The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-22 00:00:00

ASSIZE IN7ELLIGENCE.

WESTERN CIRCUIT—TAUNTON, Dee. 20.
(Before Mr. Justice Byles.)
Joseph Langley was indicted and charged on the
coroner's inquisition with the manslaughter of his
son, Charles Langley, on Dec. 6.
Mr. T. W. Saunders conducted the prosecution,
and Mr. Prideaux the defence.

The prisoner is the landlord of the George Inn at
Nett lebridge, in the parish of Midsoner Norton. On
the evening of the clay in question a quarrel arose
between him and his son, who was about 21 years
of age, and after a good deal of coarse language had
been exchanged between them the son struck the
father, who stabbed the deceased in the abdomen
with a clasp knife which he had in his hand at the
time. Both the prisoner and the deceased were the
worse for liquor. After stabbing his son, the pri-
soner appeared very much distressed, and said,
" Oh, I'm afraid you're done for. You will never
hit your poor father any more. I wish some one
would do the same for me." The deceased was at-
tended by Mr. Cartner, surgeon, but the wound
proved fatal, and the deceased died on the following
Monday morning.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, but recom-
mended him to mercy on the ground of the provo-
cation he had received.

His lordship said the recommendation of the jury
should receive consideration, and passed a sentence
of six months' imprisonment with hard labour.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—YORK, Dec. 20.
(Before Mr. Justice Keating.)
THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT MASBOROUGH.

George Radford, 23, was charged with the man-
slaughter of William Cawthorne, on the 3d inst.
Mr. Maule and Mr. Fullerton appeared for the
prosecution ; Mr. Waddy defended the prisoner.
About 7 o'clock on the, morning of the 3d inst., a
boilor, at the Midland Iron Works, Masborough,
near Rotherham, exploded, and William Cawthorne,
who was working near, was thrown down, his
clothes set on fire, and his death produced from the
injuries he had received. Eleven other persons on
the works had also met with their deaths, and !.t.
was alleged that the prisoner, by his gross negli-
gence, gence, had brought about the explosion, hence the
charge of manslaughter. The circumstan
in case were plain and simple. At the wotrrawith a
ques-
tion a boiler was working, in connection
and also
steam-engine, which it supplied withare _ ee.oof the
d " Condy's
with power for working what
hammer." To the boiler were
working it ought to
valves, and in the ordinaroyw is called
two safety
ater-gauge, in order
have had attached to it a e
—lsswas the tenter, to know
to enable the prisoner, whin
with the boiler. The water
rn not far distant, and it
water to the boiler every
the quantity of water
was obtained from a dote
was necessary to supplytelv during th
there Was no
rusokten,- 'and it
gauge to the boiler
the 2d inst.,
half hour. Unforbt
v:as—aellengiegdh night
theo
as it had been
prisoner had neglected to apply
for a fresh
before the I •
one. An hoer exp.oston the Condy ham-
mer bad not been worked at all, so that he would
not have his attention distracted from looking after
the boiler. It was suggested on the part of the
prosecution that the prisoner, having neglected his
duty in the first instance, the quantity of water in
the boiler became ;
insufficient; that the plates hav-
ing become overheated, and the boiler supplied with

water whilst in that state by the prisoner, steam
generated too quickly, and the valves being inade-
quate to carry off the excess of steam, a pressure
was brought on beyond that which the boiler was
enabled to bear, and the consequence was an exple"
sion. The boiler was calculated to carry 601b5. t°
the square inch, and was in good working condi-
don at the time of the explosion. From the end
dente, however, it appeared that the prisoner ba t
applied for a gauge previous to the acrident, bat
made the application to the wrong party, be 13°
having been long in his employ as tenter.
Mr. Justice Keating left it for the jury to O.+,
whether the explosion waa caused by the want ea
water in the boiler, produced by the culpable ne-
glect of the prisoner.
Tho jury, after consulting together a few minutes,
found the prisoner not guilty.
A similar verdict was returned in the cases of the
other persons who were killed by the explosion.