The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-11 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 1867.

CALAMITOUS FIRE AND SERIOUS LOSS OP
LIFE.-( THIS DAY.,

A very calamitous fire occurred at the West-end
this (Monday) morning at an early hour, in a large house
numbered BA, Bryanstone-street, Edgware-road. The
building was let out in tenements, and at the time of the
outbreak contained five families. Within a minute after
the fire was discovered by a policeman, Conductor Gill
arrived from the Connaught-place station with the Royal
Society's fire-escape. On turning into the street he
saw the greater part of the house then on fire, and he
noticed a female with a child in her arms at the second
floor window. As he was wheeling his machine to the
front of the house he observed the child fall back and the
woman jump out of the window. He placed his machine
against the windows in Quebec-street, but it appeared
that they were only used for lighting the stiircase. He
then raised the escape to the level of the third-floor in
Bryaastone-street, and rescued an elderly gentleman and
his wife who were clinging to the window-sill. Be after-
wards returned and rescued a man from the fascia of the
shop. Hearing that other persons were still in the build-
ing he attempted to enter a window to save them, but the
flames were coming out of every window except the
parlours. He that got his short ladder, placed it across
the iron railing, and entered the room, but found no
one therein. By that time the firemen were
working intrepidly, and with plenty of water.
but the flames could not be extinguished until the whole
building was destroyed. Four human beings were after-
wards found burnt to death in the ruins, and there are
two others missing, who Lave no doubt also perished. The
woman who jumped into the street has been removed to St.
Mary's Hospital, where she remains in a very precarious
state. The lower part of the premises was occupied by
Mr. Mundin, a boot and shoemaker, who has lost every-
thing except his books and vouchers. The origin of the
fire is unknown.

THE DEATH OP A WIPE .IN GRAY'SINN-ROAD.

INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
This morning Dr. Lankester resumed, at the Holborn
union, the inquiry into the death of Mary Snelling. It will
be recollected that the inquest was opened upon Tuesday
last and adjourned for the purpose of the husband being
present, and this morning he was brought up upon au
order from the Right Hon. Horace Walpole, the Secre-
tary of State, in the custody of Inspector Bryant, of the
Reserve G Division.

Upon the arrival of the coroner the prisoner was brought
in, and the coroner read over to him the evidence given at
the examination.

The first witness called was Dr. Norton, who said
that ho was called in on Saturday to see the deceased,: end
found her dead, and much bruised. On a post marten'
examination he found many bruises, some of them old
ones. The cause of death was the fracture of the skull.
The whole of the bruises on the bead could not have
caused by falling down stairs.
By Mr. Ricketts—The death arose from the facture of
the skull. There was not any other bodily injury to ac-
count for death.

Sarah Wallis, of 12, Vernlam-street, stated that she was
called in and found the deceased in a state of insensibility.
She (witness) sent a little boy to tell the husband that she
was dying, and he' refused to have a doctor, and he said
" That he was the hest doctor," and added " Let the old
die," and he then kicked her whilst she was sense-
less in her arms. The boy told her at the time that the
husband had struck her head upon the stones.
Charles Francis Hawkins, a child about 9 years of age.
stated that he saw the deZased fall down the steps, and
the husband took her shoulders and knocked her head on
the stones.
Dr. Norton was asked if the bruises which he found on
the head would accelerate death.
Dr. Norton—Most certainly it would.
Hawkins was recalled and asked by Mr. Ricketts if he
saw the husband strike her head on the stones.

Hawkins mid he did, and Tdielorea
The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a
verdicts of " Accidental death," and strongly censured the
conduct of the husband. The coroner directed that the
magistrate before whom the prisoner had been taken should
be made acquainted with the censure of the jury.

SUICIDE OF A JUVENILE PRISONER IR
STAFFORD (;AOL.