The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-21 00:00:00

E E

c► 4
_
THE COLLIERY rAT.4STROPHE NEAR
ItAlatsLEY.

-- - -
THE CITY OP MILCOMPANYAN IMPROYE2ENTS

The directors of the City of Milan Improve-
ments Company (Limited) have issued to the
shareholders the following report in anticipation of
the general meeting called for the 28th ins Clement., at the
company's offices, St. Clerneiat's-house, t's-
lane. The report is of a very satisfactory charac-
ter, both as regards the progress of the works and
the prospect of realising the rentals which
it awere
estimated at the outset of the undertaking.p-
pears that not even thewar in Italy was allowl3. to
cause a suspension of the works, which, on the
contrary, were pushed on with unceasing vigour.
The works now in progress at Milan are, beyond
question, the most important and interesting un-
dertaking of the kind in Europe.
In submitting the accompanying statement of amounts,
duly audited, to the shareholders, the directors congratu-
late them upon the satisfactory progresa of the works in
Milan. Thu report of the architect-in-chief, Sig. Mengoni,
dated 3lilan, Gth of Deceruber, 1866, is herewith
thenannxed,
giving in detail an account of the operations of com-
pany in that city. Notwithstanding the serious difficulties
caused by the war in Northern Italy, the directors did not
find it necessary to exercise their right under the concession
of suspending the works during
_its conti
te them with
nuance
great exertions they were enabled to proeecu
unabated vigour. The shareholders are aware that the
foundation atone of the great Victor Emanuel Gallery
i forming the find section of the works undertaken by
the company) was laid by the King of Italy so lately
as March, 1863, and the directors have now
great satisfaction in being able to announce that
his Majesty, again desirous of showing the interest
he takes in this work, will be graciously pleased to open
this grand gallery in person on the 7th Merchh, 1867,
dat beiionng
the second anniversary of the laying of te foun
stone. The shareholders will thug see that barely two
Tears will have been occupied in the construction of this
immense pile of buildings, situated in the centre of the
city. The gallery is built in the form of a crow, the lon-
gitudinal arms of which, nearly GOO feet long, stretch
from the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala e
;
whils.tha emu anus, about 100
and Ce
feet in length, connect th
new streets Sylvio Tellico, Tommou Groesi. to
Alberto, with the Via Berchet and the San Raffaele
Quarter, forming, at their junction in the centre of the
gallery, the great Octagon, the diameter of which equals
that of the dome of St. Peter's at Rome. Covering
over nearly
two acres of ground, the gallery will contain one
hundred houses, six stories in height, exclusive of
ra the
barieuient and cellarage under the gallery. Admi
designed to meet the wants and habits of the Mil.nese,
the Victor Emanuel Gallery is estimated to produce a net
rental of nearly :10,0001. per annum., and as agreements
have already been entered into for the letting of shops,
ware-rooms, apartments, ac., to the extent of 7,0001. per
annum, at rates above those originally fixed for the same,
and numerous registered applications have been made, no
doubt exists but that the gallery, when complete, will
be let from attic to basement at the estimated rents. The
directors feel, therefore, that they rosy now with confi-
dence assure their fellow shareholders that their expecta-
tiotur in these respects will shortly rental)ised It should
be borne in mind that this freehold of 30,0 tag. will
arise from the most costly, and therefore least
directly remunerative, portion of the shareholders'
aperty. Already owners of a large extent of
a in the heart of the city (in addition to
that upon which the Victor Emanuel Gallery stands), as
well at of the remaining portion of the concession, greatly
enhanced in value by the works already completed, the
shareholders iu the Milan Company may safely congratu-
late themselves on possessing a first-class property ; and
the directors feel convinced that, with a continuance of
that confidence and support they have hitherto received
from the shareholders, they will be able to go steadily on
to the end, and ultimately render the City of Milan Im-
provements Company the proprietors of a highly remune-
rative investment. Since the formation of the company,
H. S. King, Esq., and F. J. 11. Halbert, Esq. have re-
tired from the direction, and Albert Grant, E;q., M.P,
l'owuall,li. Esq., and Lieut.-Colonel E. Neville have
joined the board. Mr. G. E. Seymour having, in cense-
queue° of continued ill-health, found thus necebeen essary
lected to to vacate
the chair, Albert tiraut, Esq., M.l'.,
fill his place. In accordance with the provision ds
iofrectors the
articles of association the whole of the present
ndire, but, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.
The report of Signor Mengoni, the company's
architect in chief, addressed to the directors, and
accompanying the foregoing report, gives a detailed
statement of the position and prospects of the
works undertaken by the company, and is alike
satisfactory as regards the rapidity of the re-con-
struction, the goodness of the materials employed,
the solidity and useful arrangements of the new
buildings, and the increasing demand for shops and
apartments. Signor Mengoni concludes his report
by 811,, sting that a concession should be asked for
from the municipality, for the erection of more
wooden shops around the site for the new build-
ings, to be allowed to stand during the construction
of the buildings for the Piazza del Dimino. Upon
an ultimate total outlay on this score of 10,8801.,
Signor Nlengoni estimates that the returns,
1. spreadnd
over 11 period of three years, will be 20,400 ; a
he remarks :
So that with the ultimate outlay of 10,S80/., there
would be, in three years time, a total rental (advantage 20401.
from temporary works, without reckoning the
thus obtained of augmenting the competition of the com-
mercial classes for getting possession of shops on the site
where all the buildings of the company are being erected,
and of creating an income, even during the time necessary
for the erection of the new buildings. I entertain stron
tog
hopes of seeing this proposal, which has been suggested
Inc by my earnest desire to see the company prosper, ac-
from a the very moment when it is abo new
to gain fruit
the work already done, and when advances are
still required for the completion of the gallery. There will
thus be a new- -and hitherto unexpected-source of income
--one not reckoned in the original estimate, which
income, added to the rental soon coining front the gallery,
will give a large profit tot e shareholders.

BARNSLEY, THURSDAY EVENING.
The inquest upon the 15 bodies identified last
week was resumed this Morning in the Courtlonise
before Mr. Taylor, county coroner. Mr. Blackburne,
barrister, appeared on behalf of the Oaks' proprietors. No
nterest was manifested in the inquiry by the townspeople,
r not a single spectator for the first two hours occupying the
body of the hall. The table was covered with elaborate
plans of the pit workings. Owing to a prevailing belief
that the sitting would be formal, the friends of the de-
owed were not legally representee, but their interest+
were watched by the secretaries of the National Miners'
end South Yorkshire Miners' Associations.
Mr. J. 13. Mammas, who, with Mr. Embleton, jun.,
descended the pit to rescue Brown, was the first witntatiess.
He is a mining engineer, and the resident represenve
of the consulting or responsible engineer of the pit
namely, Mr. Woodhouse, of Derby, whose partner, Mr.
Jeffcock, was killed by the second explosion. Mr.
Mammat said he was connected with the Oaks colliery es
surveyor, and it was his duty to look of ter its' ventilation,
acting at all times under the instructions of Mr. Wooved-
house. The only complaint he (witness) had er
heard of gas in the pit was about a fortnight ago,
when a deputation of men went to the colliery office,
stating there was gas in No. 12 district on the south side-
That occurrence was duly reported to Mr. Woodhouse.
Witness inquired of both Mr. Dymond and Tewart i
stnto
the complaint, and found they had already
taken eps
that rendered his entering the pit unueccsaary. The
complaint was made while he was from home, and on his
return the affair had blown over. Ilia knowledge of the
deputation was therefore merely second-hand, and he had
been given to understand that the remedy applied re-
moved ground of complaint and was quite satisfac-
tory to the men. There had not been a complaint to
him within the past six months of the imperfect
ventilation of, or dangerous practices, bad
iusuffieient deputies, or neglect of duty,
was
in
the colliery. The furnace under the cupola shaft
always fed with fresh air direct from the downcast shaft,
and not by return air. There were two doors separating
the passages of fresh and return air, and one of
them was always kept locked, and the other
strictly fastened, so that the return air could not get
to the furnace unless these doors were broken open. T
anhd
e
furnace smoke entered the utmost by a drift,
the return air by passages below the drift. Once or twice
the soot in the upeast shaft had been known to be on
fire ; but the managers of the pit were satisfie dohat the
air wan sufficiently removed from the upcost to prevent
burning matter of any kind communicating with
the return air. About 17,000 cubic feet of
fresh air per minute was supplied to the furnace,
and on the 7th of December there was as much as 17,920,
while at the same time 141,9.0 cubic feet were circulating
through the mine. The " gooses " were sometimes opened,
but not within his knowledge in the Ooks, for more than
d2O
yards, the usual distance being but three or four yars.
As a rule these old workings were free from gas, but in
eases of accident there might be, of course, an exception. It
was the duty of the " triers" to inspect th
e"assess" every
morning, and make an entry in their jourals
condition. Should a fall of roof occu:, there was every pro-
bability of immediate fire-damp a dan-
. Ile once knew the burst-
ing-up of the floor in the Oaks to be followed by
gerous quantity of gas. The moat recent serious outburst of
gas at the Oaks was on the 27th of August in the present
year, and respecting that there was the following
entry in a diary found in Tewart's house while the in-
quiry was going on :—" Aug. '7.—Large outburst of gas in
the second bank, south side, low end of engine bank.''
Similar outbursts had -been known to extinguish forty
Geordie lamps at a time, and to make the Davy red hot,
rendering an alarming explosion certain had a naked light
been nr. Mr. %unmet then narrated his observations
of the e tcondition of, and occurrences at the pit from
Thursday morning, when he wil2l summoned to the ()aka
by telegram, up to the present time. No new fact was
stated.
Other evidence having been given to show that the ex-
plosion could not have taken place in the drift, the in-
quiry was adjourned to January 7.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' SCHOOLS.

RESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1
'g6R:'

?Lino inttilignut.

used it for some time, and he was unable to say whether
this was the same or not.
In cross-examination this witness said that he was
a married man, and the prisoner had lived with
ro
and his wife for souse time before she
whimas married, but he lost sight of her for se-
veral years after she was married, and when they
next became acquainted it was agreed between them that
she should leave her husband and he his wife, and that a
they should live together. At first the priaoner took
lodging for herself and the child Jeremiah
see at Greeoncenwich,
and he supported her and used to go and her a
fortnight. 'The prisoner's husband was aware that she was
living with him, but he did not know whether his own
wife knew that the prisoner was living with him. He
did not know what had become of his own wife • but he
luad beard that she was living at Maidstone. 'He had
searched for her, but had not been able to find her. The
witness was then pressed as to whether he had not, when
he was examined before the magistrate, omitted to say
anything about the prisoner having stated that she *MS in
so much trouble during the night that she could not sleep,
and he said that he was so " nigh killed" at the time that
he hardly knew what he said. He also said was not
sure that he told the 'magistrate anything abohue t the pri-
soner saying that she bad killed one, and that she would
kill all the three ; but he declared that in point of fact
she did make use of this expression. The witinness
likewise said that when he was originally examed
he said that the razor was his, and he accounted
for having any doubt upon that point now by say-
ing that the prisoner bought the razor, and he had oily
used it twice, because it did not cut, and although he be-
lieved that the razor with which the child's throat had
been cut was the same, he would not swear positively to
it. He then said that he knew a woman named Eagleton,
and he " believed " she had had a child by him or it might
be two.
He-exaruined—The prisoner was aware of his connection
I with this woman, and was very angry with hint about it.
She came to their house upon oil occasion, and the prisoner
and she quarrelled and fought.
Evidence was then adduced to show that at the time the
prisoner was taken into custody she made the following
extraordinary statement :—" That devil has killed my
child, and I will have my revenge on him too. God is
above the devil, and I have conquered the devil. He
intended to kill me. He had the chopper upstairs, and
intended to kill me, only I found it, and I got the master
of the devil. I thought there was something up. I went
to London yesterday, and he wanted we to stop all night,
and I thought there was something up, and came back
the same night, and when I came back revenge him with
another woman, and I will have my upon the
devil for it."
Evidence was then adduced to show that at the time
the discovery was wade, the front of the clothes of the
prisoner was completely saturated with blood, and in
such a manner as was likely to have been caused b
were.he
blood spurting from such desperate injuries as in-
flicted upon the deceased child, while with regard to the
man Ilighains there did not appear to be a larger quantity
of blood upon his shirt, for he had nothing but that gar-
ment on at the time. This would be reasonably accounted
for as having flowed from the wounds he had received up
his head.
When the prisoner was committed by the magistrate
all she said was, ''l own to all except killing the child.
I cannot own to that because I did not do it."
Mr. Charles Daley, the house surgeon at the infirmary
at Tunbridge Wells, who had in his evidence in chief ex-
pressed a strong opinion that the marks of blood apparent
upon the front of the dress of the prisoner were caused iu
the way suggested by the prosecution, by the blood spurting
from the arteries in the neck of the deceased child at the
time the fatal injury was received, was he
crossexamineTd at
considerable length by Mr. Itibton upon the point.
effect of this csa-examination did not appear, however,
ro
materially to shake the evidence given by this gentleman
in chief, but he contradicted the witness Highams in some
particulars, and expressed a strong opinion that some of
the wounds received by the latter were not inflicted while
he was lying in bed as he had represented, and that one of
them, at all eventa, had in all robability been inflicted
while he and the prisoner were stiuggling in the middle
of the room.
Serjeant Parry made a temperate but forcible address to
the jury in summing up the case for the prosecution' and
after observing that the case was altogether one of the
most extraordinary that had been brought to the conside-
ration of a court of justice, be said that two things ap-
peared to him to be perfectly clear, one of which was
that a murder had been committed, and that the person
who had committed that milder must be either the prisoner
or the man Highams. Against the prisoner, as it also ap-
Ipeered to him, there was an overwhelming mass of evidence,
and as against Ingham' there was nothing whatever but
the bare and utterly unsupported statement of the prisoner.
In a case like the present it was, of course, impoasible n
ot
ot
to feel great sympathy for a woman in the position of
prisoner, but he and they and all concerned in the inquiry
had a duty to perform which they were bound to carry out,
and he felt therefore compelled to remind them that the
effect that would result from their acquittinhe g t prisoner
must necessarily be a belief that the crime was committed
by the witness Highams. He argued that there was not a
single circumstance in the case that would justify them iu
coming to this conclusion, and that there was an entire
absence of anything like a motive on his part for the com-
mission of such a dreadful crime. With regard to the pri-
soner, however, he was afraid that the evidence left no
doubt that she was maddened by jealousy at what she con-
ceived to be the indifference of her paramour towards her,
and that under the influence of this feeling she destroyed
the life of the child, intending at the same time, very pro-
bably, to have taken his life also if she had been able to
do so.
At this stage of the case the trial was adjourned.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.—Dec. 20.
SECOND COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Mee and a Common Jury.)
SMITH T. EPPS.
After our report left yesterday,
The defendant stated that when in the Rising Sun public
house a man came in and said a lady had been bitten by
dog, and he wanted to know its owner ; plaintiff said it
was his dog, and refused to give his name
defendant, at the recpiest ofte man, called a policeman
name
,
and No. 170 L came in • plaintiff told him that his
was Smith, No. 80$,Seething-lane Police-station, but as
be bad not got his card with him the policeman would not
believe his statement, and took him to the tie;stao plain-
tiff was violent when taken into custody, and poli-
man hail to call the assistance of another, whilst he sprung
his rattle ; defendant assisted the policemen to hold
plaintiff. Defendant made no charge against the p lain tiff,
but the policeman charged him with representing himself
to be a policeman ; defendant denied touching the plaiwords
ntiff
in the public-house, and also having
uttered the
imputed to him.
Cross-examined—The man who spoke about the dog did
not live at the address he gave. He did not think it was
the plaintiff's dog widths said it was. Plaintiff was not
taken into custody until he represented he was a City
policeman, and unable to produce his card. The plaintiff
was being held by two policemen when the rattle was
sprung.
lienry Coleman was in the public-house at the time
the person came in and said a lady had been bitten by a
dog. When he told the policeman it was hardly worth
while to take the plaintiff to the police station, the
policeman told him to mind his own business.
Thomas Plicenan, 170 L, deposed that he had been su
years in the force. When his attention wail called tothe
a
lady having been bitten by a dog, he was told that
dog and its owner were in the Rising Sun public-house.
Plaintiff said the dog in the public-house belonged to him,
but be declined to give his name and address, as tbe
dog had dune nothing. Not believing the plaistation ; ntiff's state.
and
n.ent, he insisted on his going to the police
as he refused and became violent, be was obliged to have
the assistance of other constables. Defendant had nothing
to do with giving the plaintiff into custody.
Cross-examined—Re took the plaintiff into custody for
representing himself to be a police-constable, and for evad-
ing the law by refusing to give his name and address.
Defendant did not point out the plaintiff. A complaint
was made to the Commissioners of Police, and he was
reprimanded and fined two days' pay for exceeding his
duty in taking the plaintiff into custody. Sergeant Cox-
bead, who was on duty at the time, had been reprimanded
for detaining the plaintiff.
Other evidence having been called in support of the
defendant's case,
Mr. Justice shoe said the policeman had been fortunate
in getting off with a reprimand only for takingthe plaintiff
into custody.
The jury ultimate:), returned a verdict for the defendant;
whereupon(
Mr. James reminded his lordship that there was no
plea of ustification.
Mr. Justice Shee said the defendant had admitted
that b held the plaintiff by the arin. That was an
assaulte in law. They could alter their verdict if they
chose to do so.
A Juryman—But with no damages.
Mr. Justice Shee said they must give the plaintiff some
damages for the assault.
After some conversation, the jury not being disposed to
give damages, the learned judge said the verdict would
be entered for the defendant, with leave to the plaintiff
to move.

The i•risoner dropped the watch, and some one said,
" Sling it," and it was then passed between the legs of
some of the prisoner's companions. The prisoner was
never lost sight of until William Barber, a police-con-
stable, 258 P, took him into custody.
Mr. Palmer declined to address tbe'llory on behalf of
the prisoner, sad he was immediately fo,k Guilty.
A police-constable proved thet the ptieoner was con-
victed in 11;61 for stealing a cask of herrings, and are-
tencevl to six weeks' imprieonment.
Mr. Payne, having consulted with the magistrates on
the beuch, said, but for the opinion expressed by his
brother magistrates, he should undoubtedly have sentenced
the prisoner to be kept in penal servitude for five years,
and, if he had the power, -be should have coupled with it
an order that the prisoner should have been punished with
the lash. It was, therefore, with reluctance he yielded to
his brother magistrates in sentencing the prieoner to be
imprisoned and kept to hard
tithebour for two years. Since
he
co Payne) had been bar, if the prisoner had
been convicted of such an offence, het ould mod certainly
have been hanged for it, and nothing uld have saved him.
The prosecutor was ordered to stand forwner in which be
ard.
Mr. Payne said, for the very brave man
had acted he should order him to receive a reward of N.,
as some compensation for the injury he bad sustained.
The Proeecutor—My lord, if you will allow it, I will
band over that sum to my son, who also lost his own watch
when he came up to protect my life.
Mr. Payne--That is very kind and praiseworthy on your
part, but as he rendered you assistance, under the circum-
stances, I shall order your son to receive a reward of 21.
There was loud applause in the court on this anuounce-
ment by the learned judge, and the jury expressed their
entire concurrence in what had been done.

FENIANISM IN NOTTINGHAM.

Yesterday John Kearney, aged 26, an Irishman,
living in Ferrars-dreet, St. Ann's Wellroad, Notting-
ham (a private in the Robin Hood Rifles), was brought
before the mayor and borough magistrates, at the police.
court, Nottin.gham, charged with being concerned us the
Fenian conspiracy. Mr. Chief-constable Freeman said on
Wednesday afternoon he went to the prisoner's house in
Ferraeiestreet, and said to the prisoner, " From a state-
ment I have heard I believe you are connected with the
Fenians." Prisoner replied, I know nothint about it—
lam no Fenian." Witness then called Inspector llerriog-
ton and Detective Atherton, and they then searched pri-
soner's house. The wife of tho prisoner threw some
papers into the fire, and witness snatched sometheing ou
tI
t
of the fire, which proved to be a copy o
ht ipso
their
into
People newspaper. They then took
custody. Thomas Roult, aged 18, said he had known the
prisoner for about two months. Witness was an Irish-
man. He bad been to the prisoner's house several times
since November at Keaniey's invitation. lie generally
went with a man named Shepherd. Their conversation
was generally about
tomFianis. Prisoner used to give
them Irish newspapers read. On the 12th of December
he was at prisoner's house, and they took a walk up
Derby-road. Prisoner asked witness if he would be sworn
into the Irish army or Fenian Brotherhood. Witness
replied that be would. Prisoner then administered the
oath to
whim in a passage. They were alone ; part of the
oath as that "be should take up arms at a minute's
notice, and fight against the British government,
and obey the commands of the superior officers."
news then then kissed the catholic prayer-book, and said,
"re 11,1 p me God." Upon taking the oath prisoner
asked witness " if he had clenched him now!" and autho-
rised him to swear in others as Fenian'. He told him he
could swear in Lockhart and Shepherd, two of his com-
panions, both of whom are Irish. Witness left the pri-
soner soon afterwards. Ele had since been to the pri-
soner's house, and they had conversed freely about the
prospects of Fenianiam. Prisoner said that fighting would
shortly commenee in Ireland, awl added that be bad had
a letter from Ireland, stating that Colonel Kelly was in
that country. Prisoner wee in the Robin Hood Volun-
teers, and advised witness to join as by that means he
could be drilled and ready for ac'tion. Witness bad not
joined the Robin Hoods. Prisoner said to witness, "In
cane you do join, and we do garrison duty, we can do
greater harm than if we were sent to Ireland, by blowing up
the megarines." He also said, "If we were sent over
to Ireland we could join the Fenian ranks, and then fight
for the Irish republic." Prisoner told witness that the
army was greeted with Fenianiam. Shepherd was gene-
rally with them during these conversations. Prisoner pro-
mised witness cast if he could swear in nine men he would
be made a sergeant and have the command of them.
Prisoner, upon being cautioned by the bench, said he knew
nothing about it, adding that it was a conspiracy against
him. In reply to several questions put by the priaoner,
the witness Roult stated that when he was at the prisoner's
house other publications had been shown him besides
those of a Fenian character. Witness had, however, seen
a book of the circles of Fenianiam in Philadelphia and
other places. The bench said that prisoner was in a serious
position, and advisedhim to have legal assistance. Prisoner
was then remanded.