The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-25 00:00:00

37 39
9 11

THE LATE FIRE IN LI3IE-STREET.

A deputation of the inhabitants and merchants of the
ward of Lime. street waited upOn the Lord Mayor, at the
Mansion-house, this morning, and called his lordship's
attention to the late calamitous fire in that quarter of the
City. Complaint was made that such a vast quantity of
oil was allowed to be accumulated in one warehouse.
It was extremely dangerous in so densely populated a por-
tion of the City, and so near Leadenhall-market. The de-
putation were desirous of asking his lordship if some steps
could not be taken to prevent for the future the recurrence
of so dreadful a calamity. Messrs. Hubbard and Son,
upon whose premises the fire occurred, were in a large way
of business, and this was not the first time that such a
conflagration had happened. Some time back a very
extensive one occurred at their premises in East Smithfield
purely by accident, but yet it was necessary for the sake of
safety that the collection of such a quantity of combustibles
should be prevented. The deputation had conferred with
Mr. Alderman Cubitt, who advised their attendance here
this morning. •

His Lordship advised that an inquiry should take place
before a Coroner, and then suggestions could be made
which would act as a preventive. Enquiries should take
place as to the origin of the fire, and then some•
thing definite could be' arrived at. Some time
ago the City authorities interfered in a case in
which a person kept a quantity of naphtha in his
premises. That person resisted, and the case was brought
before a civil court, which decided that it was an indictable
offence. His lordship said he should move in the matter,
and no doubt some steps would soon be takcn. The City
Solicitor would be communicated with.
Mr. Hubbard said the most dangerous article in their
premises was spirits of turpentine.

_ -
The City Solicitor said he should communicate with the
churchwardens of tho ward of Langbourne, and the depu-
tation then withdrew, after thanking his lordship for his
courtesy.

THE ALLEGED POISONING AT

RICHMOND.

CORONER'S INQUEST (THIS DAY).

The adjourned inquiry into the circumstances attending
the death of Isabella Bankes was resumed this morning at
the Court-house, Richmond.

The result of the magisterial inquiry on Friday last,
which was reported at length in The Sun, namely, the
committal for trial of Dr. Smethurst on a charge of wilful
murder, seemed to have increased rather than diminished
the excitement, and at an early hour a largo number of
persons were in attendance anxious to obtain admission
into the court.

The proceedings commenced at the usual hour, but, con-
trary to all expectation, the prisoner was not in attendance.
The Coroner, in accounting for the absence of Dr. Sme-
thurst, said a communication had been received from the
Home-office, to the effect that as ho had been committed for
trial by the magistrates, on a charge of wilful murder,
there was no power to compel the gaol authorities to be in
attendance with their prisoner. He regretted such a cir-
cumstance, but as it was a difficulty that could not at pre-
sent be surmounted, the jury would have to arrive at a
verdict in the absence of the person most deeply interested.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, who appeared for the prosecu-
tion, said, at the magisterial examination of the prisoner, on
Friday last, he had adduced the medical evidence, and the
course he should adopt on the present occasion would be to
hear that evidence repeated that day as briefly as possible,
in order that the inquiry might terminate in the evening.
Dr. Julius, Mr. Bird, Dr. Taylor, and the other medical
gentlemen then merely repeated their evidence, the general
opinion being that the unfortunate lady's death was caused
through exhaustion produced by the administration of
small dimes of an irritant poison.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE,-(THIS D4l

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ASSAULT ON LORD GEORGE PAULET.-111rgaret Welsh,
a female about 35 years of age, was placed at the bar,
before Mr. Bingham, charged with assaulting and annoying
Lord George Paulet, as follows

His lordship said that on the previous evening, about 11,
he was coming out of the United Service Clubhouse, when
he saw the prisoner at the bar standing at the bottom 0'
the steps. She immediately, and in a very offensive man::
ner, asked him for a shilling, which he refused to give her,
and she then followed him up Waterloo-place to near Regent-
circus, Piccadilly. He told her that if she continued to
follow him be would give her in charge. She then ap-
proached so close that she trod on his foot, and he pushed
her away from him. She then made a run at him, attempt-
ing to strike him, and nearly pushed him off the pavement,
and that moment a constable coming up he gave her into
custody. She had repeatedly annoyed him in a similar
way, and he had threatened to give her into custody
repeatedly.

In answer to questions by the chief clerk, his lordship
said the demand was not made in the way of begging, but
in a very different tone. He had known the prisoner for
about 30 years, as a crossing. sweeper, but she had no claim
on him whatever.

Welsh, the gaoler of the court, said she had been there
50 times on different charges—assaults, begging, &c.
In her defence, the prisoner said his lordship had seduced
her when a girl, and she had merely asked for assistance.
She was very sorry, but would not do it again, His
worship might do what he thought proper with her.
Mr. Bingham committed her.for two months, with the '
view of stopping her annoyance.