The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-24 00:00:00

guilty confederates, he was of course in their power,
and he was generally employed in some other way
to further the guilty objects of the association. It
is rather a curious fact that the prisoner Bramwell
would, in all probability, not have been taken into
custody if he had not had the impudence to go to
the office of Mr. Mullens, the solicitor for the pro-
secution, to ask for remuneration for the time he
had lost in looking after the person who, as he
alleged, had sent him to Drummond's bank on the
21st of January with a forged cheque for £275, and
Watkins, who happened to be there accidentally,
at once recognised him as the man who had em-
ployed him in the first instance to present a cheque
"on the cross," as he expressed it, and he was
given in charge, and the evidence that was then
obtained clearly showed his complicity in the guilty
scheme. It is calculated that during the two or
three years the gang have been carrying on their
operations they have succeeded in obtaining from
different bankers, by means of forged cheques, no
less a sum than £lO,OOO ; and this large amount
was the result of comparatively few operations, as
the cheques were mostly drawn for large sums, so
much as £440 being obtained by one forged instru-
ment. Wagner and Kerp, the old man who was
principally engaged in copying signatures to be
placed upon forged cheques, are both Germans, and
the latter is said to have been an extraordinarily
clever penman, and to possess a peculiar facility in
copying different handwritings. The police have
made a strict search after him since the disclosures
that have taken place, but no clue whatever has
been obtained to his whereabouts, and it is believed
that the moment he heard that Chandler was
apprehended, and that the gang would be broken
up, he left this country, as all trace of him appears
to have been lost. There appears to be no doubt
that Wagner, although he was the prime mover in
the whole guilty transaction, was very anxious at
the last to get himself out of the scrape by selling
the whole of his companions, and it is consolatory
to the public to find how slight a hold persons of
this class have upon each other, and how ready they
are to betray their companions at the first symp-
tom of danger. During the trial of the prisoners,
the daughter of Wagner and the Miss Fairburn who
lived with him as his housekeeper, and whose name
was frequently mentioned during the trial, were
seated in the gallery of the court, apparently listen-
ing with the greatest attention to all the evidence
that was given ; but they did not betray the slightest
emotion when the sentence was pronounced. The
former is stated to be a very accomplished young
woman, speaking several languages with facility ;
and she has, it appears, at one time filled the posi-
tion of a governess. The whole of the prisoners will
shortly be removed from Newgate to the Millbank
Penitentiary.

THE LOSS OF LIFE A 7 THE WESMIN-
STER MOTEL WORKS.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Bedford resumed the
adjourned inquiry at the Westminster Hospital,
touching the respective deaths of seven persons,
who lost their lives by being precipitated from the
top of the building, owing to the breakage of a
scaffold on Friday se'nnight.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine appeared for Mr. Myers,
the contractor ; Mr. Burchell attended on behalf of
the Westminster Palace Hotel Company; Mr.
Henry K. Moseley appeared on behalf of the widow
of Cot•nelius Buckley.
The board room in which the inquiry was held
was densely crowded, and several directors of the
company were present to watch the proceedings.
Patrick O'Neil said that he was employed on the
13th of this month at the Westminster Palace
Holel Company's works. He was there at the
time the stage fell. He was not on it when the
stage actually came up, but got 8 or 10 feet higher
up in a northerly direction. There had been a
stage 12 ft. 6 in. before the other came down. It
had been removed a fortnight before. When that
stage had been removed there was nothing placed
under to support it. The timbers merely rested on
the outer walls.
By the Coroner—Nothing had been placed under.
The stage consisted or 5 transoms, 9 inches by 5 in
width. The width of the opening was 36 by 7, and
he took the responsibility of placing a sixth tran-
som, by means of 6-inch deals. The transoms ran
from wall to wall, and were covered over with
boards, which extended over all.
By Mr. Sturgeon—Mr. Myers said that he had
never stood on a firmer scaffold during his time.
He examined the timber before the stage was
erected, and also afterwards. The first time he did
not detect any knots in it, but since the fall he had
noticed that there were knots in the wood. The dis-
tance from end to end was about 20 feet. He was a
judge of the weight of mortar which was on the
stage, and he should consider it to have been about
two tons. About two days before the accident, a
man named Shea said that one of the timbers had
become splintered, and he told Mr. Coleman of the
fact, and he came up and examined it, and said that
it was only a slight splinter, and would do no
harm, but on the contrary it was safe. He consi-
dered the stage was safe with three tons placed on
it, and even with five if it was properly distributed
over it, but the mortar ought not to be placed in
the centre of the stage. At a quarter to six o'clock
the previous night there was very little weight upon
the stage.—(A model was here produced, and the
witness said it appeared to him to be perfectly cor-
rect.) He generally went round of a morning to
see that the scaffold was safe. There was a great
quantity of bricks and an extra amount of mortar
placed upon the stage than he had seen before.
He was positive that some of the materials haclbeen
removed since the accident. He heard George
Myers say, "Remove some of this, you know what
I mean."
By Mr. Ballantine—He knew that another man
was missing, whose body was subsequently found
in the ruins. Mr. Myers was on the top of the
building when the man was found.
By :Juror—He could not tell how many knots
were in the timbers.
By a Juror—He had warned one workman off
the stage. He generally formed the scaffolding.
He told the foreman that he wanted six boards,
and he said that he thought five would have been
enough.
By the Coroner—ln a slight work like this it
was not usual for him to ask any question ; but the
foreman, being a skilful man, it was his duty to
have informed him if any danger existed.
Richard Smith, 3, Church-street, Lambeth, said
that he was a joiner, and foreman of Mr. Myers'
shops in Lambeth. He had made a model (pro-
duced), half an inch to the foot. The part that
gave way was about 65 feet from the base. The
width of the wall was about 20 feet and the length
301.- feet. The remaining transoms 29 feet long and
three feet wide. The middle transom was about
six feet from the others. The transoms were not
confined in the wall when he saw them. The pre- .
mises were nearly in the same state that day as
when he first saw them.

John Haigh said that he lived at 25, More-street,
Bryanston-square, and was engaged cleaning bricks
on the stage, and had been so for half an hour before
the acci4ent happened. He had been engaged the
over night, also, by direction of Mr. Myers, jun.
He left off work at half-pact six the previous night,
and comm...m-dzwhpoting brielcs.nd his
at half-
past five next morning. Two of his mates were
landing and two taking away the bricks from the
stage that fell down.
By the Coroner—He had no idea how many bar-
rows of bricks had been shot upon the stage, but
he should say there were between six and seven
tons of bricks and mortar upon or near the stage.
Witness was within half a foot of the stage when
it fell. At the time the stage was about falling
four or six of the men were ordered to leave. Six-
teen were then removing bricks and mortar in
hods, and they had been previously told to get off.
He made a remark Goodlake, the foreman, that
he thought the stage was not safe, as the bearings
had been takenlrom below.

By Mr. Sturgeon—He had been working about
an hour the previots night, and Mr. Joseph Myers
said that he did not care a —, the stuff must be
taken up that night
By a juror—Th) rubbish is less than it was
under the stage. Orders had been given to remove
it. Four men were tmployed removing the rubbish
in baskets. He did zot hear Mr. Myers say, " Good
God ! we are stand ng on a body."
By Mr. Ballantine—He did not tell Mr. Myers
the morning after tie accident that there were 500
bricks on the stage. There were 90 bricks generally
placed in the barrcws, but they were not always
properly loaded.
By a juror—Hb did not know that 67 bricks
weighed three cwt. He knew that there was more
weight of bricks thin there was of mortar.

By Mr. Sturge an—From the hour on the previous
night until half-past six the next morning, bricks
and mortar had bem conveyed up and placed upon
the scaffold.

By a juror—He had beenrat work since Satur-
day last. The stare had been employed for a fort-
night before, but lb never saw it so much loaded as

it was on the prent occasion.

By Mr. Mosley—ln his opinion the stage would
have borne the wright of three tons. The bricks
were not taken cut by hand, but shot in a body
from the barrowsin the bulk.

John Connor said that he was a general laliourer,
and bad been enployed on the premises for ten
weeks. His wcrk was to fill the barrows with

bricks previous to being hoisted.He had been
employed on Frilay morning at that work, and he
should say tnat,being in a hurry, there were 60
bricks in each borrow. ,

By the Coroikr—Each load of briclo i generally

understood to be about 5 cwt., and there were three
loads placed upon the stage. Witness was engaged
to do this work by direction of Mr. Coleman and
young Mr. Myers. Mr. Coleman asked him the
overnight whether he would have any objection to
work a little extra time, and he said he had no
objection.
By Mr. Ballantine—He never heard Mr. Myers,
jun., say anything about loading it. The cause of
the accident was placing too great a weight upon
the stage. After the accident, as he was assisting
to remove the bodies, Mr. Myers, who was present,
said, " Do all you can to save the poor fellows."
By a Juror—He did not see any of the workmen
removing the bricks after the accident. He could
not tell the weight of the bricks placed.
By the Juror—Mr. Myers did not give me
instructions about taking up the bricks.
Cornelius Donovan said that he was employed at
the time of the accident hoisting up bricks. Each
barrow contained from 60 to 65 bricks, each brick
weighing about 412-lbs. He was present when the
stage fell, and he assisted to bring some of the
sufferers to the hospital, but they were dead.
By Mr. Sturgeon—He did not know the weight
of a barrow of bricks, but three might be sent up
in about five minutes.

By Mr. Moseley—He had heard one of the men
say to him that Mr, Myers. jun., ran about putting
them about, meaning, as he believed, that he in-
tended to hurry the men with the work. A man
named Woodley came down from the top of the
building, and said that he had told Mr. Myers the
stage was not safe, and he added that he had given
him directions to place the bricks at the back of
the platform, so as to keep the weight off the
middle.

By a Juror—The night before the accident a
two-horse van laden with bricks came to the works.
Thomas Kellart said he was at work on the
premises when the stage broke down. He had been
slinging the barrows filled with bricks and mortar.
He co uld not tell how many barrows of mortar
went up. He could send up five barrows in five
minutes. Young Mr. Myers told him that he was
not to send up less than sixty bricks in each bar-
row. He could not tell how much mortar had been
sent up to the stage. The day before the accident
some of the men told him to slacken his work, and
not send up so much mortar and bricks, as they
thought the stage would break down.
Michael Driscoll, another labourer, said that he
heard young Mr. Myers give orders to the men to
hoist up the bricks quick.
By Mr. Sturgeon—He had hear 1 none of the
men remark that the stage was not safe.
At this stage of the proceedings the coroner pro-
posed an adjournment, when Mr. Sergeant Ballan-
tine said that he was instructed to say that the
lower stage and lower supports had been removed
entirely without the knowledge or sanction of Mr.
Myers.
The inquiry was then adjourned, and the jury
bound over to appear on Thursday next.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—May 23.

The sittings of the Court for the May General
Sessions were resumed to-day at the Guildhall,
Westminster, by adjournment from Clerkenwell,
before Mr. Pashley, Q.C., Assistant-Judge, Mr.
Creasy, Deputy, and the following full bench of
magistrates :—Mr. Pownall, chairman of the court,
Mr. Kemshead, Mr. T. Turner, Mr. Sergeant Payne
(coroner for London), Mr. Woolsey, Sir J. Tyler,
Mr. H. H. Harwood, Mr. W. Bird, Mr. Dimsdale,
Mr. Baylis, Mr. E. W. Cox, Mr. Goodhart, Mr.
Dunnington Fletcher, Mr. Alderman Rose, Mr.
Hogarth, Mr. Faulconer, Mr. White, and Baron
De Bliss.
The calendar contains the names of 94 prisoners
for trial, 82 of whom are charged with felony and
12 with misdemeanour.
The Assistant-Judge delivered the usual charge
to the grand jury.
Antonio Bombardini and Edward Murray, who
were convicted at the last sessions at Clerkenwell
of assaulting James Bentley, an officer of the
Sheriff of Middlesex, to rescue from his custody
one Sammerini, who had been arrested for debt,
were brought up to receive sentence.
Mr. Sleigh, on behalf of one of the defendants
(Murray) submitted to the Court whether it would
hear and consider some additional evidence which,
had it been adduced on the trial, he thought would
probably have had the result of a different verdict
being returned—at least as regarded his client.
The Assistant-Judge said the Court could not do
that, but it could be done through an application to
the Secretary of State. He could only act upon the
verdict as it had been given, and estimate the
amount of punishment to be awarded to the defen-
dants for an offence which, upon the evidence, a
jury had found them guilty. There was very little
delay in such a course now, and the last application
remitted to him from the Home-office came the
second day, and was finally answered in less than a
week. He had received letters having reference to
this case which it was highly improper shouldhave
been sent—one suggesting a further inquiry by him
into the facts of the affair. He could not do that,
because it would be tantamount to his sitting in
appeal upon the verdict of a jury; that belonged to
the office of the Home Secretary ; and the other
letter complained of the treatment one of the defen-
dants had experienced in the House of Correction,
in being put to hard labour though not sentenced.
With that, of course, he had nothing to do ; the re-
sponsibility rested with those who had the duty of
carrying out the regulations of the prison if there
really existed any cause of complaint. The question
of guilt having been decided by the jury, he had
carefully considered the whole case. The prosecution
was by a sheriff's officer for an assault and rescue.
He arrested Sammerini for debt at the Union Hotel,
Leicester-square, when the defendants, one of whom,
Murray, Sammerini's partner, committed the offence.
The sentence upon Bombardini was that he be im-
prisoned for six weeks dating from the 2d instant,
imprisoned simply, for he could not under the form
of the indictment impose hard labour, and even if
he had the power he should not do so, and upon
Murray, that he likewise be imprisoned without
hard labour for the like term from the same date,
and in addition pay a fine of £5, for it appeared
that he had done more violence than Bombardini,
by striking and kicking the officer, who was only
discharging a duty imposed upon him by law.
Mr. Metcalfe was counsel for the prosecution ;
_ _ _ _ _

Mr. Orridge for Bombardini.
John Radley, 25, was indicted for stealing some
linen and other articles,- the property of Henry
Smith, an engine driver, from his dwelling-house,
No. 23, Canal-terace, Islington. He pleaded guilty,
and former convictions were proved against him ;
his last sentence was four years' penal servitude.
The prisoner begged very hard to be let off, on
the 'ground that he was three parts drunk when he
committed the offence, and that his friends in a
month would give him an outfit, and send him to
Australia, where he had a sister who would receive
and provide for him. He never meant to do wrong
again after his four years, but he was tempted to
do this in an unlucky moment.
The Assistant-Judge said there could be no
doubt that the prisoner would have a „far better
prospect for his future life in -Western Australia
than here, but in the circumstances in which he
was placed he must be sent there, if sent at all, at
_the expense of the country, and not of his friends.
There was a regulation uutier which la'
,On
prisoners sentenced to terms of penal servitude of
seven years and upwards were selected and sent
out to Western Australia every year, and in the
hope that the prisoner might be one so selected, the I
Court would pass upon him a sentence of penal ser-
vitude for seven years.
Edward East, 15, was indicted for unlawfully
and maliciously assaulting and wounding George
Chas. Chapman with an axe. He pleaded guilty.
Mr. Talfourd. Salter, for the prosecution, said the
assault was of so grievous a nature that the life of the
prosecutor was for some time despaired of, and the
danger in which he was placed was greatly increased
by his having been previously in very bad health.
The prisoner and the prosecutor were apprentices
to a carpenter near Hounslow, and upon some slight
provocation the prisoner, in a sudden paroxysm of
ungovernable passion, seized a hatchet and struck
the prosecutor a blow on the side of the head , and
face, which cut him fearfully and rendered him in-
sensible. It was not suggested that this was a pre-
meditated or deliberate act, but one done in a moment
of passionate fury; still it was necessary that such
a desperately violent disposition should be curbed
by a salutary punishment. It was a mercy that the
prosecutor had survived.
Mr. Metcalfe said he was instructed by the pri-
soner's friends to appear on his behalf. Nothing
could justify the use of a hatchet, but these boys
had resorted to practical joking of a not very agree-
able character, and the prisoner had been called
bad names and threatened. In a moment of sudden
anger, he committed this very bad act, for which he
must be punished, but his father, a very respectable
man, hoped that ;in dealing with him the Court
would take such a view of the case as would as little
as possible damage the lad's future prospects in life.
The Assistant-Judge, after taking time to con-
sider, passed upon the prisoner a sentence of nine
months' hard labour.
Thomas Paternoster, 30, a butcher, was indicted
for feloniously embezzling and stealing money
which he. had received on account of James Wm.
Franklin, his master. He pleaded guilty,
Mr. Sleigh said he prosecuted on behalf of the
Butchers' Association, and the charge of embezzle-
ment, against the prisoner was a very serious one as
regarded the amount k had appropriated to his
own use. The prosecutor was a butcher in High-
street, Islington, and the prisoner, in whom he had
reposed the most implicit reliance, had been in Ilia