The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-12 00:00:00

THE LATE FIRE Al' AST:.EY'S.

INCA EST.

Yesterday afxrno-in at one o'clock. an ingurst was bell before
Mr. ('arts r, tt the Cr,.wn Hotel, Siangatr-itieet, on the 1),-)fil-
cf 13rittol, the uofortunete Wcinza who lost her life
in this niami,oits fire.

The firs witness w•a< Wil;iam C,tttere.l, police constable,
10.1 L divt•i,•.n. tie stated that about half-pa t four o'clock en
Tuesday twoning he oleo-rvell 'snauke coming from the bark of
the thra and having called two other constablt s. one of
whom he sent for ill,. et;gim,s, to proccede. to the front doo.r,
aid afar t+ree times, was answerea from witinn
by the nrsman Edwad Howill, who opened the dour.
both pn;eeccicd upon the sane, and Hewed attached some hose
to a pump which was on the left of the stage. Witness began
to work the pump, but after a few strokes, Howell
sa'd it was impossible to save the premises, and he hal better
try and get the horses out. Witness then went and alarmed
Mr. Ducrow and his family, who slept in a building adjoining
the theatre. .'ne reom in which deceased slept was above the
kitchen, and a itness succeeded in getting her down to a place
between Mr. Ducrow's dwelling-house and the theatre, called
the Itcd-yar.. Mr. and Airs. Ducrow were in this yard at the
time, and Mr. Duerow wanted to return into the house but
was held back by another pol'eeman. Witzr ss saw no more of
the decreased until she was taken dead cut of the ruins in the
morning.
By the CORONER—She was found lying in a crippled posi-
tion near the entrimee to the boxes at the foot of the lobby
steps, and neatly eighty yards from her sleeping room. Some
time elapsed front tne first knock, until the fireman opened the
door. Could not. say whether the fireman was asleep, or if
he had any knowledge of the fire previous to the alarm being
given. _

Edward Howell said he was one of the firemen beh nging to
the West of England Fire Assurance Company. He was paid
a guinea a-week by Mr. West, Mr. Dncrow's partner, to be
on the premises, as watchman and fireman, from eleven o'clock
at night until six in the morning. It Wai his duty to see all
the lights put out after the performance terminated, which be
r:icl on Monday night before twrlve o'clock. Walked round
the premises three times from that hour until half-past three
on luesday morning, when he went into a small room called the
lodge, and retrained there until the policeman gave the alarm.
( The witness here entered into long details, most of which
ere a'ready before the public, and were only a repetition of Cot-
tersul's ev;itenc!.) He then denied most distinctly that the
policeman, Co'tcrell, ever touched the pump, and said if he
had ,-corked it properly ,he premises might have barn saved,
as the flames app,,ared to proceed from a place called the ma-
zarine floor—a kind of small stage under the greater one., and
the distance being short and the direction downwa, ds, with a
fire tube of an inch calibre, such as is always kept on the stage,
he had little doubt but the tire could be got urvier if the po-
liceman had not gone away. There was a large bell on the
state, which was sometin.es u•ed in the p,rfo,mances, but he
sever got orders to use it ;:s a fire (.r alarm bell.

By the CORONZIL—There were some dressing rooms under
the stage which were sometimes left open, but he selitem went
in to inspect them in his ronnda of the theatre. In the night's
performance previ-ius to the fire there were some kinds of
lights composed of cosehmtible material used in the spectacle.
A gentlemen connected with the theatre here stepped for-
ward and said the lights to which the witness alluded were
used t) hold behind particular parts if the scenery to produee
effect, an.l were composed of a pecul•ar myttei width w iuld
not ignite anythin4 it came in centaet with. This gemileinan
thine mu t have been gross neglect someehe-e, or the
fire couti never have come to such a head without being dis-
covered. 1-knstreds of persons lusti been thrown out of em-
ployment and ruined.
The CO4ONEK agreed with the spesker that much misery
had teen eaesed by the fire, but the ease they were investigat-
ing Low was separate from that.
In reply to a Juror, Huwel said that besides being connected
with the Arisurance office, he also worked as a Waterman on It.e
river, and often took out pa. let of plea• tire in his beat. He
used beeneraly to sleep fur .bout four hours every day, snd
thought that quite enough to ehable hiat to attend carefully to
his d, tics as a ea e'-sra.-t at night.
L.; dia Gladden said she was cook to Mr. Ducrow. The de-
ceased slept t y her,, if on the night of fire. She was ;lout
thirty-five years of age; witne-s could net account for her eeing
,owards the place where her remains e ere found, as if she
w.;nted ;o save her box, as was repo; ted, she would have gone
in quite a t iffetent direeti; n •
8., the ( ORM:Ea—bid not Lear 't r. Ducrow desire the de-
ceased to go there en any message.
Edward Francis, a man t f colour, was the next witness, but
his evidence was not material. He only depmed to saving s; me
of the horses, and having seen a female on the premises who
was about returning towards the conflagration, and having ad-
vised her to remain where she was.

7 he COR ONE a having summed up, the room was cleared, and
the Jury, Ater half an hour's consultation, returned the fo low-
ing ve, diet :—" That the deceased was accidentally burnt to
dea:h at Astley's Amphitheatre in co,soquelice of n_turning a
see lid time ; that there was no proof of her motives for so thing,
nor o!' the cue of the fire, an that tho fireman Howell was
g.iiliy of neglect of his duty, or the tire must have been disco-
vered much earlier."

The Inquest-room was crowded with members of the thPatrical
profession to hear the investigation, which did net terminate
until past six o'clock.

ELECTION MOVEMENTS.
(FRom A CORREEFONDENT.)
FXETER, JUNE 10.-Mr. Divett arrived in this city yester-
day, ant immediately issued an address to the con•litueney..
A meet ng of his friends was held at the Royal Subscription
Rooms Ist evening. W. Dreire; Esq., late Mayor of Exeter,
in the chair. The meeting was one of the most exthusiastic
ever ,ern in Exeter, and although only a f.-w hours' notice had
been given of it the large room was crowded to overflowing.
It will hold about 1400 persons. The meeting was addresst.d.
by Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. cyrrell (the Recorder of Tiverton);
the Rev. Dr. Payne, Mr. It. Bastard, Mr. Golsworthy, and
other gent'crnen. Mr. Divett made a good speech, ant com-
menced his canvass this morning under the most flattering
auspices ; and parties of his friends are making a simultane,:us
canvass throughout the city. The Tories brought forward
Lord Lovain this morning. He was introduced to them at the.
old London Inn. His Lordship is a Captain in the First
Grenadier Guards, is son of the. Earl of Beverley, and first saw
the light of creation May '29, 1810.
DOVER, JUNE Rice and Sir John Rae Read, have
res;feetively off,red themselved for re-election ; and Serjeant
flaleomb has this day announced by letter his intention of be-
coming' for the sixth time a Candidate for the representation
of Dover.

NOTTINGHAM, JUNE 10.--OO Tuesday night last a meeting
of the Liberal pattt was bid io the large Exchange Hull, to
considrr and determine upon who are to be the candidates to
represent Nottingham in Pailiament on the interest of the
Anti Monopolists. The room was crowded with electors to
the number of one thousand or eleven hundred. Mr.
Samuel Bean, the strenuous opposer of the Corn-law monopo-
lists. took the chair. Mr. Sands explained to the meeting that
they were to consider vit:m would be tkc best men to represent
their interes's in Parliarent. Sir John Hn•bhuuse and Air.
Larpent *Vero both ready to come if the electors wished for
them. Several speeches were made, and on the question being
put the meetin, resolved to support Sir J. C. Hobliouse and
Alr Larpent. lir. Walter has issued an address to the el; c-
tors dee2aring his intention spin to offer himself. He states
he shall vote for a moderate fixed duty on corn. We think
the electors of Nottingham will save him the trouble, and rend
one to vote for it on whom they can more safely depend. Mr.
liuntett, ✓in of Sir Francis Burdett, is reported to be his col-
lergue. Subjoined are a few notices respecting the neighbouring
elections.

Ew.tuß.—W. E. Gladstone, and Lord John Manners,
son of the Duke of Rutland, arc the Tory candidate,. They
will most likely walk over, as Mr. Sergeant Wilde goes to
Wortester.

Noitz II NOTTING/IA 3ISH IKE —G. S. Foljambe, of Osber-
ton, the wealthy pr,ptietor of the Oshert:m Hunt, coote.ts a
seat with the fories, Messrs. aouldsA orth and Knight.
GRA NTHA —Sir Montague Cholnael-y eontests Grantham
on the Literal interest, against the Tories, :Messrs. Welby and
Toliern.i che.

DERBYSHni E.—Lord Waterpark and Matthew Gil-
aorne, Esq., brother of this M.P. for Carlow' contst this
county against Messrs. Men ly an 1 Colvi le, the Tunes. Hurt
and Sir ts. Crewe, two Tot ies, go out.
Yt)I! NG AND COMN1O1)ORE NAPIER.—As these gen-
tlerncra both agree upon one point—a mutual hatred of the
Tories—it has been thoug.it necessary that one of them should
retire, in n: der to secure the return of two flamers. The
following plan for deeding the question, we believe, has been
proposed by Mr. Young :—" That a meeting shall be held at
the Colosseum ; that alt the Reform electors of 1837 shall be
a 'mitted who are still electors, and that all t-ew electors since
that time, whose opinions it is itnpossible otherwise to know,
also shall be admitted."
Ma. VlNCENT.—We'ualerstand that Mr. Vincent has re-
ceived a recuisitiort front a considerable number ofthc electoas
of Banbury, to allow himself to be i ut in nom:nation to repre-
sent th -t borough in Parliament. This has been paused by
the lee: urea that he hat deivered in that pin!, to the middle
and working classes, which Lave given him great influence
with the people of the town, who, we find, are subscribing to-
wards the expense that rou4 necessarily be incurred. Sub-
scriptions to aid him are being raised also in the metropolis,
and its o' her places.
asrisms.—Mr. Frederick North expressed himself to the
electors, as approving of the free-trade principle in sugar and
timber— that, in the abstract, he titongitt all Corn-laws bad—
bet he cor;s Bete i that the opportunity safely opening the
tr dc in corn was now gone by, awl he dared net, at this mo-
ment, lin. the risk of famine on tiee chance of w.tr or a com-
mercial -anie. 'lli's is a plausible Pe 1 a,,d Stanley trap. The
old Tory Member, Mr. Planta, is again in the field, and en
active c.livass has been commenced by the Liberal Member,
Mr. Holl..nd, who is for the abolition of the rate-paying, re-
strictions of the Reform Act, Vote by Belot, and the financial
measures t,f the present Government, which last, if not passed,
will allow no alternative but new taxation, to which, in any
shape, he is decidedly opposed..
flearEoansfintE.—Mr. Rowland Alslcn offers hims,if for
re-election on the Reform side. The 'fories have started the
Hon. Dudley Ryder as the third Tory candidate, in conse-
quence of which • the Liberal electors have resolved to no-
minate a second Reformer in conjunction with Mr. Alston.
The Hon. T. Brand has received a requisition tea this effect.
The names of Brand and Deere are dear to the Liberals
of rlertfordshiter
LANCASTER. —Mr. F. Pashwood has declared himself a
candida e for this borough on the bee trade principles. Mr.
Patch was said to have been busy among the freemen a few
days since, but he will son be dispatched.
LEWES.—The Tories are busy with meetings. 1110,5 r,. El-
phi nstone and Hayford, the two Liberal candidates, have com-
menced an active canvass of the constituency. Mr. H.
Fitzroy, an: Mr Cantiitipe, stand for the Tory party, but the
success of the Reformers is certain.

AIONMOUTHSHIRK Iloitoticits.—At a public meeting held
at Newport, on Alonday last, at which the Tories endeavoured
to influence the Chartists and wowing men, their oratory,
flashy enough, quite failed at its effect-. On .1 uesday R. J.
14,,itt, Esti., finished Is eanya,s of the Monmouthshire
boroughs. and a more successful result could not have been an-
ticipated : .-houbl a di,su,ntion take place, his return is certain.
No one has yet appsared to op; ose Mr. Blewitt, nor will the
Carlton Club find one willing to embara in saforloni a hepe.--
Hee:ford Times.
multFE, H.— N'ajor Ilodgson Cadogan, a Tory, again op-
post s the Hon. Mr. Hotrard.- Tyne Mercury.
NEWCASTLE.—A reilusition had bet n signed la-,t week in-
viting .T-tbeph tinmo, h.- it., to represent Newcastle, but this
has been superseded by olr. Hume's declaring his intention
to stand for the iterough of Leeds. Attention Las therefore
been turned to othertatytarbteiens,
manndtiAonlre.d.GrAotelo,cathleznapnr,esietnits
thoughtAelnerifnoir;lhiac' tteed(p.ffir9eferable, but at aey rate a popular Liberal,
in conjunction witn Mr. ()rd, will have an excetlent chance of
ousting a Tery.— Tync Mercury.
t 11.0.1 isil li
pi loaictkte;ti
rt
NOIITIITIMBERL AND.— I here is no contest tall,ed of in
is the snuaern di, isittn. He tteelares himselttie advocate of
either of the
eve, y me,,,,cee calculated to exit nilis oguormtgrandne
foarm:imr.ancufkal:_-
ttir.s, ant to the extemion of tducatbiot,lit, al,nedii:sf rneoligrii,,,uusllain,. d
~,..
gm ral iest..uction. , .
public meet i:;g
in:iiretalNrd,,o,:a:
tethTeN,;bilkissi,tile.ic:
' ' i v i s jei':',‘ntit."'s':',iN.°i tniC)tra.v.T'4• na'ilifsrv.ubas ni(sia;n- iii:i'litfli'v'go u%. sl 11
yAst,utger(a'eerk•-cid
t hale, Grey, the present. Lihe•-al Member.— Tyne fecrcury.
.NOTTINGHAM.—The dis,:race Nottingham li •s unt'ergone
in rturnng a Tony is about to be wiled off. The Charti-ts
htive ahno,t all cou” over to the Liberals cgain, and have
-formed a (7ominittee for thu rt.-Election of the Liberal cantli-
chaos, about whom tbore is little' doubt, Like 'YCte of Nr.