The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-16 00:00:00

THE SUN*,

THE MURDER OF A WIFE AND
CHILD AT CLA_PIIAM.
Yesterday, at noon, the inquiry, on the part of the
coroner's jury, into the cause of death in the instance
Maria Weston, aged 39, and Maria Elizabeth
'Weston, aged one year and nine months, the wife and
child of James Weston, who were found with their
throats cut at Clapham, on Saturday morning last, in
r.ecordance with information furnished to the police
by Weston himself, was held at the Two Brewers,
High-street, Clapham, before Thomas Higgs, Esq.,
coroner for the Duchy of Lancaster.
The jury (sixteen in number) having answered to
their names, proceeded with the coroner to view the
bodies, which lay in the cottage, No. 1, in Carpen-
ter's-buildings, High-street, Clapham. The appear-
ance of them was accurately described in The Sun of
yesterday, so that any repetition of the description of
the frightful scene is unnecessary.
Thejury having re-assembled,
The CORONER said that the particulars of the awful
affair were already well known throughout the neigh-
bourhood in consequence of what had taken place at
the police-court on Saturday last. It probable might
not be necessary to make the proceedings very lengthy,
but during the inquiry he hoped that the jurors would
dismiss from their minds anything they heard out of
doors with reference to the matter.
Mr. Haydon, the churchwarden of the parish, was
chosen foreman of the inquest.
The first witness called was,
Mr. John Charles Parrott, surgeon, of North-
side, Church-row, Clapham-common. He deposed
that about half-past seven o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing last he was called to attend at the house numbered
1, in Carpenter's-buildings, in consequence of infor-
mation he received from the police, to the effect that
a person living in that house had destroyed his wife
and child. He attended almost immediately after
receiving the information. Upon proceeding up
stairs he saw the body of a woman lying on the
floor, by the side of the bed, on her back. He took
hold of the wrist to feel if there was any pulsation,
but he found there was none. Immediately after-
wards he discovered that the throat was frightfully
cut, and upon examining the wound he found
that the incision extended from one side of the neck
to the other, and penetrated through the centre of the
throat, piercing the trachea and the epiglottis, and
the carotid artery, and entering into the spinal
column. On the right side he felt the incision, and
he found it to be of a most jagged character. The
wound was full seven inches in length, and nearly
severed the head from the body. Upon turning
round from this examination, he (witness) saw the
body of a child, which appeared about two years
old, lying on its face on the bed ; the body was
quite warm. He turned the infant round, and in
doing so he found the throat to be cut in a very
similar way to that of the woman's before-mentioned,
excepting that the incision in the case of the child
had quite divided the spinal column. The infant was
quite dead, the wound being about 5 inches long, and
proportionately deep. The bodies the jurors had
viewed were the same.
By the Foreman—You stated the body was warm.
How long do you suppose the deed had been com-
mitted ? Mr. Parrott—l should suppose about an
hour.

By a Juror—Was the body of the woman warm ?
Mr. Parrott—Not quite so warm as that of the child.
'I he mother, I think, had been dead about two hours,
the child about one.
By the CORONER—Was the woman fully dressed ?
Mr. Parrott—Except her stockings and shoes.
CORONER—Was the child dressed ? Mr. Parrott—
No ; it was perfectly naked.
CORONER—Did you see any other marks of violence
on either the child or mother ? Mr. Parrott—l did
not see any.
CORONER—The woman who laid out the body said
there were other wounds or bruises upon the body.
Was that so, or did it arise from a discolouration of
the flesh by the clotted blood ? Mr. Parrott—l did
not see any other wounds ; discolouration might have
been so produced. There were marks of blood upon
the bed-posts and the side walls of the room. The
wounds were clear incised wounds, such as might be
made by a sharp instrument like to a razor.
Examination in chief continued—He (witness)
knew the deceased two or three years ago. She
came to him for medical advice. She did not appear
to be at all a woman of weak intellect, and so far as
he knew, bore a very good character.
By a Juror—The child was not covered by any
bed clothes, or any other cowering.
By the Foreman—The child being on the bed
might in some degree account for its being warmer
than its mother.
By the CORONER—He saw a razor in the room ;
the police pointed it out to witness as it was lying
upon the floor.
The CORONER thought there was one important
point in Mr. Parrott's evidence, and that was that it
was (rite clear from his (Mr. Parrott's) statement,
that the woman had not herself killed the child, and
then destroped her own life.
Mr. Parrott said that the appearance of the wound,
so jagged as it was, proved that it must have been a
stronger arm than hers by which it was inflicted.
When he saw the body, the left leg was extended,
and lying outside the door, the right leg being drawn
up towards the body. Either of the wounds would
produce instant death; the hands and face were
bloody.
By a Juror—There were foot prints of blood upon
the floor, but whether they were made by the police
constable or another party, he (Mr. Parrott) could not
say. Witness saw nothing of the other child ; she
had been removed before he arrived at the house.
Inspector William Coleman, of the V division of
police, stationed at Clapham, being sworn, deposed
that at about a quarter past seven, on Saturday morn-
ing last, while he was at the police station in New-
street, a man—a stranger to him, but whom he had
since found to be Jas. Weston—called in a hurried
manner at the station-house in New-street, and ad-
dressing him (the inspector), he confessed that he had
murdered his wife and child.
[The particulars then given by the inspector were
precisely the same as those furnished yesterday in
the report of the c 1312 at the Police-court in The Sun.]
By a Juror—Weston admitted that he had com-
mitted the murder with a razor which he took from
his waistcoat pocket. ( rhe razor was here produced ;
the maker's name upon it was " W. Barrymore.")
The prisoner cried and sobbed very much while mak-
ing the statement he had done to him, the inspector.
He (the prisoner) gave his name readily as James
Weston, 1, Carpenter's-buildings, High-street, Clap-
ham, and also produced a key, which he said was that
of the house containing his wife and child, whom he
persisted in saying he had murdered.
By the Foreman—Weston did not say he had
murdered the child until after the sergeant had gone,
when he wept bitterly, and told all the circumstances
of the case ; and also as to the confinement of the
other child in the adjoining room, as he (witness) had
stated at the police court.
By the CORONER—The prisoner said, " they were
going to be disgraced that day, and he could not bear
it." He said he had been forced to take drugs, and
he should be disgraced and his family, for he had
offended some one, but he could not tell who. Witness
asked Weston whether ha had any quarrel with his
wife, and he said " No ; we have had no particular
quarrel : we have had trifling quarrels, but never any-
thing serious. We went to bed very comfortably the
over-night, and it was only after the clock struck
four this (Saturday) morning that I was tempted to
do this." Witness asked the prisoner whether he heard
the clock strike " four." He said " Yes ; and I then
got out of bed, struck a light, went down (did not
say stairs) and got the razor ; but when I returned
my courage failed, and I felt I could nut do it ; but
the tempter came again and I was prompted to it.
When I attacked my wife she was dressing herself,
and in the bed. I afterwards killed the child."
By a juror—Did you ask him why he did this P
Inspector—l did ; he said, " I cannot account for
it : my poor dear wife was a good wife, and the child
was a beautiful baby." At this stage of my inquiries
the prisoner burst into a flood of tears, and I ques-
tioned
him no more. After this the a'ked me for
some breakfast, and I gave him some coffee and bread
and butter, which he appeared to eat with considerable
relish. He asked for a second portion of breakfast,
which I gave him.
CORONER—Did he eat it ?
Inspector—No, he said he would not, as he thought
it to be poison.
CORONER—Did you threaten him at all, to induce
him to make this statement ?
Inspector—No, I did not; it was quite voluntary;
he freely answered the 'questions I put, after I had
cautioned him. He came to the station in the first
place on his own accord, and gave himself up, and
he was detained on a charge that, by his own con-
fession, he had wilfully murdered Maria Weston, his
wife, and Maria Elizabeth, her child. He is now in
custody.
In answer to a question put by a juror.
Inspector Coleman said there was another child by
t%e former husband, living with a brother of the de•
ceased at Rushmere, near Ipswich.
Joseph Weston (brother of the prisoner) said, that
he was well acquainted with his brother's disposition,
bnt he had not seen him since Midsummer; Mr.
Higgs coniequntly dispensed with his evidence, as he
could add nothing to the statements in elucidation of
the ease: he knew nothing of the cause of death of
his brother's wife and child.
sergeant Langston, 19 V, simply repeated the
i.lence he had given on Saturday last at the police-
c- nut in the Wandsworth-road, as already published
is this journal.
In answer to further inquiries put by the coroner
end jury, Langston stated, that he searched the pri-
soner, and found upon him three knives (produced)
commonly called pruning knives, used by gardeners,
a small portion of tobacco, a door-key, and a piece of
paper, something like a bill, stained with blood. Upon

going into the house, he found the bodies as above de-
scribed. He clearly noticed the print of a woman's
foot upon the landing, as if she had endeavoured to
get into that room steer being attacked. He opened
that room door, and there he saw a child about nine
years of age, apparently an intelligent child, sitting
upon the bed. She appeared frightened at seeing
him (witness). Upon being questioned, the child said
she had not heard any noise during the night, or at
least she did not recollect it. The child was removed,
by order of Mr. Herring, the relieving officer, to the
union house, where she now remains. Witness found
in the room, upon the bed, one shilling in silver, and
one halfpenny in copper, a nightgown of the baby's
on the floor by the side of the bed, and another, full
size, also on the floor, covered with blood.
By a Juror—The child who is now at the union
was sitting on the bed crying when he (witness) en-
tered.
Some of the jurors having intimated a wish to
hear the evidence of this child, the daughter of de-
ceased,
Mr. Herring, the relieving officer, said that he was
certain, from what he knew, having had the child at
the house, i. e. the union, since Saturday, that the
poor orphan was not aware of what had happened,
nor even of the death of her mother at present.
The CORONER said, therefore, that at the present,
at least, she should not be called.
Charles Newman, of Saville House, Tooting,
labourer, said that he knew both the deceased and the
prisoner, her husband. Deceased was about 39 years
of age. Witness called at 1, Carpenter's-buildings,
about seven o'clock on Friday last. Weston was
quite sober all the evening, and he said he had not
been at work that day. He (witness) sent for a pot of
porter, which they drank between them. Deceased
and her husband appeared quite friendly. Weston
said he had been much troubled of late, and could not
sleep. He had intended to go to see his brother, as he
wanted to see him, but when he was on the way to
London he said he felt in trouble for his wife, be-
cause she was unwell when he left her that morning.
After this deceased said that Weston looked very
unwell and was falling away very fast. Weston
I looked in tlh, glass, and said, "I don't look well, but
I shall look worse to-morrow."
By a Juror—There was only Mr. Weston present
when he (witness) first went in. Weston had said, in
the bearing of witness, that he thought some one was
trying to do him an injury, and that he had been to
the station to inquire about it. 'Witness considered
that the prisoner had been bad (he meant " weak") in
his mind for some time past. He appeared to be
quite a different man to what he once was. His wife
appeared, of late, to be afraid of him.
By the Foreman—Weston said he was afraid some
one was going to expose him, but he did not know
who. Witness had known Weston ever since he
(Weston) was twelve years of age. Witness did not
know that Weston had attempted to commit suicide
before. He had only known him intimately during
the last few months.
By a Juror—Do you not think that jealousies and
other unpleasantness occurred in consequence of the
children by the former husband ? Witness—l do
not know ; they generally, so far as I know, agreed
very well.
By the Foreman of the Jury—Mrs. Weston was
employed in the large school at Mr. Pritchard's, as
laundry-woman, up to the timeof her death. She was
a very industrious person.
Sarah Weston, daughter of deceased, was then
called, but she stated that she heard no noise during
the night of Friday last. The poor little thing evi-
dently knew nothing of the awful occurrence. She
stated her age to be 9 years, and exhibited much in-
telligence. Upon being introduced to the inquest-room
she wept bitterly.
This being the whole of the evidence,
The CORONER proceeded to sum up, and after an
elaborate exposition of the law in the instance of vo-
luntary confessions, the Foreman of the Jury ex-
pressed a wish that the court should be cleared ; this
having been done, a consultation of not more than a
quarter of en hour's duration took place, after which
the following verdict was returned :—" Wilful murder
in both cases."

The proceedings then closed, the inquiry having
occupied four hours.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

On Saturday morning last, the 13th inst., a frightful
accident occurred at the Whitehaven terminus of the
Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway, by which
one life was destroyed, and considerable damage done
to property in the vicinity of the station.
The passenger train which leaves Ravenglass at
seven o'clock in the morning reached Whitehaven
shortly after eight. Several persons who were await-
ing its arrival observed that it did not slacken its
speed as usual on approaching, and as it entered the
station with great velocity they became alarmed for
the safety of the entire train. The engine dashed on
through the station, which is merely a covered shed,
and passing over the ends of the rails, where it is now
apparent that no sufficient check or obstacle existed to
its further progress, it knocked down the yard wall
separating the premises of the railway company from
the adjoining dwelling-houses, tore away the outer
wall of a substantial stone-built house, occupied by
Mr. Pennington, a respectable schoolmaster, carried
away the whole of the kitchen belonging to the build-
ing, and broke through the partition wall between
that apartment and the back parlour, and there lodged,
more than half of its huge bulk being within the
residence.

The passengers who bad come by the train seeing
that they were passing through instead of halting at
the station, became greatly excited, and several of
them leaped from the carriages to the platform, for-
tunately without injury to any of them. The rest
retained their places until the train and tender were
unhooked from the locomotive. The engine-driver,
stoker, and guard saved themselves by jumping to the
ground the moment they perceived that an accident
was inevitable.

The most melancholy part of the affair is, that
when the engine burst into the :kitchen of Mr. Pen-
nington, a little girl, named Jane Pennington, about
ten years old, the daughter of the occupier, was
seated at the fire, singing and watching the prepara-
tion of breakfast for the family. She was instantly
knocked down by the stones and timber forced into
the room, and the off. wheel of the engine passed over
her body, crushing and dreadfully mutilating her.
She was killed instantaneously. Her brother,
Matthew Pennington, a little fellow about eight years
old, had just quitted her side, and stepped into the
parlour,the wall of which was the next moment thrust
in, with the firegrate, fire, chimney, and household
furniture. The child was thrown to the floor and
the heated grate and burning coals coming in contact
with his forehead, he was much burned and bruised,
but not, it seems, mortally hurt, and hopes are enter-
tained of his speedy recovery.
The terminus being situated in a populous portion
of the town, a crowd soon collected on the spot, who
rendered prompt assistance to back the engine and
extricate the body of the poor girl from the ruins.
Saturday being a holiday for the school•children
taught by Mr. Pennington, he and his wife had not
risen at the time the melancholy event happened.
Had it occurred on any other working-day,
the whole family would have been seated at
breakfast, and the consequences must, in all proba-
bility, have been still more disastrous. As it was,
the wreck presented was distressing in the extreme ;
a mingled mass of stones, mortar, household furni-
ture, ornaments, domestic utensils, and children'
wearing apparel, with the fearful engine towering
over the scene, and belching forth vapour, smoke, and
fire.

The cause of the accident is variously stated. The
railway is an incline, sloping to Whitehaven for nearly
three miles, but at the gentle gradient of 1 in 100
feet. There had been a severe frost on Friday night
which had rendered the rails extremely slippery, and
the engine-driver states that, although he used the
ordinary precautions of putting on the breaks, and
even of reversing the engine, long before reaching the
station, no effect was produced thereby. This state-
ment, however, is controverted, and it is alleged that
no effort was made to check the speed of the engine,
notwithstanding the ice upon the rails, until the train
hal arrived too near the terminus for the breaks to
avail. _ _

In the afternoon of Saturday a coroner's jury was
summoned to hold an inquest on the body of the un-
fortunate child, but after having been sworn, and
attending to view the remains, the inquiry was ad-
journed till yesterday morning at 10 o'cbck.

BAPTISM OF A MAN ATTACHED WITH CHOLERA--
Much excitement was aroused in Haverfordweat on Mon-
day last, in consequence of its being publicly rumoured
that the death of a man named George Thomas had been
caused by his being baptised that morning in the Priory
Mill leet, according to the creed of the sect calling
themselves, " Latter-day Saints," by Brother John
Thomas, a mason in this town, who fills the office
of " priest" in that denomination. The deceased, it
wai stated, was labouring under an attack of cholera
at the time the rite was administered, and that he had
been urged or forced to receive it by his brother. The
death of the poor fellow having ensued soon after-
wards, the Coroner, James Owen, Esq , very properly
considered it his duty to have a public inquiry into the
cause of his death, when, these facts being fully esta-
blished by evidence, the jury returned a verdict " That
the dece2Ti died of cholera, his death being accelerated
by immersionin cold water by John Thomas, at the re-
quest of the d ceased."— Welshman.
BOLD TRIC.—A woman on Monday stole a pair
of trousers from outside the shop of Mr. Reigate, pawn-
broker, Deansgate, then coolly entered the shop and
pledged the trousers to the owner, who did not discover
the theft until the thief had escaped.—Manchester
Spectator.
FIRE AT GORDON CASTLE.—On Saturday last a
tire took place at the offices attached to Gordon Castle,
the seat of the Duke of Richmond. A hay-stack and
agricultural implements, valued at between 200 L and
3001., were destroyed.--Scotsman.

THE DREADFUL CATASTROPHE
IN PI:eILICO.—INQUEST ON THE BODIES.
The inquest on the bodies of the unfortunate men
who met their death by entering the foul sewer in
Warwick-street, Pimlico, was held yesterday, at
the Clarendon Tavern, Pimlico, before Mr. Bedford,
the Coroner for Westminster, and a jury of respect-
able householders residing in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the occurrence. The inquiry naturally
attracted a large concourse of people to the tavern,
but a strong body of police were in attendance to
preserve order, and none but those who were engaged
on the inquisition or in some way connected with
the deceased individuals, were allowed to enter the
room where the investigation was gone into.
Shortly after one o'clock, twenty-four gentlemen
were summoned and sworn on the jury, to inquire
how and by what means Henry Wells, John Walsh,
Thomas Gee, Daniel Peart, and John Attwood, came
by their deaths.
Mr. Davies having been unanimously chosen
foreman, the jury at once proceeded to view the bodies;
after which
Mr. William Richard Wells, chemist and druggist,
of 31, London-street, Fitzroy-square, identified the
first body as that of his brother, who was a surgeon,
33 years of age.
Mr.
r
Inspector
as
being the b
Russell,
Bdivision,
the second ,
of the P division, who was only 21 years of age when
he entered the force in June last.
Morris Kholer, labourer, of 6, Compton street,
Soho, identified the third as the body of a carpenter,
aged 34, who had been a fellow-labourer of his in the
employ of the Commissioners.
Daniel Peart, a cordwainer, identified the fourth
holy as that of his son, aged 22, who had been 3
flushing labourer.
George Attwood, fireman, of 26, Wilton-street,
identified the fifth and last body as that of his son,
also a flushing labourer, aged 29.
Morris Kholer, a flushing labourer, was then called
and sworn. He stated that he saw Gee, Peart, and
Attwood enter the sewer in Warwick-street on Friday
morning about half-past five. They appeared to him
to be in perfect health, and quite sober. They had a
lantern with them, and in answer to a question he
put to them, they said they hoped to complete their
work in the course of the day. He was a sewer watch-
man, in the employ of Mr. Humphries, of Chelsea, the
contractor of the Pimlico sewers work. He was re-
lieved at six o'clock on Friday 'morning by a day
watchman, and he had not seen the men who entered
the sewer since the time he had mentioned.
Edward Jordan, a sewer labourer, residing in
Bloomsbury-market, deposed to the opening of the
sewer, in Warwick-street, on Thursday evening,
about six o'clock, but he could not smell anything.
He did not go down, but on looking into the sewer
he saw that there was about a foot and a half of water
in it. Gee, Peart, and Attwood were engaged with him
on the work, and on examining the sewer they deter-
mined not to go down that evening. Soon afterwards
he was relieved by the last witness, and he saw no
more of the sewer till the next morning at about ten
minutes past six, when he again went on duty. He
asked the last witness, who had been on night duty,
if the men had gone down, and was told that
they had been down since ten minutes past
five. Accordingly at breakfast time he hol-
loaed down to them to come up, but he
could get no answer, and therefore he went to
a neighbouring grating and again holloaed out
Hill ; still there was no answer, and becoming rather
alarmed he went to Christmas, the bricklayer en-
gaged on the work, and told him the men had been
down since half-past five and had not been up again.
At half-past one he was joined by a fellow-labourer,
to whom he observed, " These men have
been down since half-past five o'clock and
have not been up again. It is rather
strange, as this is pay-day." Still nothing was done
till about half-past three, when he was joined by
Magrath, another labourer, and a wide grating or
entrance to the sewer was opened. On looking in he
saw the clothes of the men, but it being his duty to
watch the opening in Warwick-street, he returned to
that spot. About five o'clock Carter, the time-
keeper, came to him. He said, " This is a very
serious thing, there has- - been three men down
since five o'clock this morning, and they have not
been up since. lam only a labouring man, and I
don't know how to act in the matter." Carter replied,
" Well, I should advise you to keep the hole open, as
Christmas is coming." While they were talking in
(his way Christmas, the bricklayer, and Farmer, his
man, came up, and went down the hole. They were
down about an hour, when they returned to the hole
and called out,." Don't make a noise:; don't create any
alarm ; we have got our hands on the dead bodies."
They then came up and having procured assistance
they began digging in different parts of the sewer,
but it was not until four o'clock the next morning
that the bodies were got out. lie then saw the bodies
of George Peart and Attwood brought up through
the second hole that had been dug and carried to the
Clarendon Tavern, where they were undressed and
washed. He did not smell anything offensive at any
of the boles.
By the Jury—He was not employed by the
Commissioners of Sewers, but by Mr. Humphries,
their contractor. Christmas was a bricklayer in
the employ of Humphries. Christmas and Turner
were the first who went down the sewer after the
alarm had been given. It was about five o'clock on
Friday afternoon. They were down about an hour,
when they came back and said they had put their
hands on the dead bodies.
William Christmas, bricklayer, of L Portland-
street, 'Wandsworth-road, stated that he had recently
been in the employ of Humphries and Co., contractors of
Chelsea, and frequently had been employed in opening
all sorts of sewers. Some of them were very foul
indeed, containing a large amount of deposit, but
although he had heard a good deal of the danger of
opening those sewers, he had never felt any fear at
engaging in the work. On Thursday evening he saw
Gee, Peart, and Attwood at the hole they had opened
in Warwick-street ; Gee wanted to go down,
but the others thought it had better be delayed
till the following morning, and they went away home.
On the Tuesday morning, about eight o'clock, he
was near the spot again, when Jordan, the last wit-
ness, told him that the men were down, and in the
course of the day he received tne inromation that
they had not come up from time to time,
but he was not surprised at this, as on
the previous day he had heard the men
say that the work in the sewer would
occupy them till: four o'clock. Towards five
o'clock [he became somewhat alarmed, and finding
that Jordan fancying that the men might have got out
at some other entrance, was about to fill up the hole
in Warwick-street, he told him not to do so. Soon
afterwards he was joined by Christmas, and
having received lamps, they went down the
sewer. They passed along the various branch-
ing sewers, and saw by the chalk marks and
splashes on the wall that the men had
passed that way. There was about two feet of
deposit in the sewer. Resuming their search they
at length came to one of the bodies. He thought it
was Gee. Looking farther on they saw a second.
They were lying in the sewer with their faces down-
wards. On discovering this they returned to the
hole in Warwick-street and told Jordan not to make
a noise, but to get them a rope, adding that they had
seen the bodies. The bodies were lying about
200 or 300 feet from the hole in Warwick-
street, but he could perceive no bad
smell. On their return to the hole they found Mr.
Wells, the surgeon, and others, waiting; and after
consulting together, they set to work making an
opening in another part of the sewer. When the
opening was effected the doctor was sent for, and he
immediately came. The doctor, a man named Allsop,
and himself, agreed to go down. Allsop went first,
the doctor afterwards, and be followed. When they
had got about 100 yards in Allsop called out thit he
could go no further, and they turned round to get out
again. Immediately afterwards the doctor fell down
on his face, and on looking back he saw Allsop hur-
riedly crossing the body of the doctor. Allsop rushed
by him, saying he could stand it no longer, and he
turned round with the intention of lifting the doctor
up, but no sooner had he done so than he fell down,
and from that time he remembered nothing till he
came to after being rescued.
By the Jury—The bodies were about fifty yards
from the opening. Their heads were towards the
opening, and from that circumstance he concluded
that the men were returning when they fell. There
was nothing unusual in the smell of the sewer. He
had repeatedly been down sewers before, and the
smell of these was like that he had experienced before.
Mr. Nicholas Libstone, a butcher, in Pimlico,
stated that on 'Friday afternoon he heard two little
boys say, "They are digging up yonder for three
men who have been in a sewer all day," and being
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to do. A little boy, however, who was standing by
sail he knew where the outlet of the sewer was in the
fields, as he remembered its being built, and if they
would go with him he would point out the
spot. They accordingly went, and the sewer
was broken open, but the stench emitted
was so horrible that they could not go near the spot.
When the smell had partially subsided Mr. Wells, the
surgeon, sai I he would go in search for the poor
fellows, and if there was a spark of life in them he
would bring them out, and apply his lancet to them.
Allsop then entered the sewer, followed by Wells and
Christmas, but they had scarcely been in three minutes
before he heard a splash. Allsop then came back and
said the other two had fallen down dead. lie, however,
heard some one groaning dreadfully, and at once de-
termined upon going in to the rescue. He rushed in,
and having got hold of the body of Christmas he
succeeded in dragging him out, bat the smell, the
excitement, and the exertions had so overcome him