The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-02 00:00:00

The Fatal Accident at the Review.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. 'Woods, ccroner for the weatera
division of Surrey, opened an inquest at the Drummond
Arms Inn, Albury, on the body of the Rev. Fred. Cuthbeit
Beresford Earle, minister of the Catholic Apostolic Church,
founded by the late Mr. Henry Drummond. Lord Lovaine,
M.P., was foreman of the jury. The Rev- Mr. Woodhouse
(one of the jurors) stated that he had seen a communication
addressed to the deceased by Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, the
colonel in command of the Queen' s W estminsters on Monday
last, stating that he was aware who the volunteer was who
had fired the ramrod. Lord Fitzgerald stated that after the
accident had occurred the ranks Were gone down, and the
rifles examined, and only one ramrod was found to be miss-
ing. Mr. Beresford Earle deposed that he was son of the
deceased, who was in his 60th year. On Monday last wit-
ness went to the review at about 9 o'clock in the morning,
and at 4 o'clock the Same afternoon, while at Blackheath,
he heard that his father had been shot. He then proceeded
to the hospital, where he found his father lying upon a bed.
The deceased stated that he had been shot by a ramrod, and
that after pulling
the pieces out of his person he fell down.
He died in about 99 hours after the accident occurred.
Henry Allnutt, paper manufacturer, of Chilworth, who
volunteered his evidence, deposed that he was present on
the ground at Blackheath on Monday last at about 3 o'clock,
near the Grand Stand. Suddenly he observed deceased
turn round and pull a portion of a ramrod out of his body.
Addressing witness, deceased said, a This part of a ramrod
has been fired into my stomach." Witness only saw one
piece of a ramrod. Deceased stood still for two or three
minutes after this; but he was unable to walk, and he
asked witness to lay him down on the grass, and he did so.
There was no blood visible, and there did not appear to be
any hole in the clothes, so far as witness saw. 'Witness left
deceased for a time to give information to some friends, and
on his return he found him placed on a stretcher. At the
time deceased was shot there were several regiments drawn
up firing volleys. Witness considered that both himself
and deceased were imprudently near the firing party. In,
en-
closed, a
theys
it
Were, in a circle,werewithin2oyar rd pasties w
yards of them. They were
firing
con_
tinaully around them. tit the time when deceased was shot
they were marching towards the Grand Stand, and the
volunteers were between them and the Stand. Charles Ede,
surgeon, who attended the deceased, said that the wound in
the abdomen was a contused wound penetrating the cavity
of the abdomen
Mortification had and the probe passed in for about 2in.
supervened, and was the cause of death.
The Coroner here suggested to the jury that the man who
was supposed to have fired the ramrod should attend, and
have the opportunity of offering any explanation. Mr. F.
D. Ross, one of the hospital surgeons in attendance on the
ground, stated that no less than four ramrods had been fired
away on the dee, in question. A juryman stated that be
had heard as many as 30 had been fired away. Several of
the jurymen objected to an adjournment; but the Coroner
was firm, and ultimately adjourned the further =vestige,.
tion to Monday week.