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

ASSIZE IN7ELLIGENCE.

WESTERN CIRCUI r-TAIINTON, Dec. 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
Nettlebridge, in the parish of Midsoner Norton. On
the evening of the Gay 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 DIASBOROITOH.

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 it
was alleged that the prisoner, by his gross negli-
gence, had brought about the explosion, hence
the
ee
of
a
charge of manslaughter. The circumstances h
case were plain and simple. At the works in
with
ques-
tion a boiler was working, in connection
steam-engine, which it supplied with steam o
~ Condy
, and al .k,
s
with power for working what is called d
t
hammer." To the boiler were attache wo safety
valves, and in the ordinary working it ought to
have had attached to it a glass water- gauge, in order
to enable the prisoner, who was the tenter, to know
a cistern not tar dstant, and it
was necessary to supply the quantity of water within the. boiler. The water
was obtained from
i
water to the boiler every
half hour. Unfortunately, during the night of
the 2d inst., there was no
gauge to the boiler,
as it had been broken, and it was alleged the
prisoner had neglected to apply for a fresh
before
one. An hour the explosion the Condy ham-
mer had his been
workedat 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, h •neglected his
having
cinty in the first instance, the quantity of water in
the boiler became insufficient;
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 wB.B'
enabled to bear, and the consequence was an explo-
sion. The boiler was calculated to carry 601bs. to,
the square inch, and was in good working condi-•
tion at the time of the explosion, From the evi:
deuce, however, it appeared that the prisoner but
appiied for a gauge previous to the accident,
made the application to the wrong part he 131:4
y,
having been long in his employ as tenter.
Mr. Justice Keating left it for the jury totel say
whether the explosion waa caused by the w(in
water in the boiler, produced by the culpable'
glect of the prisoner.
ieuteg,,
Tho jury, after consulting together a few In
found the prisoner not guilty. he
A similar verdict was returned in the cases of t
other persons who were killed by the explosion*