The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-15 00:00:00

Death in one of the Hampstead Ponds,

Oa Saturday afternoon an investigation was held
at the Duke of Hamilton Tavern, New-end, Hamp-
stead, by Dr. Lankester, the coroner for the western
division of Middlesex, relr,tive to the death of David
Frank Holford, aged nine, the son of a butcher,
Donald Nicholl, ex-member for Frame, local magis-
trate, and resident at Oaklands-hall, Hampstead,
stated that on Wednesday residing in the Maldon-road, Kentish-town, Mr.
afternoon last he wasproceeding up the hill near the Suburban Hotel, n
the Vale of Health, when he heard a cry for help
proceeding from the third Heath Pond. He
went to the pond, and saw the heads of two
into
which moving up and down in the water,
which they had fallenice
while thece
while they were sliding, Several boys were
on the bank of the pond shrieking for help.
He and a man named Ransom plunged into the water
with the view of saving the boys. Mr. Nicoll struck
out to the deceased and succeeded in catching hold
ii
of his head, but, his cap coming
off in his hand,
the boy sank and came upunder the ice. Mr.
Nicoll, although he was out of his depth, kept
swimming and breaking away the ice with his arms
which were much bruised ; but the more he endea-
voured to reach him the more the boy drifted away,
his head being visible through the ice. At length
Mr. Nicoll, becoming exhausted, and in danger of
being sucked under the ice, yielded to the solicita-
tions of the bystanders, and abandoned the hope
of saving the life of the unfortunate boy. Ran-,
som, on the other hand: succeeded (although
himself nearly losing. his life), assisted by
Mr. Nicoll, in rescuing. the other boy, the
son of a physician,ltne's academy,
who recovered after being placed in
and. pupil at Mr..
a warm bath at
the Suburban Hotel, under the attendance of Dr.
Evans. The body of the deceased, although imme•
diate steps were taken, was not recovered until at
least 20 minutes of immersion had expired, and
then only by means of the iceboat. The numerous
deaths which have occurred at these ponds (five in
number) have, time after time, led to censures by
the coroner's juries, and requisitions to the New
River Company and also to the lord of the manor,
but up to the present period no steps have been
taken to fence off the ponds, or otherwise take
such steps as would prevent the frequent loss of
life. One suggestion that had been made was that
one of the ponds should be kept fur bathing, and
the others fenced in. Mr. Nicholl offered that if the
lord of the manor would nonsent to have that parti-
cular pond railed in, he, as the chairman of the
Suburban Hotel Company: would have that portion
facing the hotel railed in if the lord of the manor
would complete the remainder. Toe jury returned
a verdict of " Accidental death,'' accompanying it
with a recommendation to Sir Thomas Wilson, the
lord of the manor, to the effect that he would consent
to Mr. Nicoll's offer, as preservation of life was of
the utmost importance. The Coroner said he, with
much pleasure, would for ward that recommendation
to Sir Thomas Wilson, and the proceedings ter-
minated.

MAZZINI ORDERED FOR TRIAL IN PARIS.—
Mazzini is ordered for trial before a French assize court.
An indictment has been framed against him as an accom-
plice of the four Italians, Greco, Imperatori, Trabucco, and
Saglio, in a plot against the Emperor's life.