The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-12 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

SERIOUS CIIA-RGII AGAINST A TRADESMAN.--r-MT
'Valiant Barnett, landlord of the Crooked Billet, in
Johnson's-change, Rosemary-lane, surrendered to his
hail to be further examined on a charge of conceal-
ing the birth of a child, of which Jane Davey, his
bar-maid, had been delivered.
Mr. Gaines appeared on behalf of the prisoner.
Mr. Inspector Campbell informed the magistrate,
Mr. Norton, that the coroner's jury that had been
empannelled to inquire into the circumstances atten-
dant on! the death of the young moman, Jane Davy,
had returned a verdict of natural death, and were of
opinion--an (pinion founded on the medical evidence
—that her raneval from Moclemary-laue to Camber-
well had not accelerated her death.
It will be recollected that at the last examination
Mr. Smith, a surgeon, had stated that about twelve
months before he attended deceased at the house of
Mrs. Chambers, the prisoner's sister, during her con-
finement, and that on the 19th January he was called
in to attend her at the seine place, where he found
her very ill. He continued to attend her regularly
from that time up to the time of her death, on Sunday,
the 30th, and he swore positively that though he had
to operate upon her left breast he had not discovered
anything to lead him to believe that she had recently
been delivered of a child, and that it was not until
after her death that such a thing had been hinted at.
Yesterday Mr. Flower, a surgeon, residing in
Camberwell-green, attended, and deposed that on
Monday, the 31st of last month, he, at the request of
Mr. Inspector Campbell, proceeded to the house of
Mrs. Chambers, No. 4, Cork-street, Camberwell, and
examined the body of Jane Davey. Perceiving that
the breasts were large he placed his hand on one of
them, and on slightly pressing it the milk spurted
into his face. He subsequently made a• post mortem
examination of the body, and found that the death of
the deceased had been occasioned by an extensive
abscess which had formed under the left breast. This
caused a considerable constitutional disturbance and
congestion of the brain, and led to her death. The
abscess had been occasioned, he had no doubt, from
the suppression of milk for on opening it he found
that the pint of matter it contained was composed of
a portion of milk.
In reply to the questions of Mr. NORTON, Mr.
Flower said that at the first examination he had made
on the day after death, he was thoroughly satisfied
that she had been recently delivered of a child. Ile
also said that, had he been called in in the first instance,
it was impossible he could have mistaken, or be de-
ceived in the fact of the young woman having been
recently delivered of a child.
Mr. Campbell was next questioned, and said that
though the most minute search had been made on
the premises belonging to the prisoner and elsewhere,
for the body of the infant, it had not yet been
found. Mr. Campbell also said that he thought the
sister of the deceased, and to whom she had made
some disclosures, would be able to attend on Thurs-
day next.
Mr. NORTON thought the case one of a nature re-
quiring the strictest and most scrupulous investiga-
tion, and therefore adjourned it to a future day.
On the application of Mr. Games, the prisoner was
admitted to go at large on entering into his own surety
.n 1001. to appear on the day named.

FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENT
BIRMINGUALM, FEB. 10.—The colliery at which the
lamentable disaster occurred (alluded to briefly in
The Sun of yesterday,) was-,the,Heathfield Pits, the
property of the Earl of Dartmouth, leased by Messrs.
Salter and Raybould, and situated a short distance
from West Bromwich.
At six o'clock yesterday morning the men de-
scended the shaft of the pit (in relief of the night
colliers) to commence their usual daily occupations.
Before descending, as a matter of course, they had
not the slightest suspicion (no intimation having been
given to that effect) of the presence of sulphur in any
of the sidings in which they were about to work. It
appears that nine miners had been in the pit during
the night, and that in all, at the hour mentioned, 27
colliers descended. Shortly after their descent a
fearful explosion occurred, the flames issuing through
the mouth of the pit, and creating, as might be ex-
pected in so densely a populated neighbourhood, the
greatest consternation. Six or seven of the men
escaped by means of a gateway leading to Lord
Lewisham's pits, and were afterwards enabled, having
ascended the shaft of those works, to state at the office
of Messrs. Salter and Co. the fearful calamity which
had occurred below.
1 ISo :soon as the conflagration occasioned by the
ignition of the vapour had subsided, a descent was
made with soms difficulty into the Heathfleld Pits.
It had been previously discovered that the violence of
the explosion had broken -the rope attached to the
skip by which the men always dascended. On ar-
riving at the workings it was found that four men
were dead, that two were so dangerously burnt that
little hopes were entained of their recovery, and
that about twelve other colliers are more or less
injured.
It is at present impossible to speak with accuracy
of the cause of this distressing accident. Various
rumours are afloat. By some it is stated that before
the men went down the " Doggy" never examined
the workings, and that no Davy safety lamp was
used in the pit. Upon these points it would be pre-
mature at present to pronounce an opinion. The
coroner's inquiry, which will be held at the Dart-
mouth-hotel to-morrow, will more correctly disclose
the blame, whether it may attach to the " Doggy,"
the " Butty," or the lessee, under the circumstances
which have unhappily occurred.

It will be deemed singular that an occurrence of so
distressing a eharacter should create so little excite-