The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-17 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSIONS IN THE TV EST
CORONBICS
TIGATIOS. •

I't
stercl ay, Mr. Sergeant Payne, coroner for the
city of London and Southwark and a highly re-
specta" le jury, assembled in the hoArd-room of St.
Geurge's Workhouse, to inquire r into the circum-
stances attending the death of Sarah Ann Vaughan
Williams and Caroline Bridges, who lost their liTea
at the late explosion of Maclaine Carnes and Mr.
Gibion's firework manufactories in tine Westmin-
ster-road.

The Coroner, in opening the case, alluded to an
old act of Parliament passed in the reign of William
and stated that it would :be probable that
after hearing the evidence he might find it his duty
to charge the gentlemen of the jury to prefer a
charge of man‘laeghter against some Ferson or
persons. There were other firework manufactories
in the neighbourhood where the explosion took
place, and he could assure them that the law was
quite ample, if properly carried out, quite as much
so as when the act was passed in ,the reign of Wil-
liam 111.

William Holloway said—l am an engineer of the
Fire Brigade. I found the body of Sarah Ann
Williams at No. 1, Melina-place, Westminster-
road, the house of Mr. Gibson. The body
was dreadfully burred. The day previous there
had been an explosion at a firework manu-
factory opposite to Mr. Gilx,.on's, about forty feet
off. I cannot give an opinion as to the cause of the
explosion.

Valentine W. Vaughan Williams identified the
Indy of the deceased Sarah .Ann Vaughan Wil-
liams, and stated her age to be.ii.
James Anderson Jones, No. 4. Charles-street,
Westminster-road, seaman, said—On Mondayafter-
noon last I was in the back yard. I could see the
back windows of the house where the first explo-
sion took place (Mme. Cotou's). I all at once
heard an explosion, and one of the windows was
blown out. I then ran into the street, and the
first thing that took my attention WM Mime. Coton
coming out of the house with her clothes on fire.
With assistance I got hezinto a iiab, and sent her
to the hospital. About tea minutes afterwards
there was a second explosion, more violent than
the last, and fireworks flew about in all directions.
I then saw a rocket fly through one of the windows
of Mr. Gibson, who is also a firework maker, and
shortly afterwards that house also caught fire. Mme.
Coton s premises were nearly destroyed, and Mr.
Gibson's house was burnt. There were three ex-
plosions altogether, the whole of them at Madame
Co'on's.

By a Juror—l do not know whether Mme. Coton
is a married woman, and that her husband's name is
Bennett.

Mr. Lewis here entered the court, and said that
he appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of
Mr. Bennett, but
The Coroner requested him to wilidraw, as
Mr.Betivett was not present.

Mr. Henry Gibson said—l am a firework-maker,
and up to Monday last I resided at the corner of
Charles-street, Westminster-road. I know Mr.
Bennett. He is married, I belieue, to Mme. Coton,
and carried on the business of a firework-maker, al-
though the name of Cuton was placed over the door of
the house. On the Monday evening I observed some
smoke issuing from Mme. Cuton's, and I closed my
own shop. soon afterwards two little boys came
out of the house with their arms slightly burnt,
told on asking them how it had happened they said
they had been charging some starlights. I was
standing at the door with my wife when the explo-
sion took place, and she was blown away some
yards and her clothes were set on fire. Directly
after that I observed that my own house was on
fire. I did not see the deceased girl Williams at that
time. There were several explosions altogether.
By a Juror—l had not more than ss. worth of
fireworks on my premises, which I kept for sam-
ples to show gentlemen. I had not more than a
quarter of a pound of gunpowder in the house.
The goods in the shop window were all dummies,
merely being made of paper and string.
By the Coroner—One of the little boys who came
out of Madame Coton's had a t0..:1 in his hand,
called a " former," used in charging coloured
stars, which he said he had been doing. "
William Bray, a little boy, said—l am 13 years
of age, and reside at 4, Park-street, Kennington-
cross. On Monday last I was at work at Madame
Coton's. I believe her real name is Bennett. At
the time of the explosion I was in the house with
my brother David, M• s, Bennett, a boy named
Jack Watson, Mr. Bennett's mother, the servant,
and a young girl working there.
Coroner—Do you know the cause of the explo-
sion ?

Witness—Some red fire caught alight in the back
kitchen. I was there by myself filling some fire-
works called asteroids. There were three colours
—purple, red, and green. The red and the green
were iu the lids of the canisters, and the pur-
p'e in a plate. Mrs. Bennett and the boy, Jack
Watson, and my brother were in the middle
room at the time. The red-fire caught light, but
I cannot say how, as there was no light in the
room. Mrs. Bennett bad told me that the
coloured fire would light by itself. I called out
to Mrs. Bennett that the coloured fire was alight,
and ran out, fcl I o wed by my bro ber and the
boy Watson. I only had my hair singed and a
slight burn on the elbow. Ido not know how
Mrs. Bennett got out. The canisters were nearly
full of coloured fire.

The Coroner then said that the jury must pro-
ceed to Guy's Hospital. What he would propose
was, that the inquiry should be ultimately ad-
jolrnco rnd aq it-might probably turn ont a case
of mabslaughter, he would not advise a ikirt ad-
journment, which might send the case to the assizes,
which commence ou the 2d of August, and would
en'ail great expense. He would propose adjourn-
ing to the 6th.
The jury then adjourned to Guy's Hospital, with
a condition that they sqould re-assemble at two
o'clock. •
INQUEST ON THE BODY OF CAROLINE BRIDGES AT
GUY'S HOSPITAL.

The jury re-assembled at two o'clock, when after
the ordinary observations,
George Pike, L 93, proved the finding of the
body of the deceased, who was blown across the
road towards Mr. Grbsou's house. Did not see
what struck her, but had no doubt the injurirs
were oxasiened by the explr sion at lelmmuec.Cbtnorn'ts:
He picked up the child, and finding it h
took it to the hospital.
Mr. Bridges, the father of the child, identified
the body as that cf his daughter. She was about
It years of age.
Mr. W. Venour, house surgeon of Guy's Hospi-
tal, deposed to the fact that the deceased Caroline
Bridges was received into the hospital on Monday
evening, about a quarter to seven. She was se-
verely burnt about the arms, neck, and legs. After
she was received into the hospital she appeared to
rally, but afterwards relapsed. There was no doubt
she died from the effects of burns. •
The Coroner, to Mr. Bridges—Was your daughter
a healthy girl ?
Mr. Bridges said before this accident she was a
very healthy girl.
A juror desired to know" whether the coroner
could not prevent the rebuilding of the premises
if the inquiry was adjourned ?
The Coroner said he had no such power.
Mr. Clothier, churchwarden, asked whether it
would affect the inqury if the pariMh authorities
applied to the Secretary of State to prevent the
manufacture of fireworks in so crowded a neigh-
bourhood ?

The Coroner said, gertainly not; he was of opin-
ion that the law was strong enough, if those whose
duty it was would put in motion, to prevent a re-
petition of such accidents.
After a lengthened conversation,
The Coroner advised an adjournment, as it WWI
probable they might come to the conclusion of a
verdict of manslaughter, to such a day that it
would pass over the assizes. Be would therefore
propose that, as the assizes would take place on
the 2d of August, they should adjouin until the
6th of August.
The inquiry was accordingly adjourned until that
day.

Mr. Venour, the house surgeon, in reply to a
juror, said that Mrs. Bennett (Madame Coton) was
still alive, but in a most dangerous state, in fact,
he considered her recovery hopeless. •
The other sufferers in St. Thomas and Gtu'es
Hospitals are progressing favourably. -

THE EXPLOSIONS IN THE WESTMINSTER ROAD.--
PUBLIC MEETING.—A meeting .of the ratepayers of St.
George the Martyr, Southwark, was held last nigl t in
reference to the recent explosions at the firework lac-
Wes- the under-
signed, in the Westminster-road. The Rev. Mr. Howlett
Sir,
—St. Paul's, South-
presided. It was in animoudy agreed that the following
memorial should be presented to the Secretary 01 State
sioigrnetdh,einHstiorimibeerllt
teinsttih:—oldie
South-
walk, beg to ask your especial notice and attenti
espnadrthno•
the awful exploAous frequently occurring in
this on to
neigh-
bourhood, but more particularly to M dg
on ay, the 12th of
July instant, on which occasion no fewer than 315 per-
sons were more or less injured, some supposed to be mor-
tally • one burned to death is the premises, and another
died from the wounds received outside; every one of the
aforesaid • xp!osions
.arising from an accumulation of fire-
work sin
s n firework makers' premises situated in the
Westminster-road, in the above district. Your me-
morialists therefore humbly beg that very stringent
measures may be adopted by Government to prevent not
only the-sale, but the nianufe&cre of such dargeroun
commodities in the vicinities of public roads and inhabited
houses,"