The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-02 00:00:00

THE LATE VERY SERIOUS CHANGE AGAINST A
POLICEMAN AT BLACKWALL.—Yesterday morning an
adjourned inquiry was resum. d for the teurth time. and
concluded, at the Royal Mss in
publie-house, Sherbert-
street, Poplar, before Mr. W. Baker, the Coroner, re-
specting the death of Charles Simtnonds, aged 25 years,
late waiter at the Terrace Pier Hotel, Gravesend, who
was drowned in the river, off the Brunswick Pier, Black-
wall, while attempting to jump on board the Vesper
steam-boat, belonging to the Star Packet Com-
piny. A policeman, named William Feltham, be
longing to the Blackwell Railway Company, had
charge of the deceased on the dumb lighter, in conse-
quence of his having conducted himself in a very
disorderly manner on board the vessel. The captain
of the Vesper had given him in charge, and de-
sired the policeman to remove him off the pier. The
deceased, who was intoxicated, wished to go on board
the Vesper, fir Gravesend, and Feltham allowed him to
remain on the dumb lighter. The deceased made seve-
ral attempts to get on board, but was prevented by
Feltham. When the vessel was about leaving the pier,
the deceas, d ran to the stern of the vessel and jumped
upon the edge of the deck. He was in the act of raising
his right leg over the rail, when Feltham suddenly
pulled him back by the tails of his coat. He let go his
hold of the rail, and the weight of his body being too
heavy for the policeman, he fell into the river, and was
. remove them off
drowned. The drags were thrown into the river, but
the deceased soon disappeared under the
.barges. His
authorisedo f
body was not recovered until the following morning.
The witnesses stated that the death of the deceased was
y: a and he w
'owing to Feltham,, in pulling him back.while he was
endeavouring to get on board. e haasd firm hold
to
the rail, and would in another instant have been
safely on board. Mr. Arthur Wightman, Superintend-
ent of the Blackwall Railway, stated that Feltham was
sworn in by the magistrates under the Act of Parlia-
the
premises, and give
ek ne t a ansy apr
s special(m s :toon
es tuasbtloed•
and
ti
them up to the metropolitan police.
Feltham had been six years as a police constable in the
tnetropolitan force, arid two years in the service of the
Blackwell Railway Company. Ile had always performed
his duty to the entire satisfaction of the company, and
this was the first charge ever made against him. The
Coroner then summed up the evidence ; and the jury,
after a long consultation, retutned a verdict of " Acci-
dental Death;" and
added, "that the life of the deceased
might possibly have been saved by his getting on board
the vessel, if the policeman had not taken hold of the
skirts of his coat to prevent him; and they recommended
that in future persons given in charge of the police be
removed immediately on shore, and net allowed to re-
main on the pier."
A MAN FATALLY SHOT WITH A GUN.—Yester.
day Mr. Bedford, the Coroner for Westminster, re-
ceived information from Crow, the summoning officer,
of the following drealtul occurrence. It appears that on
Monday last a person mimed Abraham Edmounsthe,
aged thirty-five years, of, No. 12, Macclesfield street,
Soho, was employed cleaning the barrel of a gun, not
knowing at the time that it was charged with powder.
Whilst so engaged the unfortunate party placed the
barrel vi his Mouth for the purpose of breathing into it.
Ile had no sooner done so than by some unfortunate ac-
cident the gun went off, the contents entering the de-
ceased's mouth and blowing away a portion of the roof,
sev, rely injuring the tongue, and shattering both sides
of his mouth in a frightful manner. A neighbouring
surgeon was called in who dressed the wounds, but from
their serious nature it was deemed advisable to remove the
sufferer to Westminster hospital, which was done yes-
terday forenoon. He was immediately taken into Bar
tholomew's ward, and wr ilst one of the hou.e surgeons
was inquiring' into the circumstances of the case, the de-
ceased heaved a sigh and instantly expired. The wile
of the party was present when the event. took place, and
she deelared that her husband and also herself.weze ige
norant of the gun jaeing to ded. Anto9g
uest will be
held op the body to-morrow (Friday)•