The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-11 00:00:00

ADJOURNRD INQUEST ON THE LATE
MR. SADLEIR, Day.)

The adjourned inquest on the bcdy of the late Mr.
Sedleir was resumed Ude morning at, the W.irkhouse,
Hampstead, before Mr. Wak'ey and the jury impanelled
on the first occasion.
The jury having answered to their flamer,
The Coroner asked Mr. Manning, the solicitor to the
deceased family if he had any more witnesses to examine
Mr. Manning said he had not, but be had some &nu-
ments to lay before the jury. With regard to the money
said to have been paid to the deceased on the Saturday
previous to his death, he bad found the deceased had
been paid 1,334/. in Bank of England notes, but neither
of the notes had been since paid in to the hank. Again
the deceased was paid the above amount i❑ a 1,0001.,
3001., 501., 201, 101. Bank of England notes, and the
remainder in cash. He (Mr. Manning) had received a
letter froM Messrs. Freshfield, solicitors to the London
and County Joint-Stock Bank, stating► that they be
examined the deeds deposited by the deceased, as
security with that bank, and found them to be genuine.
It was believed that the statement that hail been put
forth with regard to the deceased's forgeries were ex-
aegerated, if not unfounded.
The Coroner said that if the matters to which Mr.
Manning had referred were to become evidence, wit-
nesses must be called in support of theae
Mr. Manning said it would be impossible to produce
evidence that the deceased had, as be had nccused him-
self, ruined thousands', and he suggested that the in-
quiry should be strictly confined to the cause of
death. The Clown here could have no claim to the
chattels of the deceased ; but the Lord of the
Manor of Hampstead, under the terms of the
original grant of 1561, to Sir Thomas Roth, if the cre-
ditors could not prove their right to it.
The Coroner said the jury had no power to decide on
that question. The case since they last met had assumed
a more serious aspect than it first appeared to present,
and many astounding fade bad come to light through
the usual channels of information. The question of
claim must be decided elsewhere, and be would not anti-
cipate that decision by discussing the question then.
Mr. Manning said he considered it would be a waste
of time to produce more evidence. The case must rest
on the evidence of the deceased's friends, and, the letters
he bad written to show the state of the deceased's mind.
The letters if produced is the Court of Chancery relative
to the testamentary disposition of his property would
have been sufficient to prove him of sound mind, but he
(Mr. Manning) considered that when it was recollected
the deceased was in the habit of freely using opium,
there could be no doubt that when its effects went off
he became much dejected, and it bad an effect on his
mind and spirits, and in that desponding state it was
probable he had destroyed himself.
Mr. Nicholls, the surgeon, was recalled, and said be
had again examined the stomach of the deceased, and he,
believed it contained opium.
Mr. Manning again urged the effect which probably
the opium had in depressing the deceased's mind, and
the distressing circumstances in which he was placed, to
show it was not possible the deceased could have been
in his right mind. He had no other evidence to offer.
The Coroner then summed up, and said he should re-
fer to the most important points of the case to guide the
jury in arriving at a right conclusion, but before doing
so he said that looking at the letter sent by the deceased
to the chemist of whom he had the poison, that he
scuitted him and also the butler from all blame—the
manner in which it was ordered, and the quan-

tity, being sufficient to throw any person off Lis
guard. He deeply deplored that coroners' juries
had to inquire into the state of mind of per:,ons at the
time of their ceminitting suicide, because he knew of
nothing more calculated to involve persons in a labyrinth
of doubt. He believed such inquiries to he utterly use-
less, and in many cases they were most mischievous ; be-
cause every now and then verdicts of insanity were re-
turned as a matter of course, and they had this per-
nicious effect, that jurymen, from getting into the habit
of returning such verdicts where crime nal not appa-
rently charged, when they had to discharge their duties
as jurymen at the Old Bailey on charges of murder, re-
collecting on what slight grounds they returned verdicts
of insanity before the coroner, the worst of cri-
minate escaped justice, and now and then a mad-
man suffered extreme. puuishreent After referring to
the course adopted by the Court of Chancery in ascer-
taining the state of a pereon'a mind he said they (the
jury) had only to deal with the actions of a dead man,
which they mutt couple with the letters he had written,
and whicti must be taken as his dying statements. lie
next referred to the difficulty of defining insanity, and,
said that the jury, from the evidence that ha I been ad-
duced, would have to say whether the deceased was a
rearnsible agent at the time of his committing suicide,
or, in other words, that he was in such a condition of
mina As trade him mot ally and legally responsible
for his actions. It was deeply to be regretted that
thin was a subject of so much difficulty. He
al ways notieed that jurymen were disposed to
lean en the side of mercy end humanity ; but
then it should be borne in mind that that feeling re-
ferred more largo), to society generally than to the
individual, and on that point he again said the practice
of coroners' juries in returning verdicts of temporary in-
sanity where the evidence was slight, was producing the
most dieestroue consequences in Criminal Courts of jus-
tice, and he hoped that before long that practice would
be put an end to by an alteration of the law. The Coro-
ner then referred to the deceased's lettere, which he
said were written at a time when he was not so far dis-
turbed as to create a confusion of ideas. They were writ.
ten as if by a man of reasoning and reflective powers, and
possessed of a correct memory. At the same time, it was
impossible not to know tizat be was suffering intense
agony, and the act which be had committed showed, ef
itself, the mental suffering that drove him to such an act
of desperation ; but then the question arose, was the
deceased in that state of mind that made him responsible
for his actions ; was he driven to it front an unoontrol-
able impulse The evidence of the medical gentleman
ithowed that, on the post mortem examination, the brain
pr: tented no symptoms indicative of its being in a dis-
ease I state. Reference had been mode to the deceased
being in the habit of taking opium, which would be a
matter for their consideration, and it would be for them
to say, on the whole of the evidence that had been laid
before them, whether the deceased committed murder
by destroying himself in a toned state of mind, or whe-
ther ho did it et a time when ho was labouring under
insanity. If they hall a doubt upon it let them glee
the deceased the benefit of it, and ren-ue his memory
from the charge of being a murderer. Having referred
to the evidence,
The jury retired to consider their verdict. After an
abseace of 25 minutes, the jury returned into court, and
returned a verdict that the deceased died by his own
hand whilst he was in a perfectly sane state.
The Coroner—Then that is self-murder.
The Foreman—Yes. We are unanimous in that
opinion.
The Coroner—My own conviction is, after the most
mature and careful investigation, that you could have
come to no other conclusion.
The jury then signed the inquisition, and the inquiry
closed.

work in the carpent,!r.' shop to his knowledge during
that day.
A plan was here shown t 3 the witness, and he marked
the place where he first saw the fire break out.
By Mr. Lawrence—He La(l never seen the iron oF
t 133 chandeli,,r heated.
William Butler, wiother fireman of the theatre, st. ed
he went on duty on the night previous to the fire, at
nine o'clock, and remained so till the fire was discovei ( d.
He was on the stage when the alarm was given. He raw
nothing of the fire until he entere I the carpenters' shop
with Castles. Ti3e smoke was so dense it was inipos.ble
to get at the fire cocks under the cistern. He had not
been higlnr than the top flies on Tuesday night, and
at twt lye o'clock there was no Ere that he could
discover. At tiaree o'clock on thu morning of
the fire ho met Mr. Sloman's brother on the first fly

and from him he learned the hour of the merning.
After Mr. Sloman left him he (witness) proceeded wp
stairs and found everything in the top flies was perfectly
safe, and nethiog like fire wee perceptible. On re-
turning down stairs be entered the flats at the promp
side, and crossed to the 0. P. side, and then he returned
to the ball-room to prevent. the gentlemen from smoking,
and remained there nntil the alarm. Castles came to
him, and said there was something " wrong up-stairs,"
and they immediately ran up-Aairs to the carpenters'
shop. There was a heap of wood in the shop fleet* on
fire, as much as would half till a cart. The fire
bad spread considerably, and the floor in one
part had fallen through. The flooring of the
shop Was very thick and strong. There was no-
thing on fire below the carpenters' shop when
the alarm was first given. He did not think the fire was
occasioned by the gas, as if sueh bad been the case the
flooring would have been on fire underneath, instead of
the top, as was the case when the fire was first disco-
vered. There was a cousielerable quantity of
loose stuff lying about the carpenters' shop.
Any person could enter the shop, as it was open. The
gas was first fitted in the carpenters' shop to bring oat
the pantomime, but it had been shut off since, and no
gas had been used in the shop since Christmas. On
Tuesday morning he was up in the shop with a lantern.
but it was enclosed with glass, and was termed a safety
lamp.
By the Foreman—lf there bad been fire prnolder'ne
in the carpenters' shop he thought he must have smelt
it. When he entered the shop he did not eenell any.
thing extraordinary about the smoke; it was just hke
the ordinary smoke.
James Bryanstene, sen., fireman, stated he was in
the theatre the whole of the night of the fire, and never
left it for a moment. Shortly. before 5 o'clock he saw
fire fall from the roof of the theatre. He immediately
ran to the carpenters' shop to turn the water on, but the
smoke was so great that it was impossible to get to it.
He got into the shop about a yard, but he. could not
proceed any further. He could see a heap of wood, as
much as would fill half a cart. He was not in the room
when Castles gave his evidence. He could nut form
any idea how the fire occurred.
By a Jurjr---The wood he saw on fire was about 16
feet from the door. The bits of wood were thrown
where they were in clearing the carpenters' shop. Due-
ing the performance the firemen go over the house to
examine it. After the performance was over, it was
their duty to go over the house every hour. He did not
think the firs was ecca,ioned by the heat from the
chandelier ; for when M. Jullien had the theatre there
were 12 additional ones hung around the large one,
and no accident occurred. The burners of the chande-
lier had not been enlarged. The heap of burning wood
was about 30 feet from the opening of the chandelier.
John Drake Palmer, gas-fitter—lle was employed by
the proprietors as general manager of thegas-fittings of the
theatre. The last time be did anything to the fitting I
was to erect those that had been spoken about in the
carpenters' shop. He fitted some piping from the
painting room to the six benches in that shop. A va've
at the back of the stage must be turned on before gal
can be supplied to the painting room or carpenters'
shop, and when it is required his assistants or some of
his mon turn it on. The large cocks are never turned
on by any but the gasmen. He bad not had the chan-
delier down since the middle of the last season, and then
it was only to dust it. Tr ere are about SOO burners in
it, but they were not all fishtail burners, and they
were all in thorough repair. The witness here
explained the mode in which the chandelier was
fixed. The gas for the chandelier was regulated
by a dial-plate in the prompt box. It the gas was
tarred fail on some of the burners would not
go higher than an inch and e half. The heat from it would
warm the ceiling, but it would he impossible for the ceil-
ing to take fire from it. The chandelier was first lit at
about a quarter to 12 on Monday morning,
and was ee er turned off till the fire
took place. It had been turned dowr, hu
not put out. The burners: were lit with a long Lambe°
rod, with three feet of wire at the end. The men satn-
r-ite 1 the cotton ball at the end of the wire with spirts of
wine, They place the hall in the spirit bottle which they
carry with ti e n. Time ball was always brought back of er
it had been u'ed at the chandelier. At a quarter to five
he was speaking to Mr. An Jerson with hie back to the
green-room, and as he was gi vine. ' orders wi.ich
battens were to be left burning he saw the tire
through the Greeks of the shop. Mr. Andersen
exclaimed, " Hush," and then he looked up and
e it "Good God, the boase is on fire, get out for your
lives." lie (witness) then tan to the gas regulators and
eery gently turned the whole of the gas off. It was
totally impossiblefor the lights or gas from the chandelier
to have caused she fire. Tee draught was too great to allow
any gas to remain. lie could not fursu any opinion as
to the origin of the fire.
By a Juror—He had known the chandelier to have
been alight for a whole forteight duriog the decoraeion
of the house.
Mr. Henry Sloman, the rvac.thirlist and carpenter of
the establishment, was last on the pr.unises about half-
past 11 on Tuesday night. He hail not been in the
carpenters' shop since Friday last, when he went to see
if it had been properly cleared up. Toe centre of the
floor was quite clear. ' There was a large quantity of
wood and properties at tho sides, hut not heaped about
the shop. It did not not occur ti him that anything
but the escape of gas caused theirs. The escape oegai wee
very great, so great indeed that he had frequently called
the attention of the authorities, the gasmen and firemen, to
the circumstance, and be had frequently said that if the
escape of gas was not seen to, the theatre would be
burnt down. Since tne gas had been supplied by
the London Gas Company, the pressure bed
keen three times as touch as it used to he.
He was certain there was not seffieient wood to fill half
a cart lying about the carpenters' shop.
By a Juror- -Ile thought the gas must have exploded,
and therefore caused the firo. There had not been a
light in the carpenters' shop sMce Christmas.
At this point the inquiry was adjourned until Satur-
day next at three o'clock.

APPOINTNIENTS To) ROYAL ARTILLERY
AND ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY.

The following are the suc:e.istal caadidatee (1) for ap-
pointments to provi,,ional commission s in the Royal
Artillery. and (2) for admission to the Practical Clays of
the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, at the exami-
nation held at Burlington House on 21st January and
:ullo wing days :-
1. PIIOVISTONAL
1. Robert E. Kane. Trinity Coliege,
2. Arch. St. BA, Corist's C lleg e, Calibridge.
3. Francis S. Stoney, Trinity College, Dublin.
4. John W. Brassington, Civil Engineer.
5. George S. F. Budd, Giles Collage, Cambridge.
G. John Houghton, Trinity Collogn, D üblin.
7. Henry R. lerer., Magdalene College, Cambridg,e.
8. Robert Lloyd, Trinity College, Dublin.
9. James Colciuhoun, E linburgh University. •
10. Thomas Clarke, Trinity College, Dublin.
11. William Brancker, Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
12. Donald R. Cameron, University College, London.
13. William H. Noble, Trinity College, Dublin.
14. George O'Connor, Trinity College, Dublin.
15. Richard N. Young, University College, Oxford.
16. Francis H. Dotson. Christ Cuurch, Oxford.
17. Joseph H. Eigar, Wadhani College, Oxford.
2. PRACTICAL CLASS.
1. Henry D. Crozier, Trinity College, Dublin.
2. George L. Engstrom, privately.
3. Michael Sexton, Queen's College, Cork.
4. Allan May, Bristol Grammar School.
5. Conway R. Reeves, Trinity College, Dublin.
G. George R. Home, privately.
7. Henry S. Palmer, privately.
8. William Scott, College St. Barbe, Paris.
9. Robert Barton, Trinity College, Dublin.
10. John M. Maunsell, Trinity College, Dublin.
11. Hugh L. Ellaby, King Edward's School, Bath.
12. Valentine G. Clayton, Marlborough College.
13. Henry C. &Aden, Tunbridge School.
14. Robert 0. Jones, Cowbridge Grammar.

Despatch from General Sir W. Codrington

(Prom the London Gazette of this evening.)
WAR DEPARTMENT, Mena 10.
Lord Paurnure has this day received a despatch and
its enclosure, of which the following are copies, addressed
to his lordship by General Sir Codtington;

K.C.B.

Sebastopol, Feb. 2(1.
My Lord,—l have the honour to inform your lordship
that a large portion of the infantry of the English army
paraded, on the 24th instant, On the ridge of the plateau
overlooking, the plain of Balaklava, where the ground
had become sufficiently dry for the purpose.
The troops were formed, by divisions, in a line of con-
tiguous columns of battalions at quarter distance, ex-
tending for nearly a mile, and marched past at half
distance.

They were subsequently formed on a slope to the rear
of the original line, in masses of columns by divisions,
and again marched past in quarter distance.
The day was fine, but cold, and the general appear-
ance, cleanliness, an 'l steadiness of the troops afforded
all the utmost satisfaction, for the men looked in the
finest health and vigour.
Marshal Peli-flier, General Durando, and a large num-
ber of officers of the French and Sardinian armies were
observers of the fine bearing and efficiency of the troops.
I enclose the weekly report of Sit John Hall, Inspec-
tor-General of Hospitals, in which your lordship will see
recorded the excellent state of health of the army gene-
rally.—l have, &e.,
W. J. CODRINGTON,
G,:mertil Corninsnding,
The Lord Panmure, &c.

Enclosure.
Head Quart:srzL, Cami, Crimea, Feb. 25, 1556.
Sir,--I have the honour to enclose the weekly state
of sick to the 23d instant, and it affords me great
satisfaction to be able to report not only n continuance