The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-24 00:00:00

'-': MO Z:tttion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

THE LATE DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT
THE ROYAL SURREY GARDENS.

THE INQUEST.-THIS DAY.

The inquiry into the deaths of the unfortunate indivi-
duals who lost their lives on Sunday evening last, at the
Royal Surrey Gardens, was resumed this morning at
the Newington Workhouse, before Mr. Carter, coroner,
and the jury impannelled on Tuesday last.
Mr. Spurgeon was not present at the commencement,
though he bad been summoned to attend.
The jury having answered to their names, the follow-
ing additional evidence was taken :
Mr. C. W. C. Otway, surgeon, 7, Canterbury-row,
1 Newington-road—About 7 o'clock on Sunday evening
last I was summoned by Police-constable 333 P to go
to the Surrey-gardens, where a dreadful accident bad
happened. I immediately went there and found great
confusion in every direction. On arriving mid-way be-
tween the entrance of the Garden and the entrance of
the Hall, my attention was called to a female lying on
the grass surrounded by a number of persons. I ex-
amined her ; she was breathless, and she had no pulsa-
tion in any part. Her countenance was very suffused
and puffy. I detected no particular external injury on
her person. I listened at her chest, and was about
to make further inquiries when I was called off
to examine another person. The first person
was Mrs. Skepper. She was about two yards from
the first female. She was not breathing, but
I felt her pulse and heart heating. I directed the bye.
standers to raise her a little, and loosen her dress, which
was done. I was then pulled away to another female at
the other side of the garden, and I never saw Mrs.
Skepper after. I found the third person dead. I think
the second female I saw in the garden. I was very
much distressed at the sight, and when called away
from the second female I looked round and seeing a
medical friend of mine there I asked him to attend
to her. Superintendent Lund then desired me to re-
main by his side whilst the bodies were brought and
laid on a table at the north-west end of the building.
I believe the first brought was a female, Mrs. Bar-
low. She appeared to have been brought from upstairs.
She was dead, her face was very livid, with the chin
forced down on the chest. The bone of her stays was
forced through her dress and was pressing on her mouth
and nose. I opened her dress and removed the stay
bone. I then felt her heart, and I said this woman is
dead. My impression at the time was, that beside the
suffocation she had injured her head at the top of the
spinal column. I have since examined her body, and

found a contusion on the right side of the head. She
died from suffocation by the head being pressed down
on the chest, and a physical impediment caused thereby
to the introduction of air into the lungs. Noticing the

female was in the family way when she was placed on the
table,l afterwards cameto the workhouse in com pany with
Mr. Stower, a medical man, and it was decided that the
Caesarean operation should be performed. Mr. Gannon,
a medical man operated, and a full grown male child was

taken from her—the child was dead. I believe the
next person I saw was Heard, a large powerful man ; he
was brought from up stairs, and was dead ; his head was
forced down on his chest, as in the case of Mrs. Barlow;
his face was suffused and livid ; I did not detect any
particular external injury on his person ; he died from
suffocation from pressure on the brain. I thought at the
time he had broken his neck, and on a hasty examina-
tion I was unable to say if his neck was dislocated ; he
was bleeding from the back of his head as if he bad
fallen, and there were marks or bruises on his chest ; the
wound at the back of the head was a contused wound.

Two females were then placed on the table, but I don't
know where they were brought from; Mr. Marshall
attended to one of them. Their names were John-

son and Matthews. Johnson was in a state of syncope,

and she was attended to by Mr. Marshall. Matthews
I examined, and found her dead. Her countenance was
more livid than the others. I detected no personal in-
jury ; and my opinion is that she also died of suffoca-
tion. I afterwards saw Johnson, and found her dead,
Her countenance was pallid. One of them was bruised

about the fa.3e. I believe all three persons lost their

lives by suffocation, through compression.
By the Foreman—Probably had received a blow that
might have paralysed him, but it was not the cause of
death.

By the Coroner—They all lost their lives by violence.
Witness—l belive the boy who fell from the stairs was
not killed. On Sunday evening a person called at my
house and wished me to attend a boy who had severely
injured himself from falling down a staircase.
Mr. FuHager —We have Z
letter from the mother of
the boy, stating be is not dead.

The Coroner—l believe a policeman has seen the
mother of the boy, and ascertained he is not injured,
and that he was at work yesterday in the City.
Mr. John Illedge, examined on Tuesday—On Sunday
evening last I went to the Surrey Hall to hear Mr.
Spurgeon preach, and I stood during the whole of the
evening in front of the orchestra, close to the foot of the
pulpit. I faced the audience, and could see every part
of the hall, which was densely crowded. I was at the
gardens at a quarter past 4 o'clock, and assisted in
making arrangement., with the polite, to pre-
serve order. I did it at the request of the deacons of
Park-street Chapel, who wished good order to be kept.
Mr. Spurgeon entered the pulpit about half-past 6
o'clock, when service commenced by singing, reading
the scriptures, and prayer. At the close of the prayer
there was great confusion near the entrance door (the
centre door), occasioned by persons rushing out of the
place—about a dozen or twenty at first—from the body
of the hall, occasioned, I believe, by a persons or persons

calling out "Fire."
The Coroner—Why do you believe it ?
Witness—Because I heard it, and a cry that the
" galleries are falling."

By the Coroner—Did you hear the word Sre dis-
tinctly used ?

IWitness—Yes, sir, more than once.
By the Coroner—Can you say whence the sounds
came ?

Witness—First from the door at the main entrance,
when I heard at the same time a little bell tinkle. The
cry of fire was re-echoed immediately, exactly opposite,

and apparently after from three or four parts of the
hall. As soon as one person cried " fire," it was re-
peated by the others. The tinkling of the bell was
answered at the opposite side of the hall by the tinkling
of another bell, and another rush took place, accompa-
nied with the cry of " the galleries are falling."
By the Coroner—What effect did this have on the
people ?
Witness —lncreased confusion—dreadful--every body
appeared in commotion. All rose up extremely agitated.

By the Coroner—Can you identify any of the persons
who raised the cries I

Witness—l don't think I can, but I saw several per-
sons standing up at the end of the hall put their hands
to their mouths and cry, "The galleries are falling."
They used their hands as a trumpet to convey the sound
as far as possible.

By Mr. Holland—You say the confusion appeared
before the cries ?

Witness—Yes, about a dozen or so rushing out of the
main door; the more the men cried the more the con-
fusion. lat first thought it was some person being
removed in a fainting fit. When they were shouting
" fire," I saw a man take a chair and go round the hall
and smash the glass in the windows and doors, against
which barriers had been placed to prevent exit during
the service to create additional confusion.

By a Juryman—How were they barricaded ?
Witness—On the outside. When I saw the rush was
general I went to the N. W. staircase, and there saw the
bodies lifted on the leads, as described by me in my evi-
dence on Tuesday last. I thought at first the confusion
emanated from persons desirous of plundering.
By a Juryman—I am satisfied the tinkling noise I
heard was made by a bell, and not from the rattling of
the drops of a glass chandelier.
By the Foreman—I am glad you were so self.possessed
at the time, Mr. Hedge, because there are a few ques-
tions I wish to have answered. What is your impression
as to the breaking of the glass—was it to give additional
modes of exit or to create confusion ?
Witness—To create confusion.

Foreman—From your information, do you believe
there was a preconcerted arrangement to create con-
fusion ?

Witness—Yes.
Foreman—Did you feel alarm at the time ?
Witness—Yes, a little when I heard the cry " the
galleries are falling."

By a Juryman—When the first confusion occurred
did you hear screams ?

Witness—l c on't think I did—l'm not certain. The
deacons had no idea any disturbance would arise, or
that any opposition would be shown to Mr. Spurgeon's
preaching, Mr. 6purgeon had no idea of the murderous

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