The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-15 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSION IN BERMONDSEY.

On Saturday we gave all the particulars then
known of the dreadful explosion of fireworks and loss
of life, on the premises of Mr. Berlin, firework maker,
in Brook-street, Bermondsey. In the course of
Saturday the bodies of the two missing children there
referred to were found on the first floor of the build-
ing by George Gerrard, one of the fire brigade. The
appearance of each indicates that they had been forced
with great violence against the wall of the room, and
the head of the younger one was rent in twain. The
first two bodies found on Friday night by the firemen
have been ascertained to be those of James Baldwin,
aged 45, who was in Mr. airlin's employment, and
Mr. Barlin's eldest son William, aged 20. The ages
of the two children found on Saturday are respec-
tively 10 and 4 years. The survivors in Guy's
Hospital are Mr. Barlin, aged 46, with severe burns
over the arms, face, and head; Mrs. Berlin, his wife, '
aged 40, face, head, and lower part of the body very
much burnt ; Charles Berlin, aged 17, son of the
above, face shockingly disfigured, and arms and chest
burnt; Phcebe Wynn, aged 22, extensive laceration
of the thigh by falling on some spikes in leaping from
the first foor window. This woman, on being extri-
cated from the spikes, attempted to reach her mother's
house in Newington, but fell down in the street from
loss of blood, and was found in the neighbourhood
of Newington by the police.
From the statement made by Mrs. Berlin, it ap-
pears that she had nine children, all of whom, with ,
her husband, Phcebe Wynn, and the man named
Baldwin, were in the house at the time of the acci-
dent. The youngest children, James and Alfred
(both killed by the explosion), were asleep in the
front room upstairs, and three others, in the back
room, while the remainder were at work with their
father in the front parlour below, finishing off a large
order for fireworks that were to be delivered on Sa-
turday. The work consisted of many grosses of
squibs, crackers, catherine wheels, blue candles, &c.
At ten minutes after ten o'clock she asked her hus-
band if he would have supper, when he answered in
the affirmative, and asked his son Charles (now an
Guy's Hospital) to hand him over a chair. This the
young man was in the act of doing, when, in passing
the chair over the table, he knocked it against a
lighted naptha lamp hanging from the ceiling, and
the jerk threw a piece of red hot wick amongst the
heap of fireworks piled upon the table. An attempt
was made to prevent the combustible materials from
igniting, but without success. A bundle of crackers
instantly exploded, and set fire to the other fireworks
collected.in the room—the persons present doing every-
thing in their power, by trampling them under their
feet, and throwing water upon them to extinguish the
fire. Finding it impossible to remain, Mrs. Barlin
states that she and her husband retreated to the
hack yard. She heard her son William exclaim,
" Mother, mother, come out," and called to him
that she was safe ; but it is supposed that he had either
not heard, or had misunderstood her; tor, believing
that she was among the exploding fireworks, he rushed
in with an idea to rescue her, and perished. Mrs.Bar-
lin, who is still ignorant of the death of any of her
family, further states that on reaching the back yard,
her first thoughts, after raps vering somewhat from the
effects of the sulphurous Wpour that had affected her,
were for her children. It was found impossible to
reach them by the staircase, but with the help of her
husband she climbed on the roof of an outhouse, near
the window of the room where three of them slept. They
heard her cries, and the children then opened the win-
dow, got out, and jumped into her arms. She had no
recollection of what occurred after this, except being
taken to the hospital. She states that there was no
composition exposed in the front parlour, but that in
the cases left for pasting and screwing up, and that
there might be some gunpowder in the house, but not
any great quantity.
The following is the official report of the damage
done to the premises :—" Friday, October 12, 1849,
quarter to eleven P.M.—An explosion occurred at No.
4, New Brook-street, Bermondsey New-road, be-
longing to Mr. W. B3rlin, firework manufacturer.
The cause of explosion, the upsetting of a naphtha lamp.
Contents, not insured ; building, unknown at present.
Engines that attended—one parish, three brigade, and
the West of England. Small house and contents all
but destroyed by fire and explosion. Two men and
two children burnt to death, and four persons taken
to the hospital."

HORRIBLE MURDER OF A WIFE

AND CHILD AT CLAPHAM.

On Saturday morning, soon after Mr. Paynter had
taken his seat upon the bench, Mr. Parrot, jun., sur-
geon, of Clapham-common, arrived at the court, and
gave the startling intelligence that he was in attend-
ance to give evidence upon a charge of murder of a
woman and child that had taken place at an early
hour that morning.
In the course of an hour the murderer was brought
intocourt in the custody of Mr. Coleman, the in-
spector of the Clapham district, and placed in the
dock. There were very few persons assembled, as the
dreadful affair was comparatively unknown beyond
the immediate locality.
The prisoner, who is a middle aged man, with
nothing ferocious in his appearance, but much the
reverse, was described in the charge sheet as James
Weston, age 39, labourer and the words of the
charge were " wilfully murdering Mary Weston, his
wife, and Maria Elizabeth Weston, their child, by
cutting their throats with a razor in the parish of
Clapham.
The first witness examined was William Coleman,
who stated—l am one of the inspectors of police, and
have the control of the Clapham section of the V
division. This morning, at a quarter-past seven
o'clock, the prisoner came to the station, and address.
ing me said, " I have come to give myself up." I
asked him what for ? and he said, " For murder."
(Here the prisoner burst into a paroxysm of grief
which lasted for several minutes.) I perceived that
there were marks of blood on his hands and coat, and
I asked him who it was that he had murdered? and
he said his wife. I asked him why he had murdered
her, and how he did it? He replied, " With a
razor ;" and he then put his hand to his waistcoat
pocket and handed this razor to me (a black handled
one). I saw that it was covered with blood. I then
asked him his name and where he lived, and he
answered, " James Weston, Carpenter's- buildir
Clapham." I asked him if he had any other articles
in his possession, when he handed me three knives, as
also the key of his apartments. I then at once dis-
patched Sergeant Langton to his residence. Sergeant
Langton was present, and heard all that transpired
up to this time. After Sergeant Langton was gone,
the prisoner said, " I have also murdered my child."
I asked him the sex of the child, and he said it was a
girl, and aged one year and nine months. He then
said, " There is another child there also, I wish you
would send after the man to have her taken away." I
asked him how he came to do it, and whether be had
had any quarrel with his wife ? and he replied
" They were in the habit of having trifling broils, like
other people, but nothing of a serious nature. I went
to bed comfortably last night, and felt so up till four
o'clock this morning, and after it struck four I got
out of bed, struck a light with a match, went down
stairs and fetched a razor (the one produced), but
when I returned I felt I could not do it; but after
being tempted I formed a resolution, and attacked my
wife as she was dressing herself in bed." The pri-
soner afterwards uttered several incoherent expres-
sions, having no reference whatever to what had
transpired, but from the nature of those expressions I
believed him to be insane. The prisoner further said,
speaking of his wife, " We were to have been dis-
graced to-day, and I could not bear it." He further
said Mr. Parrott gave him medicine some days
previously.
Prisoner—lt was on Monday week.
Examination resumed—He said he gave him some
drugs and forced him to take them, and that it was
done by the sanction and advice of the Rev. Mr.
Pritchard.

Mr. PAYNTER—Before the prisoner made these
statements did you caution him ?

Inspector Coleman—l did so, your Worship. After
a little while he sobbed bitterly, and spoke in affec-
tionate terms of his wife and child.

The next witness examined was Frederick Langton,
who stated he was sergeant in the police force. He
begged the Magistrate would pardon any discrepancies
he might make, as the sight which he had witnessed
had completely unnerved him. The witness then
proceeded with his evidence, and said--I went to the
house No. 1, Carpenter's-place, High-street, Clapham,
and got there about half-past
_er.sevenreg,
o'clock. On my
the relieving
rthelaitevitnhge
key the prisoner gave
way thither I called on Nelr-
officer, and he accompanied me.il- i I found
me
unlocked the front door
,
of the house which 116 rents. the was nothing
to indicate disorder down stairs, but on going up-
stairs I ,saw the leg of a woman protruding on the
landing, a bedroom door was open, and another leg
rested against the door-stall, the remaining part of the
body was in the room. The woman was lying on her back;
she was dressed, all but her shoes and stockings. Un-
derneath her head there was a man's coat, and a
woman's boot was by her face. I also noticed two
footmarks without shoes, as if some one had endea-
voured to get into the adjoining room. The marks
had been made by naked feet. I went towards the
Woman's head and found her throat was cut.
There was a very great deal of blood about

the bedpost and bedding. There was a great flow of
blood over the room. The head was very nearly cut off.
The woman was dead, but warm ; the pulse had
ceased beating. On a bed, and in the same room, I
saw a child lying on its face. I examined it, and its
throat was cut. (The prisoner here became over-
whelmed with grief.) The child was quite dead, but
warm. I could not identify the bodies. I after s ards
opened the adjoining room door, in which direction I
had seen the footmarks, when I there found a little
girl sitting up in bed. I don't know her exact age.
She might have been four or five years old.
Prisoner—She is just upon nine years old.
Examination resumei—The child seemed very
frightened at me. I asked whether she had heard
anything? and she said "No."
Mr. John Parrott, jun., surgeon, was next sworn,
and said—l arrived at the house between half-past 7
and o'clock. I found a woman lying upstairs with
her throat cut. It was completely cut across. The
cut had divided the windpipe and carotid arteries, and
penetrated into the spinal cord. The wound must
have been instantly fatal. The woman was lying in
a pool of blood. She was dressed, with the exception
of her shoes. I found a female child lying on its face
on the bed also, in a pool of blood. I turned it round,
and discovered its throat cut so much as to have sepa-
rated the spinal cord, and extended to the muscles at
the back of the neck. The razor produced would
cause such wounds. I have some recollection of the
deceased. I believe she was cook in a gentleman's
house on Clapham common, and she had run a needle
in her hand, which I extracted. I did not know she
was married. I should think the deceased must have
endeavoured in her struggles to get out of the room
from the footmarks I saw ' • but it must have been after
she had been wounded. It appeared as if she had
been trying to reach the other room. Witness said,
in answer to some further questions from the bench,
that he had never to his knowledge
seen the prisoner previously. The Rev. Mr.
Pritchard was a subscriber to the dispensary, and
he had since learned that he had given the prisoner
an order for medicine, which he now believed was
administered by him. He understood the prisoner to
be in constant work; his house was comfortably fur-
nished ; and there did not appear to be any reason
to suppose that he was ruined or disgraced.
Inspector Coleman produced the marriage certifi-
cate which the prisoner had handed to him when he
first came to the station-house, by which it appeared
ki he was married in April, 1847, being then a bachelor,
to Maria Glover, widow. The surviving child was
Iby a former husband...

Mr. PAYPITEIL said he should remand the prisoner
until Thursday next, when evidence must be produced
to identify the bodies of the murdered woman and
child. There was no necessity for the production of
a great number of witnesses, as the facts in this case
were very clear.

The prisoner was then removed in custody.
Mr. Thomas Higgs, the coroner for the Duchy of
Lancaster, came to Clapham about six o'clock, and
made his arrangements with Reid, the beadle, to hold
the inquest on Monday (this day), at Mr. W. Ann's,
the Two Brewers. A great desire has been expressed
to see the bodies, which has been very properly checked
by Inspectors Coleman of the V and Emmerson of
the P division.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, OCT. 13.
STOCK EXCHANGE. --The share market throughout the
week has been flat and dull, and the bu-iness done has not
•nly been limited, but to effect sales very depreciated prices
have been obliged to be submitted to, everything having a
downward tendency. The transactions to-day were as fol-
low : —Bristo land Exeter, New, 11% dis. ex div.—Great
Western, Whole Shares, 58 Ditto, Quarters, 12 dis.—
Ditto, New IV. Shares, 81,4 StOck, 49 Taff
Vale, 5 per cent., par.
LIVERPOOL, Ocr. 13.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The share market was very dull
to-dav, and little business was transacted. The sales are—
Caledonian, Preference, Lancashire and Yorkshire,
Fifths, 63/4 dis.—Ditto, Fifths (West Riding Union), 634 dis.
—London and North- Western, 1091/2—Ditto, New Quarters,
ls. 3d. p.— Midland, 48—Ditto, Halves, 2114 dis. —South-
Eastern and 'over (No. 4), 51. 16s. 3d.—York, Newcastle,
and Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase), 41. 18s. 941.—Newry and
Warrenpoint,
BIRMINGHAM, Ocr. 13.

STOCK ExcuAsiou.—Tlie translctions to-day were as
follow :—London and North-Western, New Quarters, 121.—
South Staffordshire, 4/. Bs. 9d. Cs.
YORK, Ocr. 12.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow :—Great Northern, 7N—York, Newcastle, and Ber-
wick (Newcastle Extension), I.l—North British, Thirds, 314.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, OCT. 13.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow :—Eastern Counties, New, 6 per cent. guaranteed.
111/8 Great Northern (B). 6 per cent , 44—Newcastle and
Carlisle, 911/2—Ditto (Scrip) 92% —North British, 10.
GLASGOW, Ocr. 12.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were as fol-
low :—Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee 74—Glasgow, Kil-
marnock, and Ayr, Halves (No. 1), 61. 16s.—Scottish Cen-
tral, 18.

The health of the Lord Bishop of Llandaff, ac-
cording to accounts which reached the Right Reverend
Prelate's friends on Saturday, has undergone another
unfavourable change within the last 48 hours, and
although the symptoms of the malady are occasionally
mitigated, his strength is rapidly failing. It was ru-
moured last night that intelligence of the Bishop's
death had been rec:ired i❑ town, but the statement we
are assu r€ d by compea nt authority is incorrect.— Weekly
Chronicle.:

FIRE REAR THAAIE.—On Friday, October 12,
soon after eleven at night, a fire broke cut upon the pre-
mises of Mr. Thomas Sheen, at Werminghall, near
Thame, Oxon, the estate of Viscount Cli den, and 4bout
an hour and a half afterwards flames were tibcovered
upon the farm of Mr. William Hemmings, about a fur-
long off. The cause of the fire is a mystery, but it is
possible, from the brisk wind petting in the right
direction, that the second arose ont of the first. An an-
gina from the County Fire-odice at Oxford arrived 00
the spot as soon as possible; and speedily quelled the
progress of the flames upon Mr. Hemming's ricks, but
we regret to say that the whole of Mr. Sheen's ricks,
nine in number, were entirely destroyed, as well as the
greater part of the farm buildings. Too much cannot
be said in praise of the indefatigable exertions of Mr-
John Ashurst, of Waterstock•house, in that neighbour-
hood, a magistrate for the county, who, together with
his brother, the Rev. James Ashurst, vicar of Milton,
and the Rev. James Scatter of Wormingball, were upon
the spot nearly all the night, personally assisting and
superintending the keeping under of the flames. Very
great credit is also due to a Mr. Themaa Way, a farmer
at lektord, for his very able and practical aid in subdu-
ing the raging element, and all the agricultural labourers
of the neighbourhood were upon the spot eager to render
assistance. The extent of the damage done is about
1,0001., which it is understood is more than covered by
the insurances. Application has been made to Mr. Al-
derman Browning, of Oxford, and that gentleman has
set on foot an investigation of the matter through the
medium of the police.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]—DecIaration of a soldier who
fought at Waterloo, cured by Holloway's Pills and Ointment.
" I publicly state that Professor Holloway's Pills and Ointment
have cured me of several ulcerous sores, which had their
origin in imperfectly healed wounds received in the battle of
Waterloo. The pain was of constant duration, and I was eon-
fined to my bed always during the harvest months. I tars
now for two years been enjoying the best of health, solely. in
consequence of using Holloway's Ointment and Pills, which
cured me in a very short time ; in gratitude for which I pub..
lish this testimony. ( Signed) J. de Swart, of Lent, on the
Vossenels, near Nymegen, Holland, Oct. 4th, 1849." Sold
y all Druggists, and at Professor Holloway's Est ab lishment,
44, Strand, London.