the last named premises.
Mr. Phillip, private secretary to the Lord Mayor, said
that he accompanied his lordship to the fire on Saturday
and they went to Messrs. Groreek's, opposite
Misers. Townend's, looked through the front window,
end ea, that the whole of Mr. Townend's house was in
dames, hem the baton to the top. In the course of a few
minute" he pawned that then was a fire in the next
house. He masked at the spot along with his lordship
till a quarter to 12.
John Posateat, a porter at Mr. Greenlee', said that he
left the promisee se Saturday at a quarter to 4. They bad
only one stove alight that day, and the fire was extiagutrhed
shortly after 3in the &Retiree. He could not mount
for the fire. There was a fire in the basement of their
premises seem menthe ago, sad he was unable to say how
that was awed. Cams wrappers were kept on the
besimat Mr. Clatealses had left before he locked up the
past, and wits's' took the keys home with hr. The gas
was turned off by the ether porter, bat he to* no cribs
with bins to do es.
Kr. William May, et Ne. 4, Bread-stret, said that he
wee preset when re Ire took pleas. Uit had occurred
eses minutes later he should have been in bed, and perhaps
get burned. He was alarmed by the ay et lire is the
Meet. He then saw a "Meg redestes et Ire wakes over
Tewnend's premises. He ran ee use et the back windows,
sr head Messrs. Tamers skylight one sheet of flame.
Hieservents were Awe steduldgber, 'Maas going to bed.
He thought the fire met have bakes est la Townend's
gesaiese. Had it cumeeseed In timeless' warehouse, he
INS itisYlea that he must have melt it, as his warehouse
whore's. He thee& this Ira quite different
Ibla ameba took plea before.
twat Medea peeved Ma be toned eft the gas at half
quiver es flabarday he Mr. Greenless' prenuses. No
ware used afterwards. He aseltiog tack place.
r. Robert Grantees said that io was a fiesesb egeat,
end that he left the penises before feu o'clock, bat he
lane also usable to throw the lust light as to how the Ire
leek place. He was insered-8,0001. in the lien, 8,0001. is
Mlmperial. He had also a time policy, whisk expires in
I Merck, for 3,0001. Hs bad property teased at am than
these sums, but it was not his own. It was only cossigned
to hr.
Agnes Ribble, a servant,and Mrs. Grant, her mistress,
of No. 2, Bread-etreet, were next examined. They proved
seeing the fire at its commencement, bat they were unable
to tell positively in which premises it began. •
The leagued coroner having charged the jury, they re-
tamed a verdict that there was not sufficient evidence to
prove how the fin occurred.
A vote of thanks wee then passed to the coroner for the
great trouble he had taken in investigating the case, when
the proceedings terminated.

FIRES.

--+--

Yesterday morning, at half-p let one, a fire, at-
tended with great lose of property, broke onset Mr. Wil-
liam Belton s, Lansdowne AIMS Tavern, No. 10, Old
Parsdise-row, Islington. The police on duty discovered
the flames raging in the lower part of the building, and
immediately raised an alarm, but the building was shortly
is flames, and it wet with great diffieulty that the inmates
escaped. The London Fire Brigade engines from Watling-
street, Farringdon street, mid Whitecross-street, were
quickly on the spot, but owing to the heavy snow and the
hard frost, the supply of water from the New River mains
was extremely late. The flames were not subdued %Intl
they had communicated to Messrs. Athwell and l'aul, silk
dyers, John Jones, dairyman, and until property valued at
some thousands of pounds was destroyed. The cause of
the fire is unknown.
About the same hour a fire broke out on the premises of
Mann. Hobbs. lock manufacturers, of Cheapaide, and at
ON time threatened destruction to the whole of tho
building. The origin of the fire was the blocking up of the
flee.
About an hour before the outbreak of the two fires above
mentioned—that is to say, between 11 and Id o'clock on
Tuesday night, a fire broke out in the residence of Lord
Normanton, No. 3, Seymour-place, Curson-street, May-
fair. The flames were discovered raging on the first floor,
and were progressing so fiercely that the police were de-
spatched in cabs for the London Brigade. The engines
from King-street, Regent-street, Chandiestreet, and Wells-
street were promptly on the spot. Considerable damage,
however, wu does.

THE MURDER ON ROBOROUGH DOWN.

On Monday last we published the particulars of
this horrible deed. so far u the fats had transpired. The

Plymouth Western Courier supplies some further particu-
lars. The prisoner (Dl'Donnal), since his apprehension, has
made a murderous attack on the warder of the gaol.

On Friday evening last, about seven o'clock, the prisoner.
sitting in his cell, rang the alarm bell, when a warder,
named Sparrow, proceeded to visit the prisoner, apprehend-
ing something wrong. The prisoner induced the weirder to
come fairly inside the cell, some distant,e from the door,
when be streak him several times about the bead and neck
with a knife which be had concealed under his arm. The
warder was very much wounded, some of the wounds being
two inches long, but not dangerously. For this offence the
authorities sentenced /I'Donnal to 130 days additional
imprisonment and 60 lashes. The lashes were inflicted on
Saturday. From the weakness of the prisoner, arising from his
punishment, and the unfavourable state of the weather, no
search has yet been made on Roborongh Down t.r the body
of the unfortunate girl said to be murdered.
the following is a copy of M'Donnal's confession:
"lam a private soldier in the 50th Regiment, No. 2
company. I deserted from my regiment, and on the night
of the day that I deserted I remained in Plymouth and
slept with Theresa Rundle. On the following day 1 pro-
ceeded with her tea place called Okehampton, or at least
it was ni intention to have gone to Okehampton. We
in company as far as Roborough Down, when
Wesel to go any further with me. She was about to
testa 'hark •and said she would inform against me. We
emeemeeell quarrelling, and I said, ' 1 will not give you
leave to inform upon me.' I had a stick with rue about
two Lathes thick. I then struck her with the stick across
we Monde, which knocked her senseless; I then trampled
Ebar anti killed her. I found that she was dead.
look place about 40 yards from an old castle, and
. about half-past nine o'clock in the morning. 1
leakeitient for a piece on the moor to put her, end found
a Wein war the old castle I before mentioned. I then.
retelreonled and partly dragged the body to the stream.
,Zriit in the stream, which is about three or tour inches
aded to between two banks with fume bashes IZTOM
los over it. The body was entirely concealed. No person
eienlilsee it. It was entirely hid from view. I then pro-
eisolod to Okehampton and enlisted in the 6:h battalion of
Royal Artillery. After I hid the body, I carried the stick
with me. Thera was a little blood upon the end of it. I
washed it in a drop of water, just off the road a bit. After
enlisting at Okehampton, I burnt the stick in the London
Inn public house. Bombardier Craig was the man that en-
listed me ;he saw me burn the stick. Craig bad it in his
band, making fun with it. There was soma
rakers. I think, in the room, who remarked that it was
a deed shillelagh. I enlisted in a wrong name ;it was that
agZhpmae Morrison. In eonsequenee of enlisting in a
wren name, I forgot myself, and being again asked my
name, I gave my right name. I was then taken into cus-
tody et Okebampton for being • deserter, sod detained
lentil the escort from my regiment was sent from Plymouth
to fetch me. Corporal Stephenson commanded the escort.
Before reaching Tavistoek I told Stephenson that as seen
at we got on the moor I had something to show him, but
toeing taken ill upon reaching Tavistoek, 1 was ordered
to be conveyed in • conveyance from Tavistock to Ply-
mouth ; the escort rode outside. I meant at this time
to tell Stephenson, and centrism him of everything about
the murder. I think the private's name was John
Brown, No. 8 company, 50th Regiment. I forgot some-
, thing in the middle of my statement, and that is, after I
was placed in prison at Okehunptoo, I kept starting
in my sleep, and could not rest. One night the governor
came to the room where I was confined ; f told him I could
not rest and that I wee frightened, but did not state the
cause. Previous to leaving the prison at Okebampton the
beeper brought me a doctor, who ordered a constable to sit
up with me for sin nights previous to my leaving. The last
*he, through • fright, I broke out of the place, and don't
know how I got out; and at the present time I am suffering
from fright, and have been since the deed was done. The
NM Theresa Rundle, I think, came from Preston after the
ark with a girl who is nicknamed ' Pidgeon,' and was a
losenpanion of the girl Rundle, who was about 22 yara of
age, about 5 feet 7 inches high, dark, and slightly pork,d
marked. handle and Pidgeon frequented the Black Bty
public-house in Stonehouse-lane, which I believe is called
by the nickname of ' Irish Town, Plymoan uth.'
" Bassi:l iii'Dowalcah."

Iteeterog morls' Mr. Gluing', of the firm of Grou-
se*, iDepsslolus. and Co., attended the Justice-room at
the Mauless-hompe end handed a letter to the Lord Mayor,
of wide" the imbruing is • copy :
"5, Bow Churchyard. Jan. 2, 1851.
" T• the Bight Eta. the Lord Mayor.
" My Lied,—We hum net hew in seasiently grate-
ful terms to thank peer ls,d*lp for pear prompt and
thoughtful kindness, in immediatelyehruaLlene on the
first alum of fire us flat:LdeLnirt, sommend
of the yousg men end me them when
supplied with wateranieksesset towelling, that any
flakes of fire that might have entered ear broken windows
would have bees at ones reads !.males.
We also beg
of yea to "covey to your !ennead eserstasy, Mr. Phillips,
our grateful thanks for or onergenselly sansting in keeping
off the fire.—We are, my Lord Mayor, you lordship's
obliged servants,
" OROUCOCK, COPISTAILE, Moony, AND CO."
Mr. Glidreing' said he vu anxious to hear testimony to
the very gat 'senior"' made by the Lord Mayor, and to
his judicious conduct in directing not only the firemen and
the police but also the seventy young men who slept upon
the premise', and felt certain that if his instructions had
not been earned out, nothing on earth would have pre-
vented the total destruction of the premises by the fire
which was raging with terrible fierceness, only
few
feet off.
The Lord Mayor said he was not altogether sorry that
the present opportunity bad been taken of publicly thank-
ing him for his humble exertions at the fire, because it re-
lated to a public duty, and to an occurrence which might
have ended in a great public calamity. He thought, how-
ever, that the sermon rendered by himtelf end Mr. Phillips
had been somewhat over-estimated. Had the wind been
westerly, nothing could have prevented the entire destruc-
tion of -Messrs. Groscock and Co.'s premises, and the seed,-
flee of property amounting to upwards of a million der-
ling. He thought the public were scarcely cognissnt of
the deep debt of gratitude they owed both to the firemen
[ end the police for their indefatigable and praiseworthy ex-
ertion' is preventing the further extension of the destruc-

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION.
Lord Ingestre, accompanied by Lord Elmley, M.P.,
arrived at Liverpool on Tuesday morning on board the
Niagara, from Amulet, and reached Stafford about five
o'clock in the same afternoon. Lord Ingestre will pay a
visit to this town to-day (Wednesday), where he is expected
to arrive about one o'clock. The friends of the noble lord
have been engaged during the past week in an active can-
vase on his behalf. In his address to the electors, dated
Stafford, Jan. 3, Lord Ingram says that, if elected, he
will endeavour, whilst admitting the freest toleration to all
differences of opinion in religion, to maintain the integrity
of our protestant church, which has ever been the surest
bulwark of our national freedom, and re-Jet all aggres-
sion, whether from within or without. Convinced that
this Is an age of progress, he will endeavour to consider
all question', whether of parliamentary, commercial, or
social reform, in a spirit of calmness and fairness. and
with a desire of adopting all safe improvements. Thus,
while not wishing to disturb the equidbrium of different
interests and classes, he would give his willing support to
any measure which would tend to diminish the different
sorts of corruption, too notorious under our present el 2c-
total system, and to extend the franchise to many now de-
prived of it, who by their station, education, and cenduze,
would give the best guarantee for the proper discharge of
the trust reposed in them. He would specially direct his
attention, in opposition to theoretical speculation, to all
practical attempts to raiso the social condition of the in-
dustrial classes, by education, by the improvement of their
dwellings, and by such like measures as may tend to ele-
vate their character, make them good and loyal subjects,
and increase the influence of morality and religion.— {Vat.
eerhonapfon Chronicle.

NATIONAL FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETT.—Tbe fourth
annual report of this society has just been issued. it ap-
pears from this statement that the receipts sf the last year
ware 60 per cent. more than those of the former wee, and
nearly equal to the total receipts of the previous three )ears.
The land sold to the members during the same period was
160 per cent. more than in the year preceding, and exceeded
by 9,0001. the amount of all the land that had been pre-
rWisaly sold from the formation of the society. The new
shares issued in the 17 months ending Oct. 31, 1850, were
3,019; in the year ending Oct. 31, 1861.9,831; in the year
ending Oct. 31, 1852, 22,251 ; end in the year ending Oct!
31, 1853, they were 29,742. The sums received
in the same four periods of time ascend in
the following consecutive and progressive order:-
21,2671.. 96,1371., 192,0711., and 295,1541. The society
bas issued in all 66,813 shares, and received 6011,201. Its
lots sold amount in fine to 229,6721. The balance available
for the purpose of dividend is ascertained to be more than
sufficient to pay the asual rate sf profit; and consequently,
for the past year, a dividend of 61. Bs. 4d. per cent. per an-
num has been carried to the account of all uncompleted
shares not advanced. It is estimated that the balance of
profit realised from estates, and which forma the guarantee
fund, now amounts to 12,4481.; and although the acceto.ts
of many of the estates are not closed, yet the directnrs, lir
tified by experience derived from similar calculation:, in
former yeses, have little doubt that that estimate is sub-
atsutially correct.
LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.— Yesterday
evening • soirie and conversations was held at the above
institution, for the double purpose of celebrating its 30th
auniversary and of rousing its friends and supporters into
some new line of action, with a view to a restoration of the
institution to its pristine vigour. The theatre was crowded,
and the v- .

and the various entertainments went off with considerable
ictat. The chair was taken by Mr. Oressmith, wbo opened
the proceedings with a short address, after which there was
a miscellaneous concert, s by Miss Poole, Mr.
Weir, Mrs. Grosvenor, arbi r s. Mr. Weiss was
encored in several eV songicalged t . other Magri., re-
ceived a just modico.Mo • • Kt. Wilkiraon accom-
panied tastefully on the 7i4lk: Carte gave one of
his popular solos o 4 non fusion of the
concert the " Wan. nfg Too performed by the
elocution elms, and hatertainment Unmated
with a gentralr. tha vefreshmest rooms,
which had been t - • Itie the ocasiou.
ss