The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-01 00:00:00

LVOUESTS.

DREADFUL CATASTROPHE AT POPLAR,.

Yesterday afternoon nu loopiest was held at the sign of the
Black Florae, Hitli-street, Poplar, before John Wright Vo-
w it', h 49. Groner, on the body of William Haywood, a well-
&Eger, who was lulled in the late dreadful accident at

Poplar.
•
The Jury being empanelled and swoon, they proceeded
to take a view of lite body of the deceased, which lay in the
parish workhouse of Poplar. He is • young tutu, and ap.
petted dreadfully crushed. After viewing the body, the
Curtner and Jury iirocerded to the house of Mr. llntaillitirst,
bricklayer, of High-street, who was tie the well at the time
of the accident, for the purpose of taking his deposition ;
he was in a 'heedful condition, covered with bruises, and
Trashed rid • tett title manure, sitting in an arm-chair,
ill each • elehilitated slate that he with extreme diffiruloy
gave Lie evidence, which was to the following effect :
Mr. RitmoMast being sworn, said—l am a toaster brick.
layer, and gesiile rid this parish; stone time ago I entered in-
to • coutract with the parish of Poplar to make some wells,
fur the purpose of supplying the inhabitants with water. It
WAS intended to place a pump over the well when it was
finished; several men were employed lo make the well,
and at the t • hail succeeded in digging thirty.five
feet in depth. The deceased was employed as a well.
digger, and was at work with me and • matt named
Patrick Driscol, a labourer its my employ, nearly at the
bottom of the place; the decealied was digging, and Drisetil
and myself were Is yiag the brickson the tinder-curb, to under-
pin the tipper curb next to 11, when the deceased alarmed
air, by saying the place was giving way, and in an instant
both melee of the well bulged in ; they ran to the centre of
the well, and laid hold of the rope unit tub in which the
del was conveyed sip, and called out to the labourers at top
to draw them op; but they scat cely heard them, and befote
ally assistance could he afforded, the whole of the earth,
tificici, aid timber, fell in 11p1111 them, and covered them
completely; the deceased and Driscol were at work close
by my sole, previous to the place falling in. I was able
to breathe, but with great pain and difficulty, wail spoke
to the deceased, who apparently Ishoured miller great
difficulty from pressure. He said to me while he was under
the earth," 04, mater ! this is a dreadful situation to he in,
what will become of us 1.1. it is impossible for WI to survire."
He sail lie was dying. He shortly afterwards said—" Master,
we shall die to day, and be buried next Sunday." I advised
the deceased to keep up his spit its, and be reconciled to his
fate, amid to think of God. He soon after expressed a fear
that the pal era alcove would not search after them, they
mivht think they were dead, and would not dig so fast
after them. The deceased also said that they were all
young men 'meaning those hurled), and it was • pity that
they shouldi come to that istitinsely end. The deceased was
pressed much ott the stomach, and could not move his hands.
The men above cowinieneed digging after them, and shoring
the go ound, and they wane confined under the ground nine
i hours before the least air was afforded them. They were
very slow in getting the dirt tip, bring obliged to take it up
in baskets, while they stood on the rubbish ; they were in
total darkness ; I am of opinion that the water which came
through the boles kept me and Driseol alive. The deceased
SUMS' of the tine Waa leaning un my breast, and he was alive
two hums pierions to being taken nut of the situation he
Was in. We could tint have lived half an hour longer in the
condition Driscol sod I were in ; we were pinioned, and
cosild not more ; fortunately two of my fingers were at
1116,11 V, Wi.ll which I succeed •d in moving sonic of the rub.
heals, dud I euuld breathe, but could not 010Ve hum the pres.
sure of sit- rillibish. At one lime, when I heard the men
digging, I hollowed uses, " Miura my boys, be quick, and
you'll save us !" The deceased, in great pain, said,
o Master !I am not in such a condition as you are ; I
an almost •uffiteated, awl nearly dead?' I shortly after
head aml felt mile deceased struggling with death, and head
him gaspinz, mail draw his last breath. 1 sus injured all
over, sun Driscol, of the two, is worse than myself; lie has
• large family, and a pregnant wife. After being sunder
g I fur a number of burrs the men succeeded in reschiug
me, and bouncing me up; and its about two hours after dug
tip the deceased, who was quite dead ; shortly afterwards
Misc.l was got up, and we were taken to the surgeon's, and
had avid y assistance: afforded us, and were afterwards taken
to our houses. I sin of opinion it was • perfect accident.
Mr Broadhurst was much fatigued after this, and the
Cormier and Jury retorted to the Black Horse, and beard the
fullowinie evidence : _ .

John hay sworn—l am an excavator, and live in Din-
gle's-court, Poplar ; on Monday morning last, having been
informed of the above accident I went to render assistance ;
on my •arrival I commenced moving some bricks and rubbish,
lint in consequence of turtling with an accident was obliged
to leave off; some lime after I assisted in taking Driscol
and the deceased mit of the Mile; the latter was quite dead.
The deceased lived on Slffron-hill, and has left a wife and
large family. The unfortunate man, Driscol, is in a mist
piti.ible siination ; he keeps his bed, and is in a very dan-
gerous condition; surrounded by a large family of young
children, and has a wife in the greatest distress—he is not
able bi speak.
The Jury sat for a length of time, and after a few remarks
f the Cumin, they Monad a verdict of "Accidental
Death."

Yesterday an Inquisition was held in the Board Room of
the feli.ltl:erx Hospital, before Thomas Stirling, Esq. un
the body of the Rev. Daniel Parkes, who wet with an un-
timely death, as appears from the following evidence :
James Honldun sworn.—l am a gentleman's servant, and
reside at 30, Norfqjk-street, Middlesex He,pital. About
seven o'clock in the evening of Friday last, I was at the end
of Oxforil.,ari et, next SI. Giles's,• I saw a horse running at
roll speed with the shafts of a chaise towing in the harness,
from 'Foiter.h.,ni.couri-road down High•street ; the deceased
a se c.ossing the street Ilene the Brew.hosise whets he was
ern over by the horse, which knocked him down' and the
cad of one of the shafts funk him in the hack part of his head
nail inflicted a dreadful worm:, I assisted in carrying bias
to Nlr Griffiths, rpollrreary, Tottenham-court-road, who ex-
amined the wound, and raid he apprehended the head was
traetured, :Old advised him to be taken immediately to the
Hospital. We ~it him on a shutter, and I assisted to carry
him there; he was speechless, and quite insensible. I
tailed to see him next day, and found him in the sane state.
went to let his friends in Charles-street, Hatton-garden,
know of the accident; his daughters came to see him; he
knew them, but could not speak to them. Idu out know
who the house lielunzed to; I understand it broke away from
the elsuse at the turnpike; it was slopped at St. Giles's
Cburch, and taken away the same might by the Gentleman
it belonged to. - .

Robert Mayo sworn—l ant House Surgesin, at the Mid.
/Unsex Hospital. On l'riday evening, Ibe deceased was
brought to the Hupilal, lahtturing under symptoms resulting
from a violent blow on the head. 1 examined it, and found
the scalp cut and bruised, and the skull fractured; be died
as persons usually do also are similarly injured.
The Jury, under all the circumstances, returned a verdict
of " Accidental Dcatts."

Yesterday tvening nn Inquisition was taken at the sign of
the Harley Mow, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square, heroic
Thomas Higgs, Esq. Coroner for Westminster, on the body
of au infant, folitul de•ul in. Hyde Park.

Verdict—"Fuand dead."

The follov.ing "iiigiolar circumstance occurred in
the tieightmorhoott cf Boston, shout six o'clock in
the evemog of IVeiliiesday re'nnight :•—•it matt,
mooed WA tto, to escape caption by a bailiff and
his follower, who were in pursuit of him, ran into
the howle adjoining liyme Tower, and, to the great
alarm of the family, forced his way up to the ser-
vant maid's chamber, the door of which he made
1%4.4, and further somtlit refuge bt• getting Into the
girl's bed. Nn entreaties would induce him to
come forth, or unbolt the door, when, at length, a
conaablr being procured from Boston. the door
was broke open, and the unhappy► fogitive fell lute
the hands of his unrelenting pursuers.