The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-20 00:00:00

I.IIE FENIA& OUT AGE.

ADJOURNED CORONER'S INQUEST —(TIIIS DAY.)
The Coroner's inquest into the circumstances
that led to the deaths of the three persons• who
lost their lives by the explosion at the House of
'Detention, on the 13:h inst., vas resumed this morn-
ing, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
Prior to the opening of the proceedings the
Coroner informed the jury that since their last
meeting another death had occurred, viz., Martha
Evans, and he thought the best course to pursue
would be for the jury to view the body, and include
it in the present inquiry, which would avoid the
necessity of holding a separate inquest on it.
The jury having been re-sworn, proceeded to
view the body, and on their return the following
evidence was taken :

Sergeant Abel Whiting, Ne. 8 G, said—On Fri-
day last about four o'clock, just after the explosion,
I saw Martha Evans struggling among the ruins of
the falling house, No. 3A, Corporation-lane. With
the assistance of others I got her out, and she was
sent to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. She seemed
very much hurt about the head, was very black, and
bleeding copiously. She was unable to speak.
Coroner—That is all you know of that part of
the matter ?

Witness;—Yes. .1 may state, however, that I
helped to rescue her daughter.

John Wells, gunner in the Royal Artillery, said
—I was standing at the corner of Meridith-street,
when I heard the explosion. I saw a large quantity
of smoke, and went to the spot, when I saw a
woman's arm amidst the ruins. I borrowed a saw
and cut a beam in two, when a man came up and
said " For God's sake safe my wife." I got her out
and she was taken to the hospital.
William Evans—l reside at 6, Warner's-place,
Clerkenwell. The deceased person, Martha Evans,
was my mother ; she was 67 years of age. Her
health had been bad some time. I saw her in the
morning previous to the explosion, at her house in
Coporation-lane.
_ _

Klrs: Crawley—l reside in Clerkenwell-close. 1
was passing along Corporation-lane near the House
of Detention at a quarter past four on Friday last.
1 was near Rosoman-street. I was walking on the
prison side of the way. I noticed a large package,
but I did not see it was a barrel until I got close up
to it. It was covered over, and the end of it was
quite close to the prison wall. I did not see the
truck. I saw two men standing at the corner of a
court (St. James's-place) opposite the barrel. I saw
one of the men in front of the barrel. Afterwards
one of the men at the corner of the court stepped
forward and threw something to the men standing
near the barrel, near which at this time two little
boys were standing. Just before I reached the
barrel I saw one of the little boys stoop down and
pick something up, and the other then said, " That
belongs to the man." One of the bf, s afterwards
said to the man near the barrel, •• fhat will do
master ; it wilt go," meaning that it was alight. As
I passed I saw 'the squib burning. The man was
then standing close to it. 1 then ran along
and crossed over to the other side of the
way and went towards Woodbridge-street. I there
met a policeman, and called his attention to it, and
he crossed over towards the barrel, and just as lie
reached it, I saw the man dart off in the direction
of Rosoman-street.

Coroner—The man then had been near the
barrel?

Witness—Yes. I saw the policeman turn round,
then I heard the explosion, and was thrown down.
When I got up I seemed to be all in the dark.
Coroner—Should you know either of the men
again ?

Witness—Yes. I saw one yesterday at the pri-
son, and I am almost positive he was one of the
men in the prison I had seen throw something to the
man near the barrel. I speak more from his dress
than from his features, as I was not near enough to
them, but I believe him to be one of the men of
whom I speak.

Coroner—Can you tell how long it was between
your seeing the light and the explosion taking
place ?

Witness—About a minute ; the squib when I saw
it burning was in a blue case. It stuck out of the
barrel about the length of my finger.
Coroner—You pointed out the person to the officer
at the prison.

Witness—Yes ; Sergeant Whiting was also pre-
sent.

A Juror—Did the policeman you speak of see
the man at the barrel.

Witness—Yes ; I should think he must. The
man I identified is the one I saw throw something
from the corner of the court to the man at the
barrel.

A Juror—Did you see the man at the front of the
barrel pick up what was thrown to him.
Witness—No : one of the little boys picked it up.
A Juror—Can you identify the man who fired
the barrel?

Witness—No ; I don't think I can, but I might
do so by his size.

Sergeant Whiting recalled—The person pointed
out by the last witness is the prisoner Allen.
Coroner to Mrs. Crawley—How were the men
shown to you at the prison ?
Witness—Separately ; the one I pointed out was
the second one I looked at. •

Chief Warder Moore, of the House of Detention,
said—At the time of the explosion I was in the
centre of the prison. I had noticed before a
man loitering about for three-quarters of an hour
before the explosion. This was the prisoner Allen.
I had seen him come from Strutton's-yard and join
the prisoners Desmond and Justice at the front of
the prison. They all conversed together and pointed
to the narrow passage opposite. I had previously
been informed that the prisoner Allen had been
seen upon the top of one 'of the houses in
Woodbridge-street. I afterwards saw a woman
looking out of one of the windows of the second last
house in Corporation-row. I could see there five
or six men also in the room. Five minutes after
this I was conversing with the governor, when the
explosion took place. _ _

Coroner—You had preciously had information
about something likely to occur on Thursday?
Witness—Yes. The warders were armed.
Coroner--What was done to protect the outside?
Witness - Nothing. That was left to Sir Richd.
Mayne.

coroner—Did you expect the attack would be by
explosion ?

Witness—No ; we had no intimation that a breach
in the wall would be attempted, and the prisoners
were at once remoaed to the inner yard. The pri-
soners would have been out exercising 10 minutes
before the explosion had they not been removed.
Coroner—Would that include Burke and Casey ?

Witness—Burke would have been in the yard,
the wall of which was blown down, but Casey would
have been in the inner yard.

Coroner—The information was sent to the police,
was it ?

Witness—Yes ; it was sent to Sir R. Mayne.
Coroner—The Justices were not called together?
Witness—No.

Coroner—Did it appear to you that it