The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-30 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY LOSS OF LIFE BY FIRE

Yesterday afternoon an inquisition was taken at
the Golden Lion, in Dean-street, Soho, before Mr.
HIGGS, the Deputy Coroner for Westminster, to in-
vestigate the circumstances connected with the
death of Eliza Twamley, burned to death at a fire in
Oxford-street, on Monday morning last.

Sarah Smith was servant to Mr. Smithies, of
398, Oxford street. Her master carried on the
trade of a tobacconist, and was by trade a cabinet.
maker. She had only lived there a few days pre•
vious to Sunday last : four females and two gentle-
men lodged in the house. On Sunday night last,
witness went to bed about twelve o'clock, there was
at that time not the slightest appearance of fire in
the house. She slept at the top of the house on
that night. Miss Twamley (the deceased) occupied
three rooms on the second-floor. My master and
mistress had been quarrelling all the preceding week.
At about six o'clock on Monday morning, I heard,
whilst in bed, the deceased's sister call out fire; I
immediately ran into the front room. I opened the
door of the second floor front room, and saw de-
ceased and a little boy standing at one of the win-
dows. I immediately threw up one of the sashes,
and jumped into the street. I was caught by some
persons in the crowd in the street, and received very
little injury.

By a Juror—When I was going to rest, I heard
master ask Mrs. Smithies whether he should sleep
with her, or go up to sleep in my bed. My mis-
tress said, that he could please himself,—he had
often slept a month away from her, arid he was at
liberty to do so again if he thought proper. My
master, however, went into my mistress's bed-room,
and I did not see him again. My master did take
two sacks of shavings into the wash-house on Sun-
day morning. The shavings and some old boxes
had previously been in a coal vault. I did not
smell any fire on .uriday, but I remarked to my
mistress that there was a s'rong smell of turpentine,
which I thought was occasioned by some new fir
that was upon the premises. My master and mis-
tress were both sober when they went to bed, and
appeared to be on more friendly terms than they had
been for several days past.
Hen y Csddell—l live opposite to the house in
which Mr. Smithies resided. At about six o'clock on
Monday morning I was opening my master's shop,
when I 'lewd the cries of " Fire !" and " Murder !"
On crossing the road, I saw a man's hAnd thrust out
between the railings of the area of Mr. Smithie.'n
house. Upon looking down the area, I saw Mr.
mit lies. S • I could not opn the gate, as it was sol-
dered; I therefore called to my assistance some po-
lice constables, who broke open the hall door. At
this time I saw some females at the windows, in the
front of the house. I saw the deceased run to the
window arid put out of it a little boy, who clung
some time to the wood work. She pushed the boy
in order that be might fall into the arms of the
people who were below. The boy did fall. The
deceased fell backwards, apparently from suffocation
arid exhaustion, and I did not see her any more.
Soon after the boy fell, I saw Mr. Smithies come
up through the flames of the kitchen. He was
completely dressed. His clothes were on fire, and
his face was very much burnt. I did not see Mrs.
Smithies. I have heard that a Frenchman made his
escape arid rang along Dean-street, but has not been
heard of s'nce.

Mr. It:chard O'Grady saw Mr. Smithies on Tues-
day evening in 'Middlesex Hospital, where he lies
in a vet), dangerous state. Upon putting some
questions to him, relative to the origin of the fire,
Smithies informed witness that early on Monday
morning he lighted a tire in the kitchen, for the pur-
pose of heating some water to dissolve some salts.
He had occasion to quit the kitchen fora few minutes,
and on his return he found the place filled with
flames and smoke. He added, that the fire must
have been occasioned by sparks falling upin a quan-
tity of shavings that were strewed about the floor.
Mrs. Smithies was next brought before the Co-
roner and Jury, and was so much affected, that seve-
ral minutes elapsed before she could utter a word.
She stated, that she was wholly ignorant of every
circumstance connected with the origin of the fire.
Her husband arose at an early hour on Monday
morning, for the purpose, as he said, of making
some Shortly afterwards, she heard the cry
of" gruel.Fire' and made her escape through one of the
beck windows. She did not know whether he.
husband had insured his property. All they possessed
in the world was destroyed.

By a Juror—Air. Smithies had often expressed a
wish to let the shop, and it was expected that a per-
son would have taken it on Monday.
Some of the Jury expressed a wish to examine
the ruins of the premises, in consequence of which
the inquest was adjourned.