The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-27 00:00:00

Tilt: CLERK ENWELL_ OUTRAGE.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.-(THIS DAY.)

The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the
s etaers by the late explosion at the Clericenwell House
a IYt ention, who had died at the Royal Free Hospital,
Gale's-inmread, was held this morning by Dr. Lankester.
Ti,r name of Humphry Evans, aged 67, was now ad led to
that of the little girl, Martha Thompson, aged 10, upon
shoal the inquest was originally opened.
In opening the proceedings the Coroner Raid that
cider some circumstances where persons were sus-
.

of crime the Coroner requested the Secre-
tay of State to allow such persons to be brought
Noire his court. He did not know whether the Home
Nirct.try would grant such an application on the present
cs oioi if it were made—which it bad not been. It would
le f. r the jury to say whether they wished the prisoners who
i 3 been apprehended to be brought before them. He
I..i„ht also mention that the court was open to the repre-
sv 'dative of any of the accused if they chose to attend.
The foreman said the jury considered that in the present
state of public excitement it was unnecessary for the pri-
soners to be brought before the coroner. At the same
time they wished to hear all possible evidence that could
t.e given either for or against the prisoners.
William Evans gave evidence as to the death of his
father, Humphry Evans, who died on Christmas morn-
ing at the Gray's-iun-road hospital. The deceased was a
retired linendraper, who lived at 3a, Corporation-lane. At
the time of the explosion he was sitting with bis back to
the window, and received most severe injuries. A large
quantity of glass was driven into his back. His wife died
in St. Bartholomew's Hospital a few days before him, and
a daughter was now in hospital recovering from injuries
received from the explosion.
Dr. Hill, horse-surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital,
described the wounds from which the deceased had suf-
fered, showing that death had resulted from them.
Police-sergeant Whiting, who was present when the
deceased was taken onset the ruins, said a beam of wood
had fallen on his back, and it was with difficulty he was
taken out. The house in which the deceased lived was
thickly inhabited, and was the most injured by the explo-
sion. At the time there were thirteen persons in the
house. All were injured, and four of them were amongst
the six who had died.

Dr. Hill, who at the last inquiry, was requested to make
a post mortem examination in the case of Martha Thomp-
son, now detailed the results of hie investigations.
The Coroner, referring to a letter written by Dr. Jeaffre.
son, of the Royal Free Hospital, doubting whether the
explosion was caused by gunpowder, asked the witness
whether he, like that gentleman, had smelt anything in
the nature of petroleum?
Dr. Hill said he had not, and was not aware that any
other medical gentleman had. In fact, the persons who
had died at the Royal Free Hospital were too far away from
the barrel when it was fired to afford any evidence in their
persons of the explosive substance employed.
l'oliceman Sutton repeated the evidence he had given
before the magistrates and also before the other coroner.
Its substance was that while carrying out orders he had
received to watch all persons coming to the House of
Detention to visit Burke and Casey, he noticed Ann
Justice and Jeremiah Allen at the corner of St. James'-
walk shortly before 12 on the day of the explosion. The
woman went into the House of Detention ; came out again
shortly; rejoined Allen ; walked up and down, looking
towards Roseman-street, and conversed again with Allen
until they were joined by Desmond, who with them ap-
peared to be waiting for some one. A fourth person (the
man who is supposed to have fired the fusee), came along,
pushed accidentally against him, begged his pardon, asked
a question as to the locality, was told by the witness that
he was a stranger, and could not direct him, and then
walked away. Receiving instructions from another con-
stable to watch Desmond and the other man, who
had last arrived, witness followed the former
to the corner of Bowling-green-lace, and watched
him down Corporation-lane. He had then to go
to the corner of Bowling-green-lane to look down
Corporation-lane, and saw Desmond bearing a truck
upon which there was a barrel. In turning round to look
for the woman he missed Desmond altogether, and was
hurrying back to Corporation-lane to we if he was there
when the explosion took place, and he was thrown upon
his back. Recovering himself he made his way into
Short's-buildings az.d met another policeman named
Ranger. They saw Allen and Ann Justice running away
at the end of the street and pursued them. Witness
captured the woman, and Ranger the man. While taking
the prisoner to the House of Detention witness met Des-
mond, and held him with his right hand until he procured
assistance from some passers by. Allen and Desmond at
the time of the capture were wearing ordinary high black
hats, but subsequently Desmond was found wearing a
white hat, known as • " billycock."
In cress-examination, the witness said there were three
extra policemen on duty around the House of Detention
during the Friday in question, but at the time of the ex-
plosion one of them was gone away. As to the barrel, he
saw nothing in it to arouse his auspicious, and, if he
thought anything at all about it, he considered it to be •
barrel of beer for one of the houses opposite. As far as he
could see, it was half on the edge of the pavement and
half off, and it was as nearly es possible opposite the house
where the deceased lived.

Henry Bird, • dairyman, repeated his story as to the
cask. He was delivering his milk in Corporation-lane
when he saw three men dragging • truck from
the direction of Bowling-green-lane, saw them
back the truck, and the barrel placed upon the pave-
ment and covered with • material resembling tarpaulin.
One man wheeled the track away in the direction of
Bowling-green-lane, and meanwhile another turned round
the cask, sad shifted it, so that one end was touching the
prison wall. This man went away, and another "of
gentlemanly appearance." who was standing • few yards
elf on the same pavement as that upon which
the barrel was placed, came across to the other side,
and, after looking at the barrel, went over to it,
seemed to be examining its head, then struck • light of
some kind, applied it to the head of the cask, readjusted
the tarpaulin over the head, and walked away. A woman
who was being served by witness at the time ejaculated
twice, " Good God, what is that man about! We shall all
be blown op." Witness soon after met • policeman and
told him there was • barrel down Corporation-lane covered
a:tli a tarpaulin, that • gentleman had lighted it, and
that it looked very suspicious. The policeman walked
towards the place indicated, but in • lazy manner.
In cross-examination the witness said he fancied one of
the men who were drawing the truck was amongst
the prisoners now in custody. He would not, how-
ever, like to swear to it. The man who fired the barrel
appeared to have no communication whatever with the
other,. He had seen all the prisoners in custody, and
should not like to swear to any of them, but in his own
mind be fancied one of them was the man who fired the
barrel. (It was understood that this was the brother of
the Desmond first apprehended.)
Mrs. Jarvis, who was passing in Corporation-lane just
before the explosion, observed the barrel upon the pave-
ment in the position described by the last witness. She
saw a man standing by the corner of St. James's-place,
and the other near the head of the barred In
the head of the barrel she observed • roll of paper, and
she saw one of the men (whom she had previously seen
talking together) strike a light and ignite the paper. She
felt alarmed, and in danger, and as she hurried away she
turned round andeaw the paper " burning red—not flaring"
—and the men running in the same direction as herself.
Just as they overtook her the explosion took place. The
men ran through Rosotnan-street towards the House of
Detention. The men to whom she had referred were not
Allen soil Desmond. She had seen them in custody, and
was certain they were not the men.
Polictman Moriarty, • new witness, who was injured
by the ezploeion, and who is the policeman referred to
by a previous witness as the one who walked
lanly towards the barrel, said—l was on duty in
Meredith-street on the day of the explosion. I
was on toy ordinary beat, and had heard nothing of what
Cu going on. About 20 minutes to four, Bird, the milk-
men met me, and sail tome "Policeman, there is something
plead against the wall of the House of Detention, and boys
Playing in front of it." I did not atop to hear any
more, but went towards it immediately. On ap-
proaching it I saw four boys and • female sta-
mg in front of what was against the wall. I
Ptaed by the woman,and then saw it was • barrel covered
with • sack, like • new meal-sack ; I went within three
feet of it. It was on its side with one end close t
the wall of the House of Detention. The end to the
bosses opposite was on fire. That end was coveret: with the
sock so that I could nut exactly see what kind of a light
It was. It was gushing out, however, as large as my hand,
and of a blue colour. It was not like • squib.
The Coroner—Then it was like • stream.
Witness—It was gushing out. I walked backwards a few
frtt, and then the explosion took place, and I was knocked
backwards insensible. When I recovered my senses I