The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-11 00:00:00

THE SUM LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11, 1861.

71 ATTON COLLIERY EXPLO4.7ZON,

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, JAN. 10.

The following witnesses have been examined
since our last report of the inquest being held at
Hetton, to inquire into the cause of the deaths of
the 23 men and boys killed in the colliery there on
the 20th December :—W. Gardner, Ralph Hope,
G. Gleghorn, and R. Gardner, pitmen ; Robert
Simpson and W. Anderson, stonemen ; and John
Bond, waggon-waysman, gave evidence as to their
experience of the explosion, and the state of the pit.
They all agreed that the ventilation was good up
to the period of the disaster, and none of them had
heard of or seen gas in any of the workings.
Anderson said there was no gas in the goaves that
could cause the explosion, and he gave as a reason
for the assertion his belief that if gas had escaped
from the goaves to the furnaces the latter would
have been blown to pieces, whereas neither of them
were broken. The back overman said that when
he left the pit, about four hours before the explosion
occurred, the ventilation was perfect, and the goaves
gave off no gas, and similar testimony was given by
the master wasteman. The engineman described
the state of the boiler before and after the explosion,
and said he never knew a case in which gas had
fired in the flues, although occasionally he had
heard a slight explosion in the fire after he lifted
the damper.
Dr. Thomas Richardson, before being sworn, said,
in reply to the Coroner, that he had now heard all
the facts, and the evidence of the viewers would not
alter his opinion. He then deposed—l live at New-
eastle-npon-Tyne. lam an LL.D., a reader in
chemistry in the University of Durham, and a che-
mical manufacturer on the Tyne. I have been down
the East and West Minor Pits for the purpose of
giving my opinion as to the cause of the explosion
which recently took place there. I have examined
the place where it happened, and have seen the flues.
I heard the evidence given by Mr. Bell as to the
injury done to those flues. I believe that statement
is true. I shall not observe anything further than
what he stated, and I have nothing further to add
to it. My examination has enabled me to form an
opinion as to where the explosion took place, and I
think it was between the boiler of Davison's engine
and the crossing of the north rolley-way. From
the inquiries I have made, and from what I have
heard given in evidence, I believe the destructive
erects that I noticed at various points connected
with the damage done arose from an explosion of
gas in the flue between the boiler of Davison's
engine and the crossing. Ido not know the
length of the flue, but there are about 3,000 feet
of space in the flue between the boiler and tha
crossing, and consequently it would hold that
quantity of gaseous matter. The gas was an
explosive mixture, which might consist of vari-
ous gaseous compounds. It might consist of car-
bonic oxide, light carburetted hydrogen, and
olefiant gas. It might be a mixture of two or more
of the three. These gases might be generated from
the destructive distillation of the fuel used in firing
the boiler, and might be generated by the fire under
the boiler, and pass underneath the damper into
the flue. The space between the bottom of the
damper and the sole, the heated flue, the draught of
the upcast shaft, the temperature of the air admitted
through the grates, the quantity and condition of
the fuel used at and previous to the damping, are
all points that would effect the filling of the flue
with explosive gas, and if the combination was
favourable the flue would be so filled. The result
proves that the combination must have been fa-
vourable, and I form this conclusion from what I
have heard and what I have seen. lam of opinion
that there is no other mode of accounting for the
explosion than that which I have given.

lUSCA COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

RISCA, JAN. 10.

After the despatch of yesterday's parcel Mr.
Harrison was examined by Mr. Thomas Evans,the
inspector of the Glamorganshire district, as to the
splitting of the air in the workings of the east dis-
trict. The 37,000 cubic feet of air per minute
which was passing through the mine was carried
down to the bottom of the slope in one current, and
there split east and west, 22,000 cubic feet—minus
3,000 feet subtracted to clear out a "feeder"—
passing through the eastern district, and 15,000
feet through the western workings. On the east
side the air had three miles to travel before passing
out at the upcast. Mr. Harrison denied that any
advantage would be gained by splitting. the air in
the eastern workings so as to send the air through
them in two currents in place of one, nor did he
think that by this means any increase would be ob-
tained in the amount of ventilation. Three miles
was by no means an uncommon distance for a cur-
rent to have to traverse. Ihe " drag"—i. e , the
resistance offered to the passage of the air by the
exposed surface of the workings—was very small.
The pressure on the water gauge was from six-
eighths to seven-eighths of an inch.
In answer to questions put by Mr. Llewellyn,
Mr. Harrison said that he had been engaged in
colliery operations ever since he was 13 years of
age. He had been at the Risca Colliery somefour-
and-a•half years, and when he first came the ven-
tilation was by means of a furnace only. That
only produced from 15,000 to 18,000 cubic feet of
air per minute, and there was then a much larger
surface of coal exposed in the workings. The
result of putting up the present ventilating appa-
ratus was to do more than double it. He had
always done his best to maintain strict discipline,
and to carry out the rules to the fullest extent. All
the suggestions which had ever been made by Mr.
Brough, the inspector, has been carried out to the
fullest extent. The state of the pit was most
satisfactory so far as he could judge, imme-
diately before the explosion. Nothing could
have been better than the state of the " returns"
e., the air which, having passed through the
workings is on its return to the surface, and there-
fore would be abundantly charged with gas if any
unusual amount were present in the mine. The col-
liery was worked on the principles ordinarily
adopted in South Wales, and the workings, levels,
cross headings, stalls, air courses, &c., were of the
usual dimensions. He did not believe that any
amount of ventilation would provide against the
consequences of the exposure of a naked light to a
large accumulation of gas. A " blower" or sudden
discharge of gas might vary in amount of gas
emitted from 1,000 cubic feet to 20,000 eubic feet
per minute, and they might continue emitting gas
three days or three months. In the course of clear-
ing the mine to extricate the bodies, he had heard
the noise of a blower somewhere about where the
explosion took place; in the same neighbourhood a
lamp had been found with a hole in the gauze.
Supposing this blower to have come suddenly into
contact with the light thus exposed, that would be
sufficient to produce the explosion. There yet
remained 33 lamps undiscovered in the neighbour-
hood of the scene of the first explosion. All the men
were made thoroughly acquainted with the danger
of opening the lamps. Four had been found un-
locked, but the gauze had not been removed.
Mr. Brough and Mr. Evans both remarked that
they had heard nothing of the blower though they
had been in that part of the mine shortly after the
accident.
In answer to Mr. Owen, the solicitor on behalf of
the relatives of some of the sufferers, the witness
said that he was not aware of any complaints which
had been made by the former inspector, Mr. Mack-
worth, of the bad state of the pit. No such com-
plaint or report had been made since he had been
at the colliery, nor had he ever heard any complaint
made by the men. The air was carried down to the
workings, "split" or divided there, and carried to
the working places by double doors, which were
kept shut by boys. If the doors were left open for a
comple of hours the place would naturally get foul.
Mr. Owen then read a passage from a report Of
Mr. Mackworth'S, the former inspector, dated 1855,
in which serious complaint was made of the condi-
tion of this mine, and cross-examined the witness
closely upon it, but Mr, Harrison was positive in
stating that in every particular the defects therein
pointed out had been amended, and the suggestions
of the inspector adopted. In answer to other ques-
tions Mr. Harrison said it was some time since Mr.
Brough had suggested the sinking of another pit ;
it was not particularly with a view to better ven-
tilation, but to make it altogether a better colliery.
The sinking of another shaft would not have im-
proved the ventilation considering, the increase
which would have then taken place in the face of
coal exposed. There was no pit in South Wales
better ventilated for the quantity of coal raised. If
there had been anything wrong the working men
would soon have complained. Mr. Harrison added
that he had always encouraged the men to make
complaints.

Al this point the inquest was adjourned until
the day.
Nest
tt
morning Mr. Owen proceeded with his
e
cross examination of Mr. Harrison, but failed en-
tirely to shake the favourable description which he
hail given in his evidence in chief. In answer to
various questions the witness said that the 19,000
feet of air passing through :the eastern workings
was travelling at the rate of about seven feet per
second, and there were at work in those workings
68 men and boys, and three horses. This amount
of ventilation was quite sufficient for that number
of men, and for the amount of coal being worked
there. Blowers were most eccentric in their action,
nor could any man calculate when they would come
down, or provide against their sudden appearance.
There were no previous indications of them. A pit
might be worked for years without one, or they
might come off every day. If 20,000 feet of gas
came out of the blower, and 19,000 feet of atmo••

spheric air were passing through the "workings
there would be no danger, because the mixture
then would not have reached the explosive point.
Eight of air to one of gas was the most explosive
wixture ; at 14 of air to one of gas the risk ceased.
Beyond each of these points the gas was too little
and too much diluted respectively to be explo-
sive. It was impossible to say how much gas
would be emitted by the blower—perhaps 1,000
cubic feet, perhaps 20,000 cubic feet of gas per
minute. With regard to the lamps, all used
by the men were locked in the most secure manner
known of ; but, of course, it was not possible to
prevent men from getting private keys made surrep-
titiously if they were so minded. He had never
known of a lock which the men could not find means
of picking. It had never been his practice to trust
too much to the lamps. The ventilation in the
mine was always first-rate, and carried well up to
the faces of the workings so as to sweep them clean
of the gas. He had alWays discouraged smoking
underground, but it was impossible to prevent it
altogether if men were determined to persevere in
the habit. In speaking of this point Mr. Harrison
told a story of a man whom he had long suspected,
and whom he had frequently watched to catch in
the act, but for a long time unsuccessfully, so wary
was the culprit. "At length, after lying for six
, hours on his belly in the dark," said Mr. Harrison,
"I caught him fast asleep in his stall with his pipe
in his mouth, and he had the impudence to complain
that it was not a' fair catch." The consequence to
the miner was a fine of a sovereign (the rules to
which each miner subscribes on entering the em-
ployment of the company inflicting this fine on the
offender) and his discharge from the company's
employment.
Mr. Owen proposed to put some questions relative
to the prices paid by the company to the workmen,
which was objected to by the solicitor for the com-
pany, and which led to a rather smart altercation
between Mr. Owen and one of the jurymen.
Mr. Brough, the Government inspector, thought
the question was perfectly justifiable, inasmuch as
it was a well-known fact that after each accident
at Risca the wages of the workmen, or rather the
price given per ton for cutting the coal, had been
raised, and the coroner allowed it to be put. The
result of the answer was merely to show that a larger
price was now paid for the work of clearing the
mine than had lately been paid for the ordinary
operations of working. In concluding his evidence,
which lasted the best part of a day, Mr. Harrison
repeated what he had stated frequently—that the
pit was one of the best ventilated in South Wales ;
that the men had actually complained of the
strength of the current ; and that no precautions,
either as to lamps, amount of wind taken in, and
complete diffusion of it in all parts, had been ne-
glected. With regard to the state of the pit im-
mediately before the accident, he again repeated
with emphasis that his examination of the state of
the returns (i.e:, of the air passing out at the upcast
pit after traversing the workings) at half-past 6
o'clock showed that there was no perceptible
amount of gas present in the mine.
Mr. Gray, the chief engineer of the mine, had
just been called when our parcel was despatched.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL CO URT.—Jan. 10,

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Blackburn.)

The trial of the prisoners Lewis Robert Poole,
Frederick Walter Ventris, and Thomas Chapman,
who again surrendered, having been allowed to be
at large upon the same recognisances to which he
had surrendered on the previous day, was resumed
this morning at ten o'clock.
Sergeant Ballantine (specially retained), Mr.
Harrison, and Mr. Holl again appeared for the pro-
secution. Mr. Best and Mr. Poland were counsel
for Poole ; Mr. Metcalfe and Mr. J. E. Palmer for
Ventris; and Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Orridge for Chap-
man.

Mr. Best called upon Sergeant Ballantine to elect
which of the acts of felony he should rely upon to
support the charge against the prisoners. The
greater portion of the alleged fraudulent removals
appeared to have taken place in Northamptonshire,
and with regard to them, at all events, he should
submit that the Court had no jurisdiction.
Sergeant Ballantine said he should contend that
the proceedings that took plate at Northampton
were ail a portion of the same scheme to defraud
the creditors, and connected with the act of sending
the trunk full of goods to the prisoner Ventris, in
London, on the 18th of August. _ _

Mr. Justice Blackburn said he entertained some
doubt whether the removals that took place at North-
ampton could be made the subject of inquiry in this
court, although they were undoubtedly evidence for
the jury as to the original intention of the parties.
Sergeant Ballantine upon this intimation from
the learned judge, said he should rely upon the
concealment of the trunk full of goods delivered to
the prisoner Ventris in London.
A number of technical objections were then taken
to the indictment by the prisoner's counsel, but the
whole of them were overruled by the learned judge,
who dee'ded that the case must go to the jury.
Mr. Best, in his address for the prisoner Poole,
said that the jury had heard that the only question
they had to consider was whether it was made out
that he was concerned in the removal of the one
trunk of goods that was alleged to have been sent
to the prisoner Ventris on the 18th of August, and
he said he should submit with a great deal of con-
fidence that there was hardly a tittle of evidence to
support that charge. In the first place he should
contend that there was no proof that the box that
was received in London was the one that was sent
from Northampton, and if the jury should even
come to the conclusion that they were identical,
there was no evidence that his client took the
slightest part in ultimately disposing of the pro-
perty, and that for anything that appeared to the
contrary, he might really have intended that the
goods contained in the trunk should be delivered
up to his creditors. He then commented at con-
siderable length upon the evidence of the witnesses
Beard, Woodford, and Ball, upon whose testimony,
he said, the case entirely rested, but who clearly
knew they were doing wrong, and were in the eye
of the law accomplices, and the jury ought not to
place any reliance upon the evidence of such per-
sons. The learned counsel concluded a very able
speech by earnestly impressing upon the jury that,
notwithstanding the importance of supporting com-
mercial confidence and credit in this country, the
liberty of the subject was of vastly more import-
ance to Englishmen—and no man ought to be con-
victed of an offence for which he was liable to be
kept in confinement for the remainder of his life—
except upon the most clear, cogent, and reliable
evidence.
Mr. Metcalfe, on behalf of the prisoner Ventris,
commenced by observing that it was admitted that
he was employed in a confidential eapacity by one
of the most eminent and respectable firms in Lon-
don, Messrs, Quilter, Ball, and Co., who were con-
stantly engaged in their business as accountants
for large railway companies and the most extensive
mercantile establishments in the country, and he
urged that Ventris had merely acted, so far as the
reliable evidence went, in the strict discharge of
his duty, and that there was nothing in the case to
show that he was actuated by any fraudulent
intention in the transaction.
Mr. Sleigh, in addressing the jury for his client,
said he should be able to show them that he was a
respectable man, who was well known in the
neighbourhood of Northampton ; and he complained
that the matter should have been brought into this
Court for investigation, when all the material cir-
cumstances connected with it took place at North-
ampton. He said that those who conducted the
prosecution were perfectly well aware of this fact,
and that the only circumstance upon which they
could ground a criminal proceeding in this Court
was the removal of the single box of goods to the
residence of the prisoner Ventris in London; and
he urged that the motive for trying the case in
London was, that they were perfectly well aware
that if the charges had been investigated at North-
ampton, no jury could have been found who would
place the slightest reliance upon the evidence of
the witnesses upon whose testimony the present
prosecution mainly, if not entirely, rested.
Some witnesses were called on behalf of the
prisoners Ventris and Chapman, who gave them a
good character.
Mr. Justice Blackburn then summed up the case,
and the jury, at twenty-five minutes past three
o'clock, retired to deliberate upon their verdict.
During their absence another.] ury was sworn, and
the prisoner Lewis Robert Poole was placed alone
at the bar to take his trial for misdemeanour, in
having committed wilful and corrupt perjury upon
the occasion of his examination before the Commis-
sioners in Bankruptcy.
Sergeant Ballantine was specially retained in
this case, as in the former, with Mr. Harrison and
Mr. Holl, to conduct the prosecution. Mr. Best
and Mr. Poland appeared for the defendant.
This charge arose out of the same facts as those
deposed to upon the former trial. The allegation of
perjury against the defendant was that upon his
examination in the Bankruptcy Court, after the
adjudication of bankruptcy, he swore that he had
not removed any goods from the warehouse, and
notwas
of raisingcogni sa
m
t of tohnee facty
except those that were sent to Mr. Pearce for the
purpose
to pay the wages of the
workpeople. '

Before any evidence was gone into, the jury in
the former case, who had been absent about half an

hour, return ad into court, and delivered a verdict
of guilty against all the prisoners.
Mr. Metcalfe intimated that he intended to sub-
mit some point of law in arrest of judgment.
Mr. Justice Blackburn said he did not intend to
pass sentence at that moment, and the learned
connmel would have an opportunity of considering
the course he should adopt.
The ebarge of perjury was then proceeded with.
The proceedings in the bankruptcy of the defendant
and his partner were put in, and also the minutes
of his examination in the Bankruptcy Court on the
26th September and the 12th October. It appeared
by these minutes that he then swore that he was
not cognisant of the removal of any portion of his
property, except that which was sent to Mr. Pearce,
and upon which he advanced money to pay the
wages of the workmen.

kr. Van Sandau, the solicitor for the prosecution,
proved that he was present when the defendant was
examined, and heard him make the statemeats upon
which the charge of perjury was founded.
In answer to questions put by Mr. Best, Mr. Van
Sandau stated that he conducted these prosecutions
by the direction of the assignees, and with the
sanction of the Court of Bankruptcy.
Mr. Best said he believed that the witness was
the person who gave Mr. Dawson into custody ?
Mr. Van Sandau said that he was.

Mr. Best inquired by whose authority he took
this step.
Mr. Van Sandau replied that he did so entirely
upon his own authority, and upon his own notions
of what was correct.

Thomas Beard, the witness who was examined on
the former case, was thea sworn, and he repeated
his former testimony with regard to the ran and
load of goods being removed to the residence of
Chapman, at Kingsthorpe, with the knowledge of
the defendant. He also proved that he took other
parcels of goods to the house of a man named Bil-
lingham, who resided near Northampton, where
they were subsequently discovered by the messenger
from the Bankruptcy Court.
At the close of the cross-examination of this wit-
ness the trial was adjourned, but as the charge was
only one of misdemeanour, the jury were allowed
to go to their homes, the learned Judge giving
directions for them not to confer with any one upon
1 the subject of the case.