The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-16 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE.

At the adjourned inquest on Monday evening,
John Owen, police-constable, described his dis-
covery of the fire and throwing up stones to arouse
the inmates. Several females came to the second
floor window, and he told them to remain while he
fetched the fire-escape. When it arrived, one woman
(Miss Wooton) and a child were rescued, and it was
said in the crowd that others had escaped by the
back.

Inspector Ball also gave a narrative of the fire.
He was told several times by persons in the crowd
that Mr. John had been seen in the street after he
had got Miss Wooton down. His impression was
at that time that all the inmates were out.
Ruth Richins said—l am the wife of 111r.Richins,
pork butcher, Goat-street. The first thing that
attracted my attention on the night of the fire was
the fire-bell. I was awake though I was in bed. I
think it was near one o'clock. I immeliately went
into the sitting-room. I had to unlock the bed-
room door, which is at the back of the house. My
front room faces the police-station door in the Goat-
street, where the engines are kept. I saw Crockford
bring out the stand pipe to fasten on the hose.
Then I saw them bring out the reel with the hose.
There was a little difficulty in fastening it on. At
this moment somebody ran down and said ,‘ For
God's sake fetch the fire-escape." I do not know
who it was. Then Mr. Crockford ran up Temple-
street, and in the meantime Mr. and Mrs. John, to
my firm belief, walked up the street to the corner of
Temple-street, and looked up Temple-street. They
then turned back again, and I threw up the window

and said. " Please where is the fire ?" They gave
no reply, but walked on. I asked them a second
time, " Where is the fire?" and Mr. John coolly re-
plied, "It is a chimney on fire at the back of Temple-
street." They walked on and turned up the back
lane of Temple-street. I knew Mr. and Mrs. John
quite well. I was in the shop the night before talk-
ing with Mr. John. I remember distinctly how
they were dressed. I saw Mr. and Mrs. John walk-
ing in the street together after the alarm of fire

had been given. I did not observe that they
carried anything. I knew Mr. John's voice. They
both were coming up Goat-street whan I first saw
them. When the fire was nearly over I went over to
Mr. Williams, the chemist, and I saw Mrs. Williams.
She said she was in great trouble about Mrs.
John's child. I told her, " Mr. and Mrs. John
are quite safe, for I have seen them in the street and
spoke to them." it was a fine night and windy, and
there is a gas lamp on each side of my house. Mr.
John turned his head right round to me when he
spoke to me, and I had an opportunity of seeing his
face. As soon as he told me I shut the window down
again to call my husband. I saw Mr. John's face
when he turned it to me, and I recognised him. I
told my husband that I had seen Mr. and Mrs. John,
and that Mr. John said that it was only a chimney
on fire. When -I first observed them they were
nearly opposite the station door—l mean the fire-
engine door. My impression at the time I saw Mr.
and Mrs. John in the street was that, as I knew Mrs.
John was of an irritable temper, he was walking
her up and down the street.
By the Jury—There was not another creature in
the street when I saw Mr. and Mrs. John. I believe
it was about ten minutes after I heard the fire-bell
when I saw them. As I got out of bed I went
straight to the front room without dressing. I
knew it was Mrs. John because of her general
appearance, and because I knew the shawl she was
wearing. I have seen her wearing it, and other peo-
ple besides myself. I did not see her face. I believed
it was Mr. and Mrs. John before I saw their faces.
I should not have spoken to them had I not
thought it was them. I have been in the habit of
talking to Mr. John in my shop, and also in his
own shop, as we dealt with each other. We had
known each other about two or three years.
The inquiry was then adjourned.

WARLIKE PREPARATIONS IN THE ADRIATIC.--
La Patric states that great defensive works are
being constructed at Pola and at Trieste. From the points
of Grado and Salvor() coast batteries are being erected
along the shoreq of the Gulf, while upon the mole of
Trieste and on the jetty powerful batteries have been
erected, and in the town itself there is being constructed a
series of iron-cased batteries mounting two tiers of guns,
whose fire, combined with that of the citadel which com-
mands the sea, will form a line of defence for the protec-
tion of the port. Although Pola is now the maritime
arsenal of the empire, Trieste still possesses various esta-
blishments connected with the Imperial marine, and it is,
moreover, a commercial port of the first rank. Near the
citadel has been formed an intrenched camp for 15,000
men, and there does not appear to be any present intention
of increasing thal force. Should, however, circumstances
require it, reinforcements can be obtained from Laybach,
where is Row concentrated the corps d'armee destined to
cover Illyria.

- -
(art

HER MAJESTY.

W INDSOR CASTLE, Tuesday.
The Queen and Princess Helena, attended by
Lady Churchill, the Hon. Flora Macdonaht the
Hon. Mary Lascelles, and the Equerries in Waiting,
arrived at the Castle at 25 minutes past six o'clock
last evening from Buckingham Palace.

Arrival of the Cape Mail.

FALMOUTH, TUCSday.

The Diamond's Company's" s tearn-shipUi ten hag°,
Captain Starks, arrived here to-day from Table
Bay, April 11, via St. Helena and Madeira. She
brings 104 passengers and a full colonial cargo._
Cape news is 13 days later than the last arrived
per her Majesty's ship Orontes. The general state
of affairs in the colony had undergone litttle change•
Both commercial and agricultural matters continue
to improve. There were no insolvencies to record,
and business, although conducted on a more limited,
scale than formerly, was more secure, and copse"
quently of a more satisfactory character. Frequent
rains continued, and there was a better promise for
the future than for some seasons past.
Sir Percy Douglas, the lieutenant-governor and
commander of the forces at the Cape, was at St•
Helena on a visit of inspection, having been con-
veyed there by her Majesty's ship Rapid. He was
expected to return about the beginning of the
following month. It was understood that it was
the intention of the governor to propose to Parlia-
ment a tgeneral reduction of 10 per cent. in the
salaries of the civil servants of the colony iu conse-
quence of the necessity for economising the public
expenditure, but the general impression appears to
be that Parliament would not endorse the proposal.
Nothing definite had transpired as to the exact
period when Parliament would reassemble, but it
would not be until the beginning or middle of Sep"
tember, as the election of members for the new dis-
tricts created by the Annexation and Representa-
tion Act of last session could not be completed
sooner. A strong feeling was still entertained in
Kaffraria against the annexation measure, but the
elections had been proceeded with. There was still
some distress among the working classes in different
parts of the colony, but it was gradually dying out,
and would, it was hoped, soon disappear altogether.
The construction of works of irrigation continued
to be a fruitful subject of discussion. Active rtie3-
sures continued to be taken to represent the colony
creditably at the Paris Exhibition. The war between
the Orange Free State and the Basutos was dray('
ing to a close.

Moshesh had not consented to abdicate in favour
of his son Molappo ; but he was very favourable to
a peace, and Molappo had concluded a treaty With
the Free State Government. The other chiefs were
represented as being anxious to follow his example,
although for the present they shrank from the con"
cessions demanded by the Free State, and awaited
more favourable terms. The contest, it was said,
might drag on a little longer ; but to all appear-
ances it was now really dying away.