The Sun.
London, England, 1806-06-07 00:00:00

CORO! R'c IN-QE.YEST.

IL* .Inquisition Was taken Yesterday, at the White
Lion, Hemming's-roW, before ANTHONY GELL,
Esq. Coronet for Westminster,' an the body of on
unknown person, Nl4lO lost his life at the late fire in •
-C'handos-street. - • -
George Thorpe, waiter at the Key Baguio, stared,
that the deceased, in company with a lady, came to
the bagnio, which was.kept by a Mr. Hamerton, at'
twelve o'clock at night on the 4th of June. The
Gentleman appeared to be very much inebriated; and,
after having been a short time hi the house, supper
was served up in a bed-room. After the cloth had
been cleared, the Gentleman said he should go ; but
the bell rang soon after for the chambermaid to assist
in undressing the lady. The deceased, on the maid
entering the room, was lying on the floor by the
bed-side. The 'chambermaid left the. room at a
quarter before three o'cloCk, and about a quarter
afters three witness heard a violent screaming ; he
repaired to the landing place on the first,floor, where
the lady was standing with a candle in her hand,
the bed-room being in one entire blaze. She begged
of witness to save the Gentleman, but the flames
issued ,so rapidly from the. room-door. that, he dared
not attempt to enter. The house was divided, and.
in that part where 'the fire broke out, none but the
deceased and his companion slept, except a domestic
in the attic story. It was some time before the other
part of the house caught fire, and consequently by
the-alarm which witness and the chambermaid
created, the companies had time fir flight.
Jane, llevaynes, who stated her name to be so,
but who for several years has been known, about the,
Theatres and the Piazzas by the name of Kemble or
Sterling, stated, that she was in company with the'
deceased at the Key. Her first acquaintance with:
him was accidentally on Whitsun Monday last;
since-which time he had daily visited her at her apart-
milts in yPark-street, Marysle-bone. He was at
her residence at two o'clock on the 4th inst. and he
was then inebriated:: He insisted nu Sending for
three bottles of wine, one only of which was arank,
Witness having put. the ether two away, thinking
her companion had had enough. They took a coach
and repaired to the Key, which house the deceased
said he had been well acquainted With formany years
past. Supper was served up at twelve a'clock, and -
after the cloth had ben cleared the deceased threw
himself on the floor by the bedside,' where he re-
mained iMmoveable. Witness went to bed, as she
supposed, about. two o'clock, and. she soon fell
asleep. She was awakened by a smell of fire, and
she discovered the curtains of the bed in a blaze,:
when she flew to the door with a candle in her hand
from off the table (one also having been' lett in the
chimney-piece), unlocked it, and alarmed the
houses- The waiter carne to her, and she begged of
him to save herfriend ; 'but the liantes prevented any
person from entering the room. 'lle Lady ran
':frantie into the street, returned tothe apartment she
had =left, and -made-an attempt to rescue the unfor-
tun* Gentleman froth the flames, but her breath
waetakenaway with the smoke, and she Was scorched
with the blaze. Upon this she ran about thehouse,,
calling on every one she met with to save the Gen-
tleman.
Every one, however, was so intent on
their own personal safety, that do attention was paid
to her entreaties. A watchman at length forced her
Out of the house ; and the Public are acquainted
with the melancholy catastrophe that followe& The
WitneSs knew nothing of the deceased,neither where
lie lived, or his name. He bad banknotes and bills
to a considerable amount in his possession, which
he had shown to her before they went 'to the Key.
She concluded in her own opinion that the deceased
was a Clergyman. . •
'The Gentleman had a gold watch, and between
3 and 4001.• in notes and -cash about Jahn, at the
time that he fell asleep, and all perished With him.
The house was a double ohe-s-sbat .one other per.;
son was-lodging in that half ,in which the Gear/Le-
man: dosohis lite,' besides the Lady that was along with
him. Must of the chaMbers in the other ,halt were
,IS/11, and it was with very great difficulty.: that the
waiter could make them all sensible of their danger
in sufficient time for them to have an opportunity
of escaping. He did not think, boWever, that any
other person was lost but•the unfortunate Gentleman
on whose case the Jury were then met to consider.
Eliz. Hannask,- chambermaid at the Keys corro-
borated-what had fallen from the 'preceding wit-
nesses ; she had often seen the deceased at the Key,
but she did 'not know his name; or where he resided.
-Mrs. Clark; the late hostess of the bagnio, was alSo
called, but she,. like the other witnesses, only knew
the deceased by sight.' '
Miss Knauss who resides in‘Duke-street,'Grosve-.
nor-square, stated' that She had knoWn the deceased
four months, during which time he had constantly
met her, and given her sums of money. She used
to gO with-him- to the Key Hotel, but he-never let
her know who, or what he was. In.. one instance,
when in a state of inebriation, he said his name was
Beresfordsandthat he resided in Baker=street,\North 3
but he ContradiEted it when sober. He was a man
of low stature, and sometimes dressed rather meanly.
He used to wear his hair in one Curl on the top of
his head, with powder ; and witness never saw him
without glasses. She had an appoinrnent with him
on the night of the sth, but as he did not meet her
as proposed, in Grosvenor-square, - and hearing a
person had been burned at the Key, which house he
used, she„suspeEted it was her friend ; -and from the
description given of him, he was C.Jubtless the person.
The Jury, on this evidehee, found a verdict of
the person unknown having come to his, death by
accidental burning." -
The mutilated remains are merely a part of the
trunk, the head, and extremities, being all burnt to
a cinder. _ _

The real name of the deceased did not come out
betbre the Coroner; but we are informed that the
description given of him tallies with that of a Gentle-
man well known for his eccentricities, who has
lately relinquished the Bar for the Clerical habit, in
consequence of obtaining a valuable living in the
Country, which fell to the gift of a_Noble relation.
We take the earliest opportunity of contradiaing
in the fullest Manner, the report of Col. T. being
the person alluded-to. That respeaable Gentleman
and Officio, we on the contrary find, was
.on dUty
with his Regiment at the time the dreadful accident
happened, and- we are happy to add, is in perfseot
health.

LONDON: Printed by RICHARD of No. 4, VlArtlett,coUrt, Buw.;strcet.; a:
At the SUN+OPPICE, No. It LS', Strand ; where'ddre: ,Orders