The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-19 00:00:00

A FAMILY SUFFOCATED.

A very distressing occurrence took place on Fri-
day morning at Pilgwenlly, a suburb of the town
of Newport, Monmouthshire, by which almost an
entire family lost their lives. Their death is sup-
posed to have been caused by an escape of gas from
the main pipe, which is laid about 9 or 10 feet from
the house in which the unfortunate persons lived.
The family consisted of five persons—Charles Webb
(a hobbler), his wife, and three children, named
respectively Mary Ann, John, and Margaret, their
ages being nine, seven, and five years. They lived
in one of a set of wretched houses nicknamed " Cot-
tage-row," situate at the back of Church-street, and
leading from Pill-road to the docks. The premises
occupied by the deceased were all on one floor, and
consisted of one room of moderate size and two
smaller ones, the latter being almost air tight at
night, and having little or no proper ventilation
during the day.
On Friday morning some of the neighbours noticed
that the .Webby were not about at their usual time,
and opening one of the windows they perceived
the father, mother, and youngest child in bed and
apparently asleep. Not wishing to disturb, them,
or suspecting anything wrong, they waited till.
about 12 o'clock, when, they .became alarmed, and
a woman named Flinn, followed by another named
Dunstan, got through the window. To their horror
they discovered the father apparently dead, the
mother gasping for breath, as if in the last agonies
of death, and upon lifting the child found that life
was extinct. Alarm was immediately given, and
a surgeon was soon in attendance, who pronounced
the two youngest children (who were in another
room) and father to be quite dead. The mother and
oldest child were at once ,removed to the Tredegar
Arms, where every attention was at once given
them. Mr. Ruxtable, superintendent of police,
was soon in attendance, and did all that laid in his
power to assist, the unfortunate sufferers. _Several
medical men visited them during the day, but de-
spite all their efforts the poor child lingered till
Saturday morning, when death ensued. The mother
was still alive when our report left, though slight
hopes were entertained of her recovery.
An inquest was commenced on Saturday before
Mr. W. H. Brewer, deputy-coroner, at the Trede-
gar Arms.
The Coroner briefly addressed the jury on the
distressing nature of the case they were about to
investigate, after which they proceeded to view the
bodies of Webb and the two children, which were
lying at the house occupied by the deceased. The
stench proceeding from the premises was almoat
intolerable. _

On returning to the Tredegar Arms, the first
witness sworn was
Eliza Dunstan, who deposed,--I am living with
my father in Church-street, Pill. We reside in
the upper portion of the house occupied by the
deceased, Charles Webb. I know Webb's family
well, and saw Mrs. Webb on Thursday evening.
She did not complain of any disagreeable smell.
Yesterday morning (Friday) I went to the house
between nine and ten o'clock, and thought the
family were asleep, the door being fastened.
I did not disturb them. I looked through the
window and saw deceased and his wife in bed,
as I thought, sleeping comfortably. About 12
o'clock I went again with some others, saying that
I would have some fun with them as they were
not up. The window was then a little open—
about a quarter of an inch. A woman who was
with me, Ellen Flinn, pulled the window open and
called " Charley Webb" several times. I looked
in and saw he was foaming at the mouth. Mrs.
Flinn went in at the window and I followed her.
The first thing I. saw was the youngest child,
Margaret Webb, Who was lying between th©
father and mother, dead. I took the body up and
carried it into the dark room, where I found two
other children, John Webb and Mary Ann Webb.
John Webb was dead. Several people by
_ that
time had come into the room. Margaret Webb I
took out into the yard. When I opened the wine
dow I found a very disagreeable smell of gas •
When I went into the place first I thought I could
not remain there, the stench was so bad. I rubbed
the child well with my hands to restore life if pos-
sible, but it did no good. Mr. S. Homfray, who
arrived soon after I was in the .house, sent for Mr.
James, surgeon. He looked at the child, and said
it was dead. We found a great smell of gas in our
house, which fronts the abode of deceased.
Mr. Huxtable stated that he had visited the
whole of the houses in the row yesterday, evening,
and found a strong-smell of gas m all of them.
Coroner (to witness)--How long before this had
you noticed a smell of gas in your house ?—About
six months before. It was then so bad my mother
sent a notice to the gas company. There was no
notice taken of the note. .
Cn
_Was there a smell of gas afterwards ?
—Yes ro
; every night since we could smell gas quite
oeevry
strong.
Coroner—lf it was so bad for so long a time did
your mother complain about it again P—No ; she
talked about doing so, but did not.
Coroner—Did you notice the smell of gas before
the drain was open ?-oh, yes ; a long time
before that very strong. My mother was afraid to
keep anything in one part of the house. I noticed
that the gas smelt stronger in the house on Thurs-
day night than usual.
The Coroner stated that he thought the present
inquiry should be considered only a preliminary one.
If the jury coincided with him he would order a
post mortem examination, which he thought would
satisfy the jury as to whether the deceased persons
came to their death by suffocation.
After some desultory conversation it was deter-
mined that a post mortem examination should take
place, the inquiry being adjourned for that purpose
until this day (Tuesday).
It will be as well to state that for many weeks past
great excavations have been making in the locality
of t his melancholy occurrence for the purpose of mak-
ing a better sewerage for the town of Newport. Dur-
ing the progress of the works the greatest negligence
has existed. Long and deep trenches have been cut
in the narrow roads, which have become filled
with water, the tow-path being rendered almost
impassable by the heaps of mud and'elay tlifoWn
up from the excavation. No lights are placed at
night to warn the foot passenger of his danger, and
it is not unfrequently the case that cries are heard
arising from some unfortunate having accidentally
in the darkness precipitated himself into one or
other of the many gaps. By many it was presumed
that the interference in the sewerage was the cause
of the escape of gas, but as far as the evidence has
gone the contrary seems the case.
Our reporter states that he has just visited the
scene of the calamity, and many of the residents in-
form him that they are in danger of going to bed
in consequence of the foul state of the atmosphere
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their tongues hanging from their mouths. By pro-
per means they were fortunately restored.

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