The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-17 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.-(TIIIS DAY.)

The Coroner's inquiry into the circumstances
connected with the deatLS of William Clutton,
Sarah Hodgkinson, and Minnie Julia Abbott, com-
menced this morning, before ➢lr. Payne, the coroner
for the City of London, at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital.

The jury having viewed the bodies previous to
the opening of the inquiry,

The Coroner asked whether there were any of
the visiting justices of the prison present, and, on
being answered in the negative, said he thought
some of them ought to have attended, as they were
the parties most interested. He then asked if any
person attended who could give any information
with respect to the construction of the prison.
Inspector Potter said there was a gentleman pre-
sent who c•Juld speak: to that matter.

The Coroner said he would take the evidence of
that person first.
Frederick Hythe Pownall was then called, and
said—l am the county surveyor. lam well ac-
quainted with the construction of the House of
Detention. On the side of the prison is Corpora-
tion-lane, a narrow street, the houses forming the
northern side of the lane. It fronts towards the
prison, the wall of which at that spot is about 20
feet high inside, and five feet less outside. The
houses opposite are much higher than the walls ;
base of the wall two bricks and a half, the middle
two bricks, and the top a brick and a half. Inside
the wall is the exercising yard of the prison, which
is about 20ft. square. I visited the spot of the explo-
sion last Friday evening, between 7 and 8 o'clock,
professionally. I found an opening had been blown
in the wall, which was about 60 feet at the top, and
considerably less at the bottom. I saw enough
clearly to convince me that the wall had been blown
down from the outside, as the bricks had !alien
into the yard inside. It must have required
very great force to produce the damage done. The
skylights on the roof were altogether blown out,
which must have been by the concussion. In fact,
the glass was more or less damaged in a great many
places. The slating of the roof was very much dis-
turbed, and several of the doors were sprung. The
houses opposite the wall in Corporation-lane were
far more damaged than the prison. The bricks
which had formed the front of those houses had
been blown some distance into the yard. The houses
are in fact one mass of ruins; several of the walls
which had been left standing had had to be pulled
down since the explosion. The windows in the
adjoining streets were destroyed to a very great
extent, no doubt by the concussion. I should say
from all I have seen the explosion must have oc-
curred very near the lower part of the breach,
which opens about 14 or 15 feet.

Coroner—ls there any person now who can speak
as to the damage done to the houses ?
Inspector Potter, of the G division of police, said
—At two minutes before 12 o'clock on the Friday
I passed down Corporation-row and Lane, and every
thing at the time, including the wall and the houses,
was then safe. At a few minutes before four I was
at the Clerkenwell Police-station, when I heard the
explosion. It is about three quarters of a mile from
the prison. It was a very loud report, in fact, it
shook the station. As a railway passes beneath the
station I despatched men to ascertain the cause
In a few minutes after I beard where the disaster
had occurred, and I, in company with Superinten _
dent Gurnon, left the station in a cab for the prison
On arriving at the wall in Corporation-lane I saw
what the last witness has described. Opposite the
wall, the front of the house No. 4, Corporation-lane,
had been blown out. I saw a female amidst the
ruins in an eb.hausted state. She was rescued alive,
but soon afterwards the body of a female was taken
from beneath the ruins quite dead. I did not know
her then, but since the occurrence I have ascertained
her name to be ifodgkinson. Her body was very
black from burning, and her clothes were covered
with mortar. The next house, at the corner of St.
James's-court, leading into St. James's-buildings,
had been partially blown down ; and to prevent
further accident, another portion of it, which was
was pulled down by direction of the Government
surveyor. The body of the woman Hodgkinson
was taken from the ruins of No. 4. I did not see
any other bodies found.

A Juror—Have you seen the fragments of a
barrel ?

Witness—Yes. On the following morning I
found three small pieces of a barrel in Itosoman-
street, and a piece--half a stave—was given me by
a person who found it on the roof of No. 4, which
smelled very strong of paraffine and gunpowder.
Coroner—Do you know enough of chemistry to
state that?

Winess—Yes. The pieces I found in Rosoman-
street smelled the same. On Sunday a whole stave
was found in the ruins that also had the same de-
scription of smell. The fragments are now at Scot-
land-yard. They have been sent there for some
medical gentleman to examine.

A Juror—Can you give- any description of the
size of the barrel?

Witness—Yes. A cooper, judging from the sizo
of the stave, states it to be a 3G gallou barrel.
Coroner—Have you any one here who saw tho
explosion ?
Witness—Yes, sir.

Ambrose Sutton, 343 A R, s ,id—About twelve
on Friday I was at the corner of St. James's-walk,
at the corner in front of the prison gate. I saw the
man Allen, who is now in custody, in company with
a woman named Ann Justice, who is also in cus-
tody. The female then left him and went into the
prison, where she remained some time. She came
out again, and found Allen at the same corner.
They stood together for some little time, when an-
other man joined them—the man Desmond now in
custody. All three remained in conversation for
some time.

Coroner—You did not see where Desmond came
from ?

Witness—Oh, no. After that another man came
up, and only appeared to speak a word or two to
them, when he Ilalked down from St. James's-walk
to the corner of Short's Buildings, where I was stand-
ing, and he rolled against me. Ile said, as he did
so, " I beg your pardon." He walked four or five
yards further on, and then returned, and
asked me a trifling question. I told him
I could give him no information, as I was quite a
stranger.

Coroner—But what became of the man ?

Witness—lle walked away, but I should not
know him again. I afterwards received instructions
from Ranger to watch Desmond and the third man.
1 watched Desmond up Rosoman-street to the co r-
ner of Bowling-green-lane, opposite the end of
Corporation-lane. lle crossed into Corporation-
lane, and I then went to Bowling-green-lane, and
there I saw him coming away from a truck which
was standing with the handle up, and a barrel was
on the pavement near the prison wall. it ap-
peared as if the barrel had rolled out of the truck.
Desmond left there, and made his way towards to
Rosoman-street.

Coroner—Leaving the truck and the barrel
there?

Ilri tn ess—Yes ; I followed him into Short's-
buildings, where I lost sight of him all at once, as I
was looking round to see if the women and Allen
were standing where I left them, at the corner of
St. James's-walk. They were alone. I turned
back towards Corporation-lane to look for Des-
mond, and when I got half way up Rosoman-
street the explosion took place, and I was thrown on
my back. I got up and ran back and ran into
Short's-buildings leading into St. James's Walk,
when I saw Justice and Allen running towards
Clerkenwell-green. That would be right away from
the prison. A person could come down Corpora-
tion-lane into Rosomou-street, and so into St.
James's- walk. I, with Police-constable Ranger,
ran after them. I took the woman, and 1 told
Ranger to take Allen into custody for being con-
cerned with others in the explosion. He made no
reply. Ranger was taking him to the prison when
I saw Desmond running towards me up St. James's-
walk. I caught hold of him and told him I should
take
_Litz into enhiody, Paid 1 4tl4en obtained ag-

sistance and conveyed both Justice and Desmond to
the prison.

A juror—Can you describe the barrel ?
'Witness—No, I did not take much notice of it.
Police-constable George Ranger, 109 G, said-1
was on duty on Friday under the prison at 10
minutes past 12, when the prisons r Allen came
to ;the gate and liked whether :my one was
admitted to see Caey. The wit ness told him
" No." He went away and stood opposite the
prison-gate. At half-past 11 the fmnale prisoner,
Justice, came to the prison-gate and asked to see
Casey. The warder let her in, and asked her
whether she was any relation to Casey, to which
she replied " Yes, his aunt." About half-pest 12
she left. About this time my attenti an was called
by Mr. Worth to Allen. At one o'clock another
woman called, Burke's sister ; I w-atched her. At
10 minutes to 3 I returned to the. prison where I
saw Justice standing at the corner •of St. James's-
walk in company with Allen. I I.nocked at the
prison-gate and asked for the address given by the
woman named Justice. I got it and made the re-
mark that it was curious these people should be
hanging about. At 10 minutes past three I missed
Allen from where he had been standing with Jus-
tice, and after that I saw Desmond talking to Jus-
tice. At half-past 3 I saw Allen again coming out
of Strutton's yard, opposite St. James's-walk, in
company with another man, who is not yet
in custody. At this time Alien was talking
with Justice. I told Sutton to watch the
two men. At 10 minutes before 4 I was
at the prison gate, when I heardlthe explosion
When Allen and the other man came out of Strat-
ton's-yard Desmond left and joined the other man
not in custody. I saw them both then go towards
Rosomond-street. After the explosion I ran to
Sutton and asked to where the two had gone, when
I saw Allen and Justice running down St. James's-
walk towards Clerkenwell-green. I knocked Allen
down. (Signs of applause.)

The Coroner—We must have no such demonstra-
tions as those iu a court of justice.

Examination of witness continued—l told him I
should charge him. As I was looking round I saw
Desmond run down St. James's-walk, and I told
Sutton to follow him. He did so, and he was se-
cured. When we got them inside the prison Allen
said, I have been sent here by Inspector Brennan.
At the time the men were taken into custody both
wore black hats. On the first day of the examina-
tion at Bow-street on Saturday I noticed Desmond
wore a white "
A Juror—You saw nothing of the truck ?
Witness—No, nothing.

John Goldsmith, 264 G, said—On Friday I was
on special duty outside the house of Detention at
about a quarter past three. I was standing oppo-
site the front entrance of the prison. I saw two
men and a woman—Allen, Desmond, and Justice—
talking together. Seeing they were strangers tome
I watched them. They stood conversing together
for about five or six minutes. Allen then left and
walked up Strutton's-yard. After he had been
gone about 10 minutes he returned to the corner of
St. James's-walk in company with another man not
yet in custody. The four conversed together for
about five minutes, when Desmond and the man
not in custody left the other two and walked down
Short's-buildings in the direction of Corporation-
lane. I then watched Allen and Justice, and in
about ten minutes after that I heard the explosion.
I then ran to the prison and asked if it was in the
inside, and on being told that it was not, I ran up
St. James's-walk towards Clerkenwell-green, and
after that saw Allen and Justice both secured. As
we were taking them to the prison I saw Desmond
running up St. James's-walk, and he was after-
wards apprehended.

A Juror—Did you see anything of the truck.
Witness—No, sir.

Inspector Thompson—l was at the House of
Detention on Friday about 3 o'clock. As I went
in I saw Allen, Desmond, and Justice near the pri-
son. Burke and Casey were at that time confined
in the House of Detention on a charge of treason
felony. As I was le.tving the prison 1 received a
communication front Sutton and Ranger. On
coming out of the prison I saw Allen and Jus-
tice— the second man had gone away. As I left
the prison I got into a cab and drove up Roso-
mond-street, which passes the end of Corporation-
lane. On arriving within 20 yards of the spot I
saw the second man and another run out of Cor-
poration-lane. cross Rosomoud-street, and go
down Bowling-green-lane. On reaching Bowling-
grecn-lane I looked out of the cab, but could see
nothing of the two, but I saw a fourth man
leave the publichouse at the corner and join a
fifth. After passing Corporation-lane I looked
back and saw those two persons moving away.
The Coroner I The fourth and fifth men ?
Witness—Yes. The cab had proceeded about
50 yards down Rosamond-street when the explo-
sion took place. I passed out and ran back.

Coroner—Did you see anything of it ?
Witness—No, sir ; but I should know two of the
men I saw—viz., the second and fourth.
A Juror—l heard witness say he had a know-
ledge of what was going on. Now, sir, don't you
think something ought to have been communicated
to theauthorities ?

Coroner—Such was done; the Governor was in-
formed of the matter.

Witness-1 was acting under the directions of
the Commissioners of Police in everything that was
done. Communications were made.

John Bird said—On Friday afternoon at balf-
past three I observed a truck being drawn up Cor-
poration-lane in the direction from Bowling-green-
lane. It was being drawn by two men. 1 saw
them turn the truck partly round, and then I saw
the barrel on the pavement. It seemed to me as if
it had fallen out of the truck. One of the men caught
hold of it and turned one end of it to the pri-
son wall and the other to the houses. They took
either a tarpauling or matting from the truck
and covered it over the barrel. And then one
man ',vent away with the truck towards Bowling-
green-lane, where I lost sight of it. There was a
a gentleman standing on the pavement at the same
time, but quite away from the people who drew the
truck. He stood about five or seven yards from the
barrel. He crossed the road opposite the barrel
to the, houses side of the way. He then recrossed
from the houses to the barrel, and looked at the
head of it as if he was:searching for a name or num-
ber on it. He then took something from his pocket
and lit it ; he then drew the tarpauling over the
head of the barrel and then went away towards St.
James's—buildings.

Coroner—What did he do with the light ?
Witness—He put it to the head of the barrel.
Coroner—Was that before he drew the tarpauling
over it ?
Witness—Yes.