The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-27 00:00:00

THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT LEWES.

THE ADJOURNED INQUEST.
LEWES, SEPT. 26.
The jury re-assembled this morning, at 10 o'clock,
at the County-hall, and Mr. Briggs again appeared
to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Messrs.
Cheale, the owners of the engine, and Mr. Hillman
attended for the family of the deceased, Mr. Hilder.
The evidence of identification of the several per-
sons killed, and the medical evidence as to the
cause of death having been read over by the coro-
ner, Mr. F. H. Gell, he informed the jury that he
had written to the Secretary of State for the as-
sistance of a Government civil engineer, but he de-
clined to send one, as being unusual.
Mr. Isaiah Cheale was then sworn, and deposed,
I am an agricultural implement maker, in partner-
shilp with my brother David. I remember the 21st
of Sept. and I recollect seeing the engine in ques-
tion before it left our premises. It was sent to be
exhibited with agricultural implements. I examined
it on my own premises, and saw that it was in pro-
per working condition, and I superintended the fill-
ing of it with water. There was no defect in it
that I saw. Mr. Verrall lent me his team to draw
it to the fair field, and one of my men accompanied
it, but Ido not know which one. I saw no more
of it until after the accident.
The Coroner—Did you notice the valve ?
Witness—l worked it about five weeks ago at the
highest amount of pressure that it could be screwed
down to. It was screwed down to five points.
Did you make the engine P—No. I bought it 12
months ago, the 16th of last October, at Heaver
Castle, in Kent. It had been out about four years,
and the makers of it were Messrs. Hensman and
Son, of Woburn, Bedfordshire. I have worked it
twice.
The certificate was here put in. It was to the
effect that it had been tested with the hydraulic
pump to 80 pounds pressure to the square inch.
Coroner—Since you have had it back have you
worked it ?—I should think it has sot done a day's
work -altogether. I put the working pieces to-
gether, and about a month after I tried it with Mr.
Verrall with a small threshing machine. At what
pressure P—The steam threw off at 451 b pressure.
Witness here explained that the safety-valve had
been altered by the workmen at the railway. When
the engine first came into his possession the safety-
valve was capable of being screwed down to 701 b.
on the square inch, but when it returned from
Brighton station it was made so as not to screw
down beyond 45.
Witness was then examined as to his knowledge
of the deceased driver, John Gold, and said he had
worked for him off and on for 20 years. He was ac-
customed to work as a fitter and turner in his shop.
He was a general handyman—could do anything
he was put to. It was six years since witness be-
gan to use steam engines, and Gold was first sent
as a feeder to the machines, and to take turns with
the driver to learn to work it himself. He became
very competent, and was sent out subsequently to
•-- instruct others. Two years ago he took the charge
of two engines—ole fixed and the other portable—
for a gentleman named Weekes, of Bolney.
Foreman—Are you aware that an engine made
by these same people burst some time ago at East
Grinstead ? Yes. The principle of the engine was
essentially the same, but there was a slight diffe-
rence in its arrangements. That fractured, as far
as I can recollect, in much the same place. I was
not aware, previous to the accident, that this angle
iron was of inefficient quality. Can you give any
idea of the cause of accident ? I cannot ; I have
studied it, and found steam was blowing off, and
that but little fuel had been used.
Mr. David Cheale, the brother of the last witness,
deposed—On the morning of the 21st inst. I went
to the sheep fair about 11 o'clock. I did not accom-
pany the engine, neither did I examine it before it
went. I saw the engine on the ground, before the
explosion took place. No one was with it at that
time. The smoke-box was towards the Offham-
road, and it was covered up with a large sail
cloth, standing within 30 or 40 feet of some sheep
wattles, with a cart between the wattles and the
engine. The engine was not removed from that
position before the explosion. From half-past 11
until 20 minutes to 12 o'clock I assisted Gold in
uncovering it, and Gold got on the top of the en-
gine and put the chimney up, put the strap on the
" governor balls," oiled the " bearings," and then
got down and lighted his fire, but he did not make
a large one. I then left the engine under his sole
control, and returned in about a quarter of an hour,
and he was still with it, and alone. I left again,
and returned in another quarter of an hour (about
half-past 12), and then asked him how soon he
would be ready to drive the chaff-cutter ? He said
he had not sufficient steam then. I was standing
by the chaff-cutter, and Gold lifted the safety-valve
and walked further round the engine, and turned
the tap. I remained in my position at the chaff-
cutter, and in about 10 minutes after he had turned
the tap the explosion took place. I saw him go
round the engine towards the water pan, but could
not see if he did anything to it. While I was
standing by, and just before the explosion, I asked
him again if he had sufficient steam, and he said
the fuel was damp, and he had had a short fire, but
should be ready in 10 or 12 minutes. I saw no
more of him till I saw him dead.
In reply to questions from the foreman of the
jury, witness added to his former evidence, that at
the same time Gold lifted the safety valve he tried
to turn the wheel, to show that he had not sufficient
steam to drive with. The steam never was up to 45.
Wm. Brown, a labourer, deposed that be was at
the sheep fair, and was employed by Mr. D. Cheale
to remove some turf, to let the wheels of the engine
into the ground. While so engaged the engine
blew up. He saw no cause for the explosion ; and
the last he saw of the deceased Gold was when he
went round the other side of the engine, and he
then had an iron bar in his hand. Witness, who
was bandaged about the head, and whose face seemed
sore from severe scalds, stated that ho received the
injuries by the explosion.
At the request of Mr. Briggs witness was asked
to explain what he saw done with the supply pipe,
and he stated that deceased had screwed it on to
the pump, and took it off the engine ready to put
the end into the pan.
Mr. Wm. Grantham, a gentleman studying the
law, deposed that he was at the fair on the day in
question, and just as he was about leaving the field,
coming up the southern side of it, he caught sight
of some friends standing near the engine, and that
directed his attention to it. Walking up towards
them, he casually glanced his eyes over the engine
and about it, just to see what condition it was in,
as he had taken an interest in agricultural steam-
engines, and he saw a person, whom he considered
to be the driver, come away from the end and go to
the side. The man took off, from among the rods,
the feed-pipe; and lie (witness) took no more notice
of it, as he imagined that the man was preparing
to supply the engine. Passing on to his friends,
witness saw a man digging a hole, apparently with
the intention of making the engine stand level.
Two of his friends walked away, and witness was
about to leave with another, when he felt a blow
on the back part of the head, and was instantly
enveloped in steam, and felt himself blown down
and forward at the same time. He scarcely heard
any noise, and thought it was some slight escape of
steam, and that he was the only person in it. On
the steam disappearing he looked round to see what
had occurred, when he saw a lad in a straight line
with the engine leaning against some sheep wattles
and bleeding from thr lace. He then looked round
and saw what appeared to be like men lying toge-
ther dead, and on looking to where the engine had
stood he discovered the engine was gone, and was
lying about 40 yards from where it originally
stood, Before the explosion took place he saw
some men draw the engine into a hole.
Superintendent Jenner was then examined as to
the position in which the bodies of the several de-
ceased were found, and also as to the position of
the engine after the explosion. He was, within
20 yards of the present site of the engine when
he heard a loud, smothered report, and on lookin.,
round be saw the engine in the air acid in motion
towards him On going- to the spot where it fell
he noticed two men—Lamport and Upton—near the
engine. They were
they died
of them dead at that
y
moment, but in three or four minutes
after. His attention was called then to two other
men just above them, and there he found Gold and
Mr. Hilder. Gold was
dead, the other was not,
but he died in about 10
minutes after. He els°
found a lad named Woodhall leaning against the
hurdles, and as he was bleeding asked him if he
was hurt, and the boy said Not much." The boy
was taken to a booth, and cotnplaininr,r of cold two
policemen took off their coats, which they laid, one
under, and the other over him, and he was removed
to the Elephant and Castle. (The boy has since
died, and also a man named Cox, who was taken to
the County llospital.)
Mr. James Jackson, steam-engine builder, of
Brighton, deposed,—l was present at the fair, and
saw the engine before the explosion and afterwards.
I saw it before the fire was lighted, but noticed no-
thing particular in it.
Coroner--Did you examine the engine after the
explosion ?—Yes, sir, in about five minutes after.
Can you describe it P—lt was lying on its side,
with the outside shell casing of the fire-box
blown out and the wheels blown off. I went to
Where the engine previously stood, and there saw
the using of the fire-box end now produced. After
examining this I and my brother went and found
the safety-valve. It was quite loose then ; but as
we- found it on the coals, it is most likely some
one had found it before. It was quite free from
eorrosion.
Mr. Hillman—Supposing that boiler had stood