The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-21 00:00:00

ON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1867.

THE GREAT LOSS OF LIFE AT THE
REGENT'S-PARS.

CORONER'S INQUEST—THIS DAY.
The Coroner's inquiry into the causes attending
the terrible calamity in the Regent's Park on Tues-

day last, by which so many persons lost their lives
by the breaking up of the ice, was commenced this
day before Dr. Lankester and a jury, at the Court
House, Marylebone-lane.

The Coroner, on opening the inquiry, said he pro-
posed, in the first instance, to take the evidence of
such persons as were on the ice, and then to hear
evidence as to the causes, such as the breaking of
the ice, or the running off of the water, and other
theories which would be put forth that led to the
accident. Mr. Russell was present from the Com-
missioners of the Board of Works, and he would
state what had been done in the matter, as it was
suggested that the water in the lake should be run
off to ascertain whether any other bodies remained.

Mr. Russell said Lord John Manuers was unable
to remain in town, but he was sure he need hardly
say that there was the utmost desire that every
assistance should be rendered.

A juror asked what steps had be©n taken to em-
ploy persons to clear the ice, because it seemed very
improper that collections should have to be made
to pay the poor men engaged in recovering the
bodies ?

Mr. Russell said the only person who had not
been paid was Mr. Heinke, who volunteered the use
of his diver, which was very willingly accepted.
The Commissioners were, he need hardly say, very
anxious to render every assistance in their power.
A Juror—l saw a gentleman make collections,
and I think such a service should not have to be
paid by voluntary contributions.
Mr. Russell—All persons except Mr. Heinke
have been paid. The Fiist Commissioner of Works
is anxious that everything possible should be done
in the speediest manner.
The first witness examined was

Mr. Lawrence Parnell Phillips, 35, Hunter-street,
Brunswick-square, who said—l was on the ice on
Tuesday last at about half-past 2 until the time of
the accident. I was on it at the time it took place.
Previous to the accident, speaking of the whole body
of the ice, I should say it was in a very bad con-
dition. I first went on the ice by the boat-house
and crossed over towards Hanover-gate. There the
ice appeared in good condition, and having put my
skates on and skated up towards the island, I found
the ice in that locality very like a tesselated pave-
ment, being starred in all directions with large
pieces, as if the ice had been broken and refrozen
again. The pieces were from two to three feet square.
I continued along the surface until I arrived be-
tween the islands, where there were a number of
large cracks, through which I saw water gently
oozing. On getting nearer the larger islands the
water came up in sharp spurts, and rose above
the surface for a few minutes; and why I mention
this is, I believe the ice there was not resting on the
water, and, seeing that this was not the case with
the ice in the middle, I went there, but when I
wanted to get off I found the ice had been broken
all round the edges.

ones.

The Coroner—Mid you see anybody breaking the

ice ?—No, I did not.
But you say that the edges:of the ice were broken
while you were thereon ?—Yes ; of that I am
certain. _ _

Witness continued—Finding I could not get off,
I then went to the smaller island, and there I found
a portion of the ice covered with water.
Coroner—You cannot say whether there were
holes there ?—No, I cannot.
Witness—Finding I could not get on the island
I went to the other side, and there I saw a number
of persons struggling to get off the ice by means of
a ladder. Some persons went in, and then a sort
of panic seemed to seize them, and they all rushed
to the middle of the ice, which immediately broke
up. I then laid myself down on the ice, and in
about half a minute I was in the water.
I saw a Royal Humane Society's man at
the corner near the larger island advising
the people to leave, and pressing them on to where
the ladder I have referred to was lying. Ido not
know his number. Whilst I was down on the ice I
saw a young man go past me, and he went into
the water, and I never saw him rise again. I
should suppose he was skating from the rapidity
with which he went past me.
Coroner—You then fell into the water. How
did you get out?--That I can't tell. I suppose I
must have swam ashore or supported myself on
some large pieces of ice. I saw an aged person
screaming for help, also a gentleman holding up
two children. I saw numbers go down and never

rise again.
What did you do at this time ? —I held on to
the ice and took hold of different pieces, and by
the aid of treading the water I managed, I suppose,
to get off. My feet never touched the bottom until
I arrived near the edge. When I got there I found
the men and boys were scrambling and drowning
each other, and I then moved back and remained in
the water until a favourable opportunity presented
itself.

The Coroner—Why, you must have travelled
about 200 yards in the water.
A Juror—l have just measured the plan. It is
exactly 100 yards from the point mentioned by
witness to that at which he got out.
Witness—While I was in the water I saw a boat
pass me, and I pushed it on as well as I could to
where I saw the gentleman with the two children.
Coroner—Did they pick up the gentleman and
the two children ?—..yes ; and having seen that
done, I made the best of my way to the shore.
Coroner—Have you any other observation to
make about the matter ?—No. I think the ice was
resting on the water. The ice was bending, but
I think more than under ordinary circumstances.
Before the ice broke there were two or three very
Frdomanatehreoufisr.
T first my impression was
heavythat
hew c
the waves.
wasner—Then did that tempt you to go
on ?—No, I did not become aware of it until I got
on, and in the middle. I walked about to ascertain
before I went on to see whether any caution bills
were posted up, but I could not.
A juror—You did not think about getting off
until you had been on nearly an hour ?—I was the
whole of that time trying to get off after I found
the ice was bad.
Coroner—Your opinion is that the break-up was
occasioned by the whole of the persons who had
been driven to the ladder being seized with panic
and rushing to the centre ?
A Juror—What do you mean by " driving?"
Was the man advising the people to go off ?—He
was advising them ; ho was not using any force.
Coroner—What did you do when you first got
out ?—A soldier helped me to take off my skates,
and I ran round to the tent and found it full.
Knowing that much depended upon keeping up the
circulation of the blood, a gentleman took me to
the York Baths, where I recovered. Previous to
going there I felt my limbs gradually stiffening. I
have omitted to state that the ice was much thinner
at the edges than in the middle:
Mr. William Edward Hardwick said—l live at 70,
Mornington-road. I 'has on the ice on Tuesday
afternoon. I went at 10 o'clock in the morning
and stayed till four. I met Mr. Davis there about
12. The ice was perfectly safe when I first went
on about half-past 10. Two gangs of men began
to break up the ice around the island, and then it
appeared to me to become unsafe. The men were
employed by Mr. Edwards, the superintendent of
the park. I felt that the proceeding was
highly dangerous, because I had seen ten
persons fall in near the place where they
were breaking the ice. Mr. Wake and myself were
standing near the island when one of the Royal
Humane Society's men came up and told us not to
stand there or we might all go down in a lump.
Davis said " Well, if we do go down, we shall only
go to the bottom." After this I still watched the
men who were breaking the ice round the islands.
When the men had broken round the islands, the
water came up, and I said Davis had wetted his
trousers, he said " No." I then took off my skates,
when I got on the island, and did not return to the
ice. From this position I saw the whole accident. The
first thing I saw was two or three persons first go

in, then a large kind of wave seem to come on, as if
something was underneath the ice, and immediately
after it the ice broke, and I saw the whole of the
persuns struggling in the water. I saw a boat going
from the boathouse, but they had to break the ice
to enable it to go along. After this other boats
were got out near the mound. I did not see any-
thing of the ladder which Mr. Phillips has described
as lying near the mound.
A Juror—You were warned by the Royal Humane
Society's men that the ice was dangerous ?—Yes.
It was here suggested that the two islands de-
scribed by the witness should be distinguished, as
it was leading to confusion.
The Coroner then directed the long izland to be
called the south, and the small one the north.
Mr. Charles Whiteford, of 74, St. John's-wood-
terrace, said—l was on the ice at the time of the
accident. The ice was dangerous on the Monday,
but I did not think it was on Tuesday. I did not
apprehend any danger. I, however, was warned by
one of the icemen ; he came up to two or three of
us who were talking and said, " We shall all soon
be together." I went on skating, and took no
notice of the caution. I left Mr. Davis and Mr.
Wake near the long island. The water was then
up near the spot. Finding the ice uncertain I
skated towards the Toxopholite gardens, where it
seemed to mo more secure. The gentleman who at-
tempted to follow me went in.
Coroner—Did you see him do so ? Yes, but he
scrambled out again. I turned round to look after
him, when I saw the whole of the ice break up on
the broad water, and the people going in on the
south shore.

Coroner—That is at the opposite point spoken of
by the last witness ?—Yes, I went to the escape for
the purpose of wheeling it down, but found the
axle broken, and one wheel lying on the ground.
I could not move it, but some people• on the shore
pulled it up and carried it along. I had my skates
on at the time, and the reason I did not take them
off was that I could get about better with them on.
I skated over to the people near the enclosure,
and asked for a rope, which was given me. When
I returned, I found four or five boats and men
were working with ropes, but they were very short
When I returned I assisted several persons
'rom the island to the shore. The ice was not
broken at the east end of the island.

Coroner—Do you believe that the ice would have
borne four or five persons standing together in the
middle ?—Yes ; I should think it would where the
ice had not been broken round the edges. I think
the accident is entirely owing to the ice being
broken round the island. On Sunday afternoon I
saw a space near the mound and the enclosure right
across the broad water about 15 or 20 feet unfrozen.
On Monday this part was frozen over, but I took
care not to go near the spot. No notice of any
kind was put up to caution people about it.
Coroner—Do you say the whole of the ice on the
broad part of the water was unsupported ?
Witness—Yes, I do, and I think that the break •
ing of it was spoiling it and making it unsafe.
A Juror—Did you not think there was danger in
jumping over the ladders and ropes on Tuesday ?
Witness—•No, I did not at the spot I have been
speaking of.
A gentleman named Bunsen was called, but did
not answer.

Mr. Shaw said—l reside at York-place, and on
Tuesday last I and my son were in the Regent's Park.
Whilst my son was putting on his skates I went
into the Royal Humane Society's tent. I saw there
a placard that the ice was in a very dangerous state.
I asked one of the men there, who had on a cork
jacket, what was meant by the caution, and he said
the whole of the ice was in a very dangerous state,
and that there would soon be a very terrible and
damaging accident. I think that the whole ice ought
to have been placarded round as dangercus.
The Coroner—But you let your son go on ?
Yes, that is so ; but I took the precaution to
ascertain which was the most secure part. I think
the park gates ought not to have been opened to
the public when the ice was in an insecure state.
The Coroner—Don't you think that the iee
ought to be taken care of until it is safe 11—I
should be sorry to put any more power into the
hands of the police. I don't think people should be
fined who expose their life to danger.
Coroner—Don't you think that the plan adopted
in New York of hoisting a ball when the ice is safe
might with advantage be• adopted in England ?
No I don't.
John Spencer said—l reside at Stock Orchard-
street, Holloway. I was on the ico on Tuesday

Last. I went there about two o'clock. I went into

the water where the ladder went in, on the north
side. When I went on the ice did not seem dan-
gerous. All went on favourably until three o'clock,
at which time there were between 2,000 and 3,000
persons on the ice. The men then began to break
the ice near the long island, and they told me to go

off. They were breaking up the ice with a pick ;
in fact, they broke the ice all round, so that there
was no means to get off the ice only by getting on
the ladder which the witnesses have spoken of.

The men would give no answer to questions
put to them relative to breaking the ice. I saw one
of the men with a cork jacket on sitting in a boat
and breaking the ice right from the water from side
to side. `I saw him make a hole in the centre. I
asked the man what he was breaking the ice for,
and he said, "to let two or three of us in." I
thought it was a most scandalous and blackguard
thing to do, and I told him I did not think he was

justified in doing what he had done. I have not
seen the iceman since. I did not think he was a
proper person to be trusted with the ice, and again
asked him what he was breaking it for, when he
said he was doing it for amusement. My brother
and boys were with me, and having seen what
was being done, I said, •' Come, lets be going." I
then went towards the ladder, and in a moment all
seemed to go in. Had the ice not been broken on
the side I have been speaking of every person could
have got off in safety.
Coroner—Then everybody trying to get to the

ladder, which was the only means of getting off the
ice, was the first cause of the accident ?—Yes, in
my opinion that is so. I went in with the rest, but
I got out safely. Myself, my brother-in-law, and
son were all in together. I did not know my son
was not drowned until we all met together at a
publichouse. I got some brandy at the York and
Albany, and wishing to get home as soon as pos-
sible I called a cab, but when the man drove up he
refused to take us as we were wet.
A Juror—Do you think the iceman you saw
breaking the ice was sober ?- --Yes, decidedly ; he
could get nothing where ho was.
A Juror—Do you think that the ice would have
broken had the edges not been broken ?—Decidedly
not. I have skated for five-and-twenty years, and
I state most positively and distinctly that the sole
cause of the accident was the breaking of the edges
of the ice.

Mr. Thomas said—l reside at 5, Barking Church-
yard, Tower Hill. I was on the ice on Tuesday last,
although my first impression was, that it was dan-
gerous. I thought it was made so by the men
breaking it round the island. On going further I
saw the ice was broke all along the north-west side
opposite the mound. I was walking up and down
admiring the skating, when there seemed to be some
slight confusion near one ofathe islands, where the
ice appeared to break up all in a moment. For the
instant I thought some body had gone in, but there
was scarcely time to think, for the whole of the per-
sons seemed to go into the water at once. I looked
some appliances for rescuing drowning per-
sons, and found none, and that is the principal
reason of my:attending here to-day, in order to state
that fact publicly. I saw no notice up stating the
ice was dangerous. I saw many gallant acts per-
formed, but I shall never forgot those performed by
a man named Archer. A gentleman and his two
children were in the water for five-and-twenty
minutes, and it was to Archer that that gen-
tleman and his children entirely owe their lives
I think such gallantry as Archer displayed
ought to be well rewarded. I know nothing of the
man beyond the fact that I know he was instrumen-
tal in saving five or six lives at least. lam quite
willing to subscribe my share towards recognising
his gallantry.
Coroner—Do you think the accident would have