The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-18 00:00:00

THE S ITN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858

water was thrown over the spectators, but nothing
more. Had the shell taken a slanting instead of an
upright direction, it is feared many lives must have
been sacrificed. It is to be regretted that the autho-
rities permitted one so unfit as Capt. Harvey to
experiment with a toy so dangerous as a shell con-
taining 26 lbs. of gunpowder.

THE CATASTROPHE AT THE SURREY
MUSIC HALL, SHEFFIELD.

(From the Sheffield Tinges.)
Before proceeding to mention some additional
facts which go to strengthen the evidence of the
young man Greaves that the panic was in the first
instance occasioned by an explosion of gas, we will
give some facts of an opposite tendency, and which
certainly are somewhat difficult to reconcile with
Greaves's statements. In the first place, we hasten
to correct a misstatement which crept into our re-
port of the proceedings at the inquest, and which
reflects some injustice on Mr. Flint, who had the
management of the gas fittings. When the jury
went to view the spot in the gallery where the ex-
plosion is said to have taken place an irregular con-
versation took place. Mr. Flint is reported to have
stated in the course of it that when he examined
the gallery after the hall was cleared on Monday
night there was no piece of boarding sprung at the
spot of the alleged explosion. What Mr. Flint
really said was that a piece of boarding was sprung,
but he denied the inference that it was caused by
an explosion of gas. His explanation of the board
being sprung is, that before the panic he and his
man went to the spot and unfastened the boarding
for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was
a leakage underneath. As soon as the man had
finished the investigation he refastened the board-
ing, but hurriedly, as the people were waiting to
take their seats ; and the boarding, not being suf-
ficiently secured, sprung out of itself, as it would
naturally do, being bent into a circular shape to
fit the bend of the gallery. Such is the explana-
tion of the undoubted fact that the piece of board-
ing was sprung out of its place after the panic.
Another fact is, that there do not appear to be any
marks of damage, such as one might expect to see
after an explosion, in the immediate vicinity of the
spot where it happened. The velvet on the top of
the front of the gallery is not burnt, and none of
the ornamental work, though it is very slight, is
injured. Mr. Cashin, civil engineer, has been re-
tained by Mr. Flint to examine the place and give
his opinion to the coroner and jury as to whether
there has been an explosion. IVe understand that
Mr. Cashin, who examined the place yesterday
afternoon, is prepared to state positively that in his
judgment there cannot have been an explosion of
gas at the spot indicated. Mr. Ellis, gasfitter,
George-street, who was appointed by the coroner
and jury to examine the place, and express an opi-
nion as to whether there has been an explosion,
also made an investigation yesterday., but we are
not aware what conclusion he has arrived at.
The above facts, so far as they go, tell against
the evidence of Greaves and his companion. On the
other hand, we must remember that their story is
simple, straightforward, and of itself intrinsically
trustworthy. That they could be mistaken is im-
possible, and it is scarcely within the range of pos-
sibility that their story can have been concocted.
All the three young men are of good character.
Moreover, their evidence is borne out both by cir-
cumstance and corroborative testimony. It will be
recollected that Greaves stated that he caused the
explosion by lighting a match lot his cigar. It is a
very curious circumstance, as corroborating his
story in a minute point, that on the floor under-
neath where he sat a half-burnt match was found,
• and this remnant of the match corresponded in
description with the remainder of the matches he
carried in his pocket.
A great deal has been said about the pistol being
fired by a man who sat close to two women. Greaves
sat next to two women, and was just about the spot
where all those who witnessed the affair say that
the flash, from whatever it proceeded, was observed.
The evidence of the first woman is as follows :
My name is Sarah Ann Beatson. lam 17 years
old. I Dodge at 22, Doucaster-street, and get my
living by washing. I was at the Surrey Music-hall
on Monday night. I went with Mary Ann Richard-
son. We sat next to a young man in the gallery. It
was a young man I saw at the Town-hall with his
hand burnt. I smelt something, and the people
said it was gas. A waiter came with a piece of
lighted paper and leaned over the front of the gal-
lery, and lighted the gas just above the chandelier.
About half-an-hour before the explosion a gasman
came with another man, who had his coat on and
seemed to be master. The gasman opened the
woodwork and did something inside, and closed it
again. The gasman had some white stuff in his
-hand. The young man who sat next to me said,
" Bring thy putty here ; it is here it wants it." The
man made some answer, but I did not know what ;
and then the young man next me said, " If it's not
here, I'll eat both thee and thy putty." Nothing
happened after this till the explosion. I did not see
the young man next me strike a match. I should
not have seen him if he did so, because I was look-
ing at the young woman on the stage. I was look-
ing at her dress. Then the explosion took place.
It came like a flash. I can scarcely say what sort
of a flash. The flash seemed as if it came upwards,
and took my eyesight. I smelt no gunpowder. I am
certain the young man next me had no piFtol in his
hand. I thought at the time it was an explosion of
gas. The people began to rush out directly after-
wards.
It would be tedious to give the statement of the
other young woman, as it merely corroborates that
of her companion. Her name, as already stated, is
Mary Ann Richardson. She is 22 years of age, and
lives with her parents at 26, Doncaster-street.
Mr. Booth, surgeon, in accordance with the re-
quest of the coroner, has examined the hand of
Greaves, in order to ascertain how the injury has
been occasioned. He states precisely the same as
Mr. Hall, that there is a slight burn which might
have been occasioned by an explosion of gas, or by
other means,; but the actual mode in which it has
been done he is unable to say.
There are several persons who saw the flash, and
who are prepared to say that they believe it pro-
ceeded from an explosion of gas. There are more
who were of opinion at the time that it was caused
by. the letting off of a pistol. Some of them still re-
tain the same belief ; but it is very doubtful whether
any one of them will be prepared to come forward
and say that he saw a pistol. Madame Marietta,
indeed states that she saw a pistol, and it was a
very large one ; but the terror from which she suf-
fered was so great that (without imputing to hsr
any intentional misrepresentation) very little reli-
ance can be placed upon what she says upon such a

point.
Mr. Youdan has announced the reopening of the
establishment for Friday (last) night. Previously
to that time, however, ail the gas piping and appa-
ratus on the premises will be thoroughly tested.