The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-19 00:00:00

M ORNIN G SUN

THE ALLEGED MURDER OF A
SEAMAN AT SHEERNESS.

On Friday Mr. Hind, one of the Coronersfor the East-
ern Division of Kent, and a Jury assembled at the Foun-
tain Hotel to investigate the circumstances of the death
of James Maxwell, aged 56 years, seaman of her Ma-
jesty's ship Wellington. Ward, a warrant-officer, of the
Wellington, who has been in custody since the death of
Maxwell on board of the Ocean, was brought in under
an escort of a party of the Royal Marines. He appeared
to be between 30 and 40 years of age, and was much
agitated.

—James Sheppard, a seaman, and belonging to the Wel-
lington, stated that the boat, in which Ward and Max-
well were, got ashore and stuck fast on the sands. Wit-
ness jumped ashore and endeavoured to get the boat off,
and Ward got out and tried also. Deceased came for-
ward, apparently to assist, when Ward began to abuse
him for getting the boat ashore. The deceased made
some observations which witness could not recollect.
Ward then struck him several times in the face with his
fist. Soon afterwards he missed deceased, but whether
he fell overboard or was knocked over he could not state.
He saw no weapon used. There might have been one,
but the night was so very dark he could not see well.
Coroner—Are you aware if there was any ill-feeling
existing between the prisoner Ward and the deceased
Maxwell before the occurrence ? Witness—l never
knew of any ; they always appeared on the most friendly
terms. _ _

Nathaniel Kingdon underwent a lengthened cross-exa-
mination by the Jury, from whieh it appeared he knew
little of the affair, being intoxicated at the time. He,
however, said Ward's treatment towards the deceased
was brutal in the extreme. He beat him about the face
shockingly, and he thought the blows almost stupified
the deceased, so that when he got out of the boat he knew
not where he went to.

James Reed, the ship's boy, 14 years of age, stated that
he was in the boat with the deceased at the time of the
occurrence. Ward and the rest of them were greatly in-
toxicated. The deceased had been drinking, but he
knew what he was about. On the boat getting ashore on
the Isle of Grain, nearly opposite the pier at Sheerness,
an altercation took place between Ward and the
deceased, Ward saying had it not been for deceased's in-
terference in taking possession of the yoke lines they
would not have been rowed aground. Deceased replied
it was not his fault. Ward then became enraged, strik-
ing deceased in the face, and afterwards took a knife out
of his pocket. Deceased, on perceiving the knife ap-
peared frightened, and instantly got over the boat side
into the water, apparently to get out of the way of
Ward, who was in the uther part of the boat, and imme-
diately afterwards disappeared.
CORONER—When Ward brought the knife out did
you see him strike the deceased with it ? • Witness—
.No, Sir, I did not.
CoatetEn—lf he had done so must you have seen
him ? Witness—Yes, Sir, I should.
Several witnesses were then examined, who proved the
findieg of the body. It was discovered by the crew of
a fishing smack on Thursday morning lying on the sand
in the Swale near Queenborough. The face was much
disfigured.
Mr. Keddell, a surgeon, residing at Sheerness, and
Mr. C. Inches, surgeon, belonging to her Majesty's
ship Ocean, deposed to have examined the body of the
deceased. There were injuries, but none to account for
the cause of death. They were of opinion that it re-
sulted from drowning.
At half-past six o'clock the Jury, after a lengthened
deliberation, returned the following verdict :—" We find
that the deceased, James Maxwell, was accidentally
drowned, but it is our opinion that it occurred through
the ill-treatment of William Ward, carpenter of her Ma-
jesty's ship Wellington."
The prisoner Ward was then conveyed back to the
Ocean, when; it is expected he will be confined until
tried by a court-martial for drunkenness and disobedi-
ence of orders.

DESTRUCTION OF THE LANCE-

FIELD COTTON WORKS.
(From the Glasgow Journal.)

A period of more than twenty- years has elapsed since
we were called upon to record a conflagration in Glasgow
more extensive and more destructive than that which
occurred last night at the Lancefield cotton, spinning,
and weaving works, the property of Messrs. William and
Alexander Graham and Ca., of this city.
A very large portion of these works, known to be
the most extensive of the kind in Scotland, have, by a
sudden and awful calamity, been laid in ruins, the
valuable machinery which they contained entirely de-
destroyed, and several hundreds of poor and industrious
people thrown out of employment, to add to the sad
amount of destitution and misery which are already too
widely prevalent in our city and its neighbourhood.
The spinning and weaving works of Lancefield are
divided into four portions, each a factory in itself, and
composed of immense masses of building, five and six
stories in height. First in order, there is a large work
looking west, fronting Lancefield-street, five stories in
height, and about 180 feet in length, occupied, on the
ground floor as a mechanics' shop, and above partly as
a spinning factory, some portions of the building being
used as store-rooms, ware-rooms, a counting-house, &c.
Attached to the south end of this erection, and running
eastward from it, there is another large building; called
the South or Old Mill, also five stories high, and
180 feet in length, the lower flat being used for the
weaving of power-loom cloth, and the others for spinning
and carding, and carrying on the ordinary opera-
tions connected with these branches. Still farther to
the east there is a spinning and weaving factory of equal
dimensions, which stretches onwards to Hyde Park, and
known as the Hyde Park Mill. To the north of all
these buildings is what is called the New Factory, also
running east and west, six stories in height, and forming
an immense range of building, occupied entirely by.
power-looms. At the eastern eetremity, and lying be-
tween these great buildings on the north and south,
there are some smaller erections of little consequence in
this description, the whole inclosing a court of very con-
siderable extent. The above gives but a faint idea
of the magnitude of the works, but the con-
ception formed of them may perhaps be strengthened by
a knowledge of the fact, that they gave employment to
upwards of 1,100 persons within the walls.
How it caught fire no one can tell; but the supposition
is, that a spark, struck out by the collision of a piece of
iron with some part of the machinery, may have fallen
among the cotton and set it in flames. From the cotton
on the floor it soon seized upon the wooden furniture
of the room and the building, and spread with a celerity
which defied all attempts to stay its progress.
In spite of every exertion, it soon spread through
every ramification of the south mill, and the whole of
the interior of that large building, with all its machinery,
lay a mass of burning ruins, while a large portion of the
back and front walls tumbled to the ground. The
flames speedily communicated with the front building,
and the whole- of the roof and the greater part of its
interior were also destroyed.
It is impossible to estimate, as yet, aright, the loss
which has been sustained by the partial destruction of
these works. We believe, however, we are not below the
mark when we st7to that it cannot be less than 30,0001.;
and we are happy to hear that the loss will be more than
covered by the insurance. From 300 to 400 people will,
however, be thrown out of employment; and it is here
that the greatest misery connected with the catastrophe
lies. In the present state of trade there is little or no
hope of them obtainiug employment elsewhere; and in
the face of winter these poor people have a very discou-
raging prospect before them. A great proportion are
females, all of them having dependents, more or less,
upon their labours; and what is to become of them we
confess we are unable to telL

RIGHTON, OCT
some time past has been very
18.— The weather for
night the wind was boisterous, and last
damage has taken placehigh.
as during the
washed ashore. Her spars, deals, &e., have been
steamer Comet, bound
for Portsmouth, was compelledjesty's to run into Newhaven
harbour last week, 'eh.
remained several days.
The Lord Melville now
-:-eren
men g between Dieppe and
arriving
weather during
Brighton, experienced very ae
offßrighton, was up-
last voyage home, and on her
beforet
, she could get
wards of ten hours beating abott
en with Irish pro- "
into Shoreham harbour. A vessel I
visions, belonging to Mr. Bass of this town, named "The
Brighton," had a narrow escane yesterday in running
into Shoreham, the sea breakingcompletely over her,
in safely. The
but fortunately succeeded in
great gettingstlffer consequence
poor fishermen have been
of not being able to put to sea, and for the
fish
week or
thfrom the
ten days Brighton has been supplied withe
:whole stack
London markets. In the town chimney
e-street, fort
flyine. about in all directions. On Saturday have been
fortunately
no .
of chimneys was blown down in Geer,"
no one was passing at the time. Great damage
by the floods from the heavy rains. In the western done
of Sussex the rivers Adur and Arun have in many ppart
overflown their banks, and the fields in the neighbour-
hood of Arundel, Petworth, Boding, Steyning, &c.,_ are
one sheet of water. In the eastern part the river Ouse
has overflown its banks in the low parts, covering the
meadows with water. The Lord Melville, Captain
Cheeseman, for Dieppe, was lying in Shoreham harbour
yesterday with her passengers on board, amongst whom
were Lady Seymour and family, but up to 12 o'clock last
night Captain Cheeseman was unable to nut to sea.
KEEN SATIRE.—A facetious Abbe, having a
box at the Opera-house in Paris, was turned out of his
possession by a Mareschal --, as remarkable for his
ungentlemanlike behaviour, as for his cowardice and
meanness. The Abbe, for this unjustifiable breach of
good manners, brought his action in a court of honour,
and solicited permission to be his own advocate, which
las granted. He then pleaded to the foAowing effect :
,v,
'Tis not of Monsieur Souffein, who acted so ncbly in
the East Indies, that I complain ; it is not of the Due
de Crebillon, who took Minorca, that I complain ; it is
notof the Comte de Grasse, who so bravely fought
Lord Rodney, that I complain ;—but it is of 31areschal
too.
a, who took my box at the Opera-house, and never
e• '' ''Y thing else " This piece of satire so sensibly con-
-1117+:1 t_ii:nCourt *that the complainant had already in-
him ""a
Nl,ierdiishet.ment sufficient, that they refused to grant
The West
which the _cern Times saysthat
the total dividend
fuurpen„ il:n routh Bank will pay will be at least I
the creditors thin/rind /—some of the more sanguine of I
BUDE Lion that it will reach sixpence.
Christ
illuminate(dadhuiri.oChurch, St. Pancras, was
Divine Service on Sunday night with
this light
laso,uarnaof which we apprised our readers 1 '
on Saturday
the advantages of this improved
system were manihti the light of two lustres suspended
from the ceiling
isre:g more effect than that of the 72 '
Argand-burners
same time, Perfei:t ee:°,lllY used ; and producing, at the ' '
air
vitiated atioa, by means of flues which
carried off the foul
com-
bustion, so prejudicialsuitecoby respiration and cora-
taith in close and crowded
apartments. This
APPToPriate manner by the was adverted to in a very
the pulpit. Rector, Kr. Dodsivorth, f • rom
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