The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-21 00:00:00

STRANGE STORY.

During the great storm which took place in the
metropolis an accident occurred on the river Thames by
which three persons are supposed to have lost their lives.
About a quarter to one in the morning the lightning broke
a large window in a shed of the London Gaslight and
Coke Company, in Battersea. A number of men
were in the shed at the time, but escaped unhurt.
The noise caused by the crash, however, was so
great that the watchman, who resides in a small house by
the side of the river, was about to go to the shed to see
whether any of his fellow-workmen were hurt, when he
heard a moaning noise proceeding from the river. He bal-
loaed as loudly as he could that assistance was at hand
if it was required, but received no answer. It was
very dark, and, the noise continuing, he procured a lan-
tern and looked in the direction from which he fancied it
proceeded. It was, however, fully ten minutes before he
discovered the cause. In the mud, which near the gas-
works is reported to be very deep, he say a man lying face
downwards, and, procuring assistance, he, by means of
a rope and ladder, succeeded in getting him out. He
was then so exhausted that for some time his recovery
was despaired of ; but eventually he became conscious,
and gave an account of the manner in which he got
into the river, and subsequently into the deep
mud where he was found. He said that on his return
from Ascot Races, with three other persons whom he
had met on the course, proceeded as far as Richmond by
train, and the night being fine they took a sailing-boat
from the latter place, proposing to go as far as Westmin-
ster, where the boat was to be given up. On reaching
Battersea, however, the storm had become so violent that
they determined to make for the nearest landing-
place, and on discovering the creek near the
gas company's premises the boat was steered
towards it. At that moment the boat capsized,
from what cause he could not say, and they were all
thrown into the water. He saw his friend for a moment
endeavouring to make for the shore, and one of them
caught hold of him, but soon sank. Fortunately the
tide was low, and he remembers reaching the
shore, but nothing more. He wrote down his
name and address, and after his clothes had been
dried and the mud scraped off he was conveyed
to his residence at St. John's-wood, in a cab.
He described the appearance of the persons who were in
the boat, but he did not know their names or addresses.
The police were as soon as possible put in possession of
these facts, and went to St. John's Wood to get further
information ; but they have not been able to ascertain the
persons' names or addresses. Hanwell, the watchman,
says that when he discovered the man who was saved he
was deeply imbedded in the mud, and had he lain there
but another ten minutes he must have been drowned,
for the tide, which was running up, was then washing by
his side. When sensible, he said, " Good God !my
friends are about here somewhere." A vigorous search
was made, but they could not be seen. The river
was dragged, but without success. Inquiries made at
Richmond have substantiated the statement as to the
boat being hired there.

WRECKS.—During the past week 39 wrecks have
been reported, making for the present year 878.

THE DENHAM MURDERS.—During the past few
days a number of letters have been received from various
parts of the country in reference to the previous history of
John Jones, alias Owen, alias Jenkins, alias Reynolds, the
man now in Aylesbury Gaol, charged with the per-
petration of the late murders at Denham. Super-
intendent Durham has received a letter from
Shipston-on-Stour, stating that a man named John
Owen, a journeyman blacksmith, resided there, and was
convicted of felony in 1855. Another letter states that a
man named John Owen, a native of Byfield, left
that place twenty years ago with a very bad reputa-
tion. He went to Birmingham, and has recently
been tramping the country as a blacksmith. Other
letters evidently refer to Owen under his alias of
Jenkins. Photographs of the prisoner are to be sent to
the writers of the letters, and there can be little doubt that
his previous history will soon be known. Several persons
who have seen the photograph aver that they have at
various times seen him at Denham, when, they believe, he
occasionally worked for Marshall.