The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-09 00:00:00

TEE FATAL EXPLOSION AT WOOLWICH

ARSENAL.

INQIJEST.-(THD3 DAY.)

•
Mr. C. J. Carttar, Coroner for West Kent,
opened an inquiry this day, at noon, at the Royal
Oak Tavern, New-road, Woolwich, into the eircums
stances attending the deaths of three lads named
Walter Pipe, Robert Newby, and Garrod MeGilligett,
who lost their lives from the effects of injuries received by
an explosion which took place at No. 6 shed in the
laboratory department of Woolwich Arsenal, on Saturday
last.
A highly respectable jury having been sworn, the
Rev. Thomas Tuffield was selected as foremen,
and the Coroner observed that they were about
to enter upon • most important investigation,
which excited much interest in the public mind.
It was • melancholy case, and would demand
the deepest consideration on the part of the jury.
Under existing circumstances he felt that it
would be quite impossible to arrive at a verdict
without an adjournment, or perhaps repeated
adjournments of the case, as it might be highly
necessary to examine some of the lads who were pa-
tients in the hospital, and that could not ho done
at present with safety. He had held many
inquests upon deaths which had resulted from gunpowder
explosion, and had always found the utmost difficulty in
arriving at the cause of such explosion. In this case it
had been rumoured that Newby, who was now
dead, could have thrown some light upon the subject.
The Coroner then pointed out the most important
points which required to be elucidated, and the
manner in which he proposed to conduct the
investigation. If any evidence could he obtained
as to the origin of the catastrophe, it would clearly
be of great advantage, and they must also endeavour to
ascertain if any person was blameable, or if the% bad been
any neglect on the part of those employed at the establish.
matt. After all the evidence had been taken, it would then
become his duty to point out to the best of his ability
the law of the case before they arrived at the verdict.
It would be for the jury to decide whether
it would be necessary to view the site of the
accident—i The foreman " Yea, yea.")—Well he thought it
might be of advantage to do so, as it would render the
evidence more intelligible. He peoposed on that day
simply to have the bodies of the deceased identabe
in order that they might be interred. and to
visit the site of the accident, when the inquiry would
be adjourned. The parents of the deceased lads then
gave evidence as to their identification, end the coroner
and jury then proceeded to view the site of the accident,
the inquiry being ultimately adjourned for a week.

SHOCKING CHILD MCRDER.—SHIELPS, TCRSDAY
Nurr.—Arespectable, newly-married woman, the wife of a
tailor named Jarrons, has been taken into custody to-day,
by the Yarmouth police, charged with muniering her in-
fant. Before she married Jarrons she was a widow,end kept
the Stag Inn, in this town. A month ago she left her home
here with the intention to go to see her friends at Yar-
mouth. She only got to Peterborough, when Ow was dls-
livered of a child. She subsequently took it to Yarmouth,
where it was found suffocated in a bundle, in the leek
yard of a coffee-house, where she had gone for refresh-
ments. When she returned to Shields she said nothing
of having been delivered of a child, but upon the polio*
taking her into custody she admitted having been to Peter-
borough, but she added she did not know where the child
was. She has been taken to Yarmouth in custody.
HOSPITAL FOR DI/MARRS OF THE THROAT, 32,
GOLDEN-SQUARE, W.—During the week ending sth Octo-
ber 295 patients were under treatment, of whom 32 were
new eases.