The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-27 00:00:00

To a juror—When he told Thompson he considered
the parlour was dangerous, there were two persons pre-
sent. Rowe had orders from witness to ascertain the
strata, and they then agreed that a depth of 10 feet
should be excavated over the general surface of the site.
Of course that would not be proceeded with if Rowe
found he was going too low. The workmen excavated
to that depth, though at some distance away they went
below the 10 feet. When he left, the 10 feet had been
arrived at. They could not have proceeded any further
with safety for want of bricks. Rowe asked him, before
he left, to allow him to go on with the underpinning
immediately, using the old bricks which were exceedingly
hard and sound, perhaps as good and sound as any new
bricks that could be got. Witness examined the bricks
with Rowe, and pointed out however good they might
be, they were of different sizes, and as the specification
interdicted old materials they could not be used. It was
not to effect any saving Rowe made the proposition, but
to enable him to go on at once. Saw no danger, and
if the accident had occurred later he would have been
under it superintending the underpinning. So confident
was poor Rowe of the safety of this part of the wall that
he built his counting-house against it, where he was to
have been. Witness would not have slept in the par-
lour. The distance from the top of the shoring to the
top of the house, or the top of the coping was 16 feet 6
inches. It would be dangerous to have the shoring
higher. They were sufficiently high above the centre of
gravity to make everything perfectly safe.
To a juror—The house No. 4, Arundel-street was
about 22 feet from the nearest part of Thompson's house,
but from the back wall of Thompson's house the distance
was 42 feet. The excavation was about two feet or two
feet six inches below the footings of the house in Arun-
del-street. There was a difference of about two feet in
the street at the back of Thompson's house, and they
had intended to carry the house towards Arundel-street
about two feet lower down. When men were occupied
they did not wish to stop, especially when they were in
a vein that would pay them. Could not say they had
studied to keep a level flooring, but they certainly did
not do it. They went two feet below the specification,
but that was with his sanction, and was caused by get-
ting through the rubbish. Saw no excavation below
the footing of the wall when he left. In some instances
the footings were something below the ten feet. They
were not diggings below the footings. The footings
were only seen at one place, and at each end they were
not seen, but Rowe felt with a shovel for them.
To another juror—lf he, had covered the whole build-
ing with raking shores alone, it would not have kept it
up. ; Needles could not have been used there. If he had
said: " below the footings," he said what he did not
mean to say ; he spoke of " the level of the footings."
To the Coroner—His impressions were formed from
the first, and had not changed, but should be sorry to
lead' the jury to believe they were true and correct. He
believed the excavators had undermined, but he had not
seen' them do so. Could assign no other cause but that.
One:circumstance should be mentioned, it was a fact he
had seen. This house was a very narrow house, the
bearings were very short ; they were only about twelve
feet six inches clear of the wall, and the ceilings were
flush. Originally, as it appeared, there had been girders
running from the partition across the house to the cen-
tre pier, and in order to make a flush ceiling some time
or other the persons occupying the house had cut holes
along the party wall at one end which was not seen, to
erect joists separating the boards of the wall, and leaving
the Wall very unequally supported at those points. This
had :been done inside the house, and covered up, and no
human eye could detect it. There was nothing exter-
nally- to show such an incision had been made. Did
not say that was the cause. There must have been a
proXimate cause, and to state the proximate cause he
must have something further before him to enable him
to do so. The wall was riddled with chases, which
weakened it.
To a juror—Saw no trench along the main wall of the
the house when he left the ground at a quarter before
four o'clock on the day before the accident.
To Mr. Bodkin—The workmen were to obey his di-
rections, and he could dismiss them according to the
contract. The interest of Messrs. Lucas was to do, as
they always did, everything in the most liberal way.
Whatever extra work they had to do would be paid for;
if they had done more than was provided for they would
have been paid for it.
To Mr. Hawkins—Was employed by Messrs Smith.
Acted as clerk of the works. It was his duty to see that
the work was properly and safely done, but had received
no appointment to the office, nor emolument from it if
he did not fill it. Did not think it would be necessary
at that period to have a clerk of the works. There must
be some person to see the work was properly done, and
' Rowe was there for the purpose. If the builder's fore-
man was not doing his duty witness should write to his
master. Had no authority to order Mr. Lucas's work-
mens ; they could only take their orders from Rowe.
Could not say positively that he had seen the Messrs.
Lucas on the premises during the work. Could not say
he had seen them on the premises before the accident.
Particularly noticed the state of the ground on the day
before the accident. At one part could see eight or
nine feet of the footings ; at the north corner of the wall
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house and have a new wall erected, for which the Messrs.
Smith would pay. Mr. Bush was named as Thomp-