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

POLICE I.

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. by
death is sup-
posed to have been caused by an escape of gas from
the main pipe, which is laid about 9 or I.ofeet 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 Webbs 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 m 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. Huxtable, 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 almost
intolerable.
On returning to •the Tredegar Arms, the first
witness sworn was
Eliza Dunstan who deposed,—l 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 the
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 win-
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 in 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.
Coroner—Was there
•a smell of gas afterwards ?
—Yes ; every night since we could smell gas quite
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 wellto state that for many weeks past
•great excavations have been making in the locality
of this 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 clay thrown
up from the excavation. No lights are placed at
night to warn the footpassengerr 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 oalamity, 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
in their houses. One man informed him that on
Friday night previous to retiring to bed he looked
at two of his children, who appeared to be dying,
their tongues hanging from their mouths. By pro-
per means they were fortunately restored.

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MANSION-HOUSE. Urban A. Godtz, a
native of Holland, carrying on the business of a
commission agent at 15, Fenchurch-street, was
brought before the Lord Mayor upon a warrant
which charged him, under the Factors' Act, with
having unlawfully deposited and transferred a
warrant for 16 bags of cloverseed, contrary to the.
orders of, and without any authority from, his
principal.
Mr. Sleigh, the barrister, appeared in support of
the prosecution, and Mr. Lewis, jun., defended the
prisoner.
Mr. Sleigh, in opening the case, said,—My Lord
Mayor, I have the honour to appear before your
lordship to suppsrt the prosecution against the pri-
soner at the • bar, who is a person coming within
the meaning of the Factors' Act, and who has an
establishment in Fenchurch:street, where he carries
on business ostensibly as a commission agent, and
-the charge I have to prefer against him is one of
very great importance, not as regards him merely,
but as regards every person connected with this
great commercial community. The gentlemen I
represent—Messrs, Meuwissen and Son, merchants,
of Echt, in Belgium—consigned for a certain pur-
pose to the prisoner certain goods, a portion of
which he, in violation of good faith, pledged, and
by pledge obtained an advance of money upon them.
He pledged the warrant of title to those goods.
The statute sth and 6th Victoria, cap. 39, sec. 6,
enacts, " That, if any agent intrusted with the pos-
session of goods, or of the documents of title to
goods, shall, contrary to or without the authority
of his principal in. that behalf, for his own benefit
and in violation of good faith, make any consign-
ment, deposit, transfer, or delivery as or by way of
a pledge, lien, or security, or shall, contrary to or
without such authority for his own benefit, and in
violation of good faith, accept any advance on the
faith of any contract or agreement to consign, de-
posit, transfer, or deliver such goods or documents
of title as aforesaid, every such agent shall be
deemed guilty of misdemeanour." It appears that
Messrs. Meuwissen, of Echt, consigned to the pri-
soner, in the month of April last, 19 bags of clover-
seed upon: sale, and it appears that subsequently
the younger member of the firm was in London,
and he had several conversations with the prisoner
in reference to those 19 bags, which the prisoner
told him he had received, and in respect
of which the prisoner said that three of
them he had sold, but that the remaining 16 he
was keeping out of the market, as he could not
procure for them the price set upon them by his
principals. It afterwards turnedout upon inquiry
that the prisoner made his appearance at the offices
of Messrs. Barker and Co., merchants, of King Wil-
liam-street, and he there and then deposited with
them in the month of July last the warrant, or that
which is indicated by the statute as the document
of title in reference to these goods, and he deposited
It with them as a security for an advance to him of
£6O. That was without the authority of his prin-
cipals ; it was in violation of good faith,. it was in
contravention of the statute to which [have just
called your attention, and if the fact be as I have
stated then he is clearly guilty of the offence indi-
cated by the statute, and against which for the pro-
tection of the public that statute was passed. 'shall
prove these facts before you, and then it will be for
your lordship to say whether the case ought not to
be sent to a higher tribunal for adjudication.
Mr. J. A. Meuwissen was then sworn and said—
I live at the South Sea-house, Threadneedle-street,
and agent to George Dornbusch, a merchant, who
is agent to my father, Johannes Renier Meuwissen,
who carries on the business of a merchant, at Echt,
in Belgium. The prisoner carries on the business
of a commission agent at 15, Fenchurch-street. I
know that my father consigned to him 19 bags of
cloverseed in the spring of the year.. I had a con-
versation with the prisoner in references to this con-
signment both before and after the arrival of the
seed. Before its arrival he said he would sell it if
possible to the limit my father had giVen him, and
which he stated to be 545. per cwt. After the ar-
rival of the seed I had another conversation with
him, in the course of which he told me that he could
not obtain the stated limit for the seed. About the
23d or 24th of April he told me that the highest
price he could get for it was 50s. per cwt. About
the 12th of May he told me that he had sold three
of the 19 bags, and that the remaining 16 should be
kept out of the market, as he could not obtain my
father's limit for them. I never gave him any
authority whatever to deal with the seed otherwise
than to sell it.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis—The prisoner and
I were not to be partners in the profit derived from
the sale of the seed. He did not tell me that he
had sent the seed to Liverpool.
Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)—The question is not
with regard to the seed being sent about, but with
regard to the warrant that was pledged.
Mr. Lewis—Did he not claim an amount for com-
mission charges and warehousing on the 19 bags ?
Witness—Yes ; but lie never gave me his account.
Mr. Lewis—He has certain charges in respect to
the entirety, has he not ?
Witness—He has charges, of course.
Mr. Lewis—When he sold the seed he was to
send either to you or to your father an account
current ?
Witness—To my father.
Mr. Lewis-7---Was he to hold the money to your
father's credit ?
Witness—My father was to draw upon him.
Mr. Lewis—Do you not know that your father
drew upon him for £250 odd ? -
Witness—Yes ; that' was after he had received
the seed from my father.
Mr. Lewis—At the date upon which he sold the
three bags of seed did he not pay £5O ?.
Mr. Goodman—Was not that in respect to the
seed ? •
Mr. Lewis—The account is as open as anything
can be.
Mr. Goodman—Does the £250 bill refer to this
seed in any way ?
Witness—No, none whatever.
Mr. Lewis—Do you know to what the £250 bill
does refer ?
Witness—lt refers to another parcel of 50 bags,
which has nothing to do with this case.
Mr. Goodman—The whole question is, whether
he had a right to pledge the warrants.
Mr. Lewis—The statute has this proviso :
" Provided that no such agent shall be liable to any pro-
secution for consigning, depositing, transferring, or deli-
vering any such goods or documents of title, in case the
same shall not be made a security for or subject to the pay-
ment of any greater sum of money than the amount which,
at the time of such consignment, deposit, transfer, or deli-
very was justly due or owing to such agent from his prin-
cipal, together with the amount of any bills of exchange
drawn by or on account of such principal and accepted by
such agent."
Witness—The prisoner has never given an ac-
count of the 19 bags.
The Lord Mayor—The question is whether the
prisoner had authority to pawn the warrant. The
subsequent part of the clause gives a sort of power
to the party, but he -must render an account. The
question is, whether there was money due to the
agent which justified him in acting as he did.
Mr. Lewis--There was a sum of £2O or £3O due
to him for what he had done. lamin a condition
to prove that on the very day he sold the three
bags he paid £5O, and that together with what was
due to him made £7O, the warrant being deposited
for £6O.
The Lord Mayor—He had no right to part with
the warrant for goods consigned to him merely be-
cause money was due to him.
Mr. Lewis—The Act of Parliament allows that.
The Lord Mayor—No, it does not ; and it would
be a very dangerous thing if the law allowed a per-
son to whom_goods were consigned to pledge fhe
warrant for them in this way.
Mr.: Goodman—The warrant was pledged for
£6O: If £6O were due from the prosecutor to the
prisoner at that time there is a question whether
this act would apply ; but if nothing was due it
was quite a different thing.
Witness—After the prisoner sold the three bags
he remitted £5O to my father.
Mr. Sleigh—That was a totally different trans-
action to this.
Mr. Lewis—You say so.
Mr. Sleigh—The witness says so too.
Mr. Lewis—Have you not offered to the prisoner
to take £l5O in discharge of this matter ?
Witness—Never.
Mr. Lewis—Did you write this letter (handing
it to the witness), which is dated 31st Aug., since
proceedings were taken at this court ?
Witness—'-Yes.
Mr. Lewis—That was after he had pledged the
e
goods, and after you had taken proceedings here
.
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Lewis—Do you not in that letter say this,
" I have reason to annul the criminal act ; there-
fore, instead of handing me this -week or the next
week £75, bring that sum to twice £75. In the
meantime I remain your sincere friend.
Witness—No, that is not a correct translation of
the letter. •
Mr. Lewis-:---Did .you offer to take two sums of
£75 each.
Witness—No-
The witness proceeded to read the letter, and
gave the following
:
as a correct translation of the
passage quoted by Mr. Lewis -" Instead of giving
me X 75 thus week, 'next week makes the amount