The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-29 00:00:00

INQUEST THIS DAY.

An inquest was held this afternoon at St.
Thomas's Hospital, before Mr. Payne, upon the
bodies of William Cooper, of No. 7, Anthony-
street, Bermondsey, and Henry Nash, aged 17, two
of the unfortunate persons who lost their lives on
the afternoon of the 27th.
The jury having been sworn,
The Coroner said the jury were assembled to in-
quire into the deaths of two of the sufferers who
lost their lives in consequence of being trampled
upon on an alarm of fire being raised at the Vic-
toria Theatre on Monday afternoon. The other
unfortunate individuals had been conveyed to dif-
ferent parts of the metropolis, and that fact ac-
counted for the present inquest being limited
to the two persons above mentioned. Before
entering into the inquiry he begged to state
that, in order to set aside any notion to
the contrary that might exist, that if any
person wilfully raised the cry of fire in a crowded
assembly, and death was the consequence, he was,
without question, liable for all the fatal conse-
quences that might follow.
The jury having viewed the bodies returned to
the inquest room. The first witness called was
William Hands, who said—l am a money-taker
at the gallery of the Victoria Theatre. About half-
past 4on Monday afternoon I was in the gallery
saloon, when I saw the people in the gallery all
jump up. The morning performance was going on.
I wondered what was the matter. The audience
commenced rushing towards the staircase crying
out "Tire."
Coroner—Who did that ?

Witness—l can't say. The check-taker and
myself tried to stop them going out the way they
were going. We directed them to go down the
cross staircase. Some went that way, but a good
many, however, got past us and unfastened the
frontdoor. That was the commencement of the panic.
We did all that was possible to prevent fatal con-
sequences. The fatality took place on the third
landing. There was no fire at all, at least I saw
none. I cannot say how the cry arose.
By a Juror—There was an escape of gas after
the people had broken down the gas pipe. That
was after the fire. The pipe was pulled out of its
place by the people trying to escape. The alarm
was given in the boxes, not in the gallery. There
are two galleries. The staircase of the top gallery
is five feet six inches wide.

Mr. John Croft said—l reside at 3, Nursery-
row, Walworth. I was at the Victoria Theatre on
Monday afternoon. I entered the house a few
minutes after two. I was in the boxes—the dress
circle—almost in the centre of the house. Every-
thing went on quietly for an hour and a half. At
about a quarter to 4 some smoke arose from the
front part of the boxes, about eight or ten seats in
front of me, and I then heard some persons say—
" you're on fire—you're on fire." The persons who
called were in the boxes, and they said it to a man
who was close to them. The man's coat was on
fire. Immediately there was a rush to the doors
from the boxes.

Coroner—Did you see what became of the man
whose coat was on fire ?

Witness—No. I ran out with the rest. I only
heard the words, " You're on fire," when the
audience began to leave.
By a Juror—l can't say what became of the
man who said, " You're on fire." I only saw a
little smoke. The people ran out frantically.
Mr. Edward Bowden said—l reside at 41, Grey-
street, Webber-street. I am assistant artist at the
Victoria Theatre. At the time the alarm was given

I was standing at the back of the boxes in the
lobby. I was looking at the last comic scene when
I took my eye off, and I saw some smoke. It was
about five feet from the boxes. It was such as
would be produced by about two or three boxes of
fusees. There was a sulphurous smell. I jumped
into the box where the smoke was. I saw a
quantity of stuff like blue-fire alight on the floor.
I trampled it out with my feet. A cry of
fire arose, and the people immediately rushed about
in a frantic manner, and began to make their
escape. I implored them to keep their seats. 1
saw a man and three or four boys standing together
where this occurred. A boy told me another boy's
coat had caught fire. After the house was
empty I looked on the floor, but I only found
a piece of paper which smelled of sulphur. I found
no lucifcr matches. My impression is that the
smoke was occasioned by fusees. No part of the
boxes was burnt. I imagine the fusees ignited of
themselves. I heard some person say, " His coat
tail is on fire." There was not a very great dis-
turbance made. I know nothing of what took
place outside.

By a Juror—There was 13 person smoking.
_ _ __

Mr. Henry Young said—l reside at 50, Elliot's•
row, and am treasurer at the Victoria Theatre.
When the cry of fire arose I was in the box lobby.
It seemed to proceed from the left centre of the
boxes. I saw the people rise up in a mass. I
entreated the audience to keep their seats, and
asked them the cause of the alarm, when several
of them said, "There's fire, we can smell it and see
the smoke." Numbers then made a rush to the

principal staircase. After a minute or two I suc-
ceeded in pacifying some persons near me, and
then went to the staircase and told the audience
they might safely return to their seats. They
did so. I heard the commotion in the gallery. The
alarm was perfectly electric. It spread over the
whole house in an instant. Thero was a smell of
lucifers or fusees. I looked on the floor but found
nothing to indicate fire. After the tumult sub-
dided several persons told me a boy's coat had
taken fire through having some fusses in his
pocket. I asked where the boy was, but I was
unable to find him.

By a Juror—l cannot say positively whether the
smoke was occasioned by lucifers or fusees. The
parties who lost their lives were on the gallery
stairs waiting to come in to the evening perform.
ance. That is my opinion:- The persons rushing
out of the gallery must have opened one of the front
doors in their fright, and thus caused the cata-
strophe. The persons who opened that door were
cautioned not to do so. They were directed the
way out. There are three outlets to the gallery.
Joseph Holmes, 40, Salisbury-street, Bermondsey
said—l was on the top stair of the gallery near
the pay place, with Cooper (the deceased) and
Patrick Andrews ; he is also dead. We started
from home about half-past three. We had all been
waiting at the door for about half an hour. There
were a great many people below us, wanting to go
in to see the night performance. Cooper stood
behind me, on the stair below. Andrews was on
the same stair as I was. He was on my left hand
side. I laid hold of the bannisters with my right
hand. The first thing I saw of the accident was
the gallery door opening from the inside, and some
persons said, " Get out; the place is on fire." We
all made a rush to get down stairs, and I was
thrown down on the top of the others. I looked
up, and then I saw a gas pipe had burst. We
all laid on the first landing. I called out for help.
A policeman tried to pull me out, but failed, as
I was wedged in too tight. I saw Patrick Andrews
cry until he was black in the face. There were
persons below and above him. It all happened in
consequence of the people trying-to get out. I did
not see William Cooper. I can't say where the
alarm was first given. All I know is, that I heard
the person who opened the door say, " Get out ; the
place is on fire."

By a Juror—l never noticed the gas pipe. We
were all lying on the top of cach other. I don't
know anything more. I was carried immediately
to a coffee-shop. I think the gas pipe was fitted too
high for the people to tread on it. - . -
James Cooper, a lad aged about 15, said—l live
at Anthony-street, Bermondsey. Cooper is my

prices.

brother. He was turned 17 years of age. He
worked with my father, who is a costermonger. I
went with him to the theatre. They advised me
to get out of the crowd previous to the alarm being
given. I, however, went back, when I heard some-
body say, " Get out, the place is on fire." The
people on the stairs all began to rush out. After
the alarm was over I saw my brother lying down.
I cried for help, when two policemen came. When
I first saw my brother he was lying on the floor. I
thought he was dead. I put my hand to his heart,
but coult not feel it beat. He was taken to the
doctor's, who said he was not quite dead, and that
he had better be taken to the hospital. That is all
I know about it.
Mr. W. Edgar—l am check-taker to the gallery.
My box is a flight above the waiting place. I saw
the people rushing out of the theatre—they were
rushing towards the front staircase. Two or three
boys opened the door. They gave the alarm.
The people then began to rush down—that caused
the mischief. The people, as they came out of the
gallery called out " Fire." I don't know anything
but what I have been told by Mr. Boden.
Mr. Johnson Towers said—l am lessee of the
theatre. The staircase is 6 ft. 6 in. wide, with 13
inches tread. It is the same width from top to
bottom. I was at the back of the stage when the
alarm was raised. My son and one of the attend-
ants at the pit bolted the door, and no acci-
dent occurred there. The same was done with
respect to the boxes. The explosion of gas spoken
of was merely a small Assure in the pipe. The
gas-man put out the flame with his cap. It was
fixed nine feet from the floor. The gas pipe, I
believe, was pulled from its place by persons trying
to see what was the matter. Had the people gone
down the outlet they were directed, no fatal ace:
dent could have taken place.
Police constable L 168 gave evidence, but it re-
lated merely to carrying the wounded parties to
the hospital.
Sarah Bickers said—l knew one of the boys
lying dead. He is my son. He was a porter. He
went by the name of Henry Nash.
_ _

Police constable 33 L said—l was on duty in the
Victoria Theatre when the accident occurred. I
fastened the gallery door, on the top of the stairs,
about 20 minutes past four. There were people
then waiting on the stairs for the evening perform-
ance. I was going to arrange the pit doors, when

I heard a confusion, and I ran baci to the gallery
door, which I had fastened, and found it had been
opened. A man told me the gallery stairs were on
fire. I saw an unusual light under the third
landing. I went to see what was the matter. I
saw a number of persons lying htddled together.
The slit in the gas pipe was about the 16th of an
inch in width and half an inch in length. It would
not have done any harm had it burnt for hours.
George Batt, police sergeant, 9 L—l saw the mob
on the gallery stairs. I heard seme of them say
" The place is on Fire." I saw the gas blazing from
the pipe. I don't know whether the light could be
seen inside the house. The people were shot from
the top of the gallery like coals. I saw two or
three people jump over the side of the stairs. The
whole of the unfortunates were completely wedged.
down, none could get up, not even those who lay
on the top.

Edwin Corbyn, the gasfitter, said the pipe was
quite perfect when the performance began in the
afternoon. The leakage might have been caused
by persons taking held of the pipe to climb up by.
The gas pipe was here produced, and some of the
jurors were of opinion that the fracture was one of
old standing.

Mr. Henry Gervis, house-surgeon to St. Thomas's
Hospital, said both boys were dead when brought
to the institution. Nash had three ribs broken
on one side and four on the other. The lungs,
heart, and brain bore all the appearance of death

having been caused by suffocation. The same wa•
the case with Cooper, only he had no fracture.
The Coroner summed up, and said if it could b°-
proved that any person had wilfully raised the cry
of fire, and death had been occasioned thereby, ho
would be guilty of manslaughter.
A verdict of accidental death was returned, the
jury being of opinion that the alarm in the boxes
was the cause of the accident.

The inquest on the other unfortunate sufferers
will be held at the Lambeth Workhouse to-morrow
morning, but it will be merely a repetition of the

above evidence.

THIS DA YS MA RKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

The supply of English wheat on sale here to-day was un-
usually small, and the whole of it was cleared off at fully
Monday's prices. The demand may be called steady.
There was only a moderate inquiry for foreign wheat, the
show of which was seasonably large, at previous curren-
cies.

Floating cargoes were a dull inquiry. Both barley and
malt moved off heavily at late rates.
There was an improved feeling in the oat trade, and full
prices were realised in every instance.
Beans and peas moved off slowly at late rates.
The flour trade was steady, at full quotations.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley Malt. Oats.
English 3lO 350 ; 300 ; 940
Irish
Foreign 550 i 10,410 i 4,370

Flour.
430

70 sks
bliii

WHITECHAPEL.
There WAS more firmness in the trade to-day, at very full

Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 40 8d ; lamb,
Os Od to Os Od ; veal, 3s 4d to 4s 2d ; and pork, 3s 2d to 4s
4d per 81b. by the carcase.

BOROUGH HOP.
Good and fine new hops are in fair request, at full prices,
but all other kinds are very dull.

AQUATICS.

FOUR-OARED CUTTER RACE.
A very well-contested four-oared race was rowed yester-
day afternoon, from Putney-bridge to Chelsea-bridge.
The prizes were gold rings for the first boat, and money
prizes for the second. The following were the results .
Red
Mr. Gibson
Mr. Crown
C. Wells, coxswain.

Mr. Lea thwoit
Mr. Andrews

Mr. E. Dixon
Mr. Richardson
T. Price, coxswain.