The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-12 00:00:00

gLARMING ACCIDENT AT GAT&iItAD

A special edition of the Northern Evening Express reports
an appalling accident which occurred on Thursday after-
noon at Gateshead,'on the occasion of laying the foundation.
stone of the proposed new Town Hall. For the accommo-
dation of spectators several platforms had been erected,
and, as it turned out, but little care seems to have been
exercised in putting them up. A platform next to West.
street was set apart for ladies, and one adjoining
Swinburne-place was for the holders of gentlemen's tickets.
There were other smaller platforms, but it was in connec-
tion with the one next Swinburne -place that the catastrophe
happened. It was composed of wood, and would be
capable of holding some five or six hundred persons.
In height it would be about five-and-twenty feet at the
back, and twenty at the front part. Now, the ceremony
hrd been all but completed when the rejoicing and the
cheering were converted into screams and shouts for
help. Archdeacon Prest had offered up a prayer, the
Mayor of Gateshead (Mr. R. S. Newall), had laid the
stone, the trowel with which to perform the ceremony
having been presented by Alderman Bigger, on behalf of
the Town Hall Committee), the band of the 22nd Regi-
ment had played the National Anthem, the crowd had
given three hearty cheers, and Alderman Hunter had pro-
posed a vote of thanks to the Town Hall Committee.
All this had been done without anything o'acurring to
cause alarm or arouse fears of the impending catastrophe,
except that a lad had, without being Seriously hurt, fallen
over the back of the gentlemen's platform ; but just as
Alderman Hunter stepped from the stone, a fearful
crash, screams, and yells told that an Tintoward event had
happened to mar the happiness which had been shewn
on all sides. The centre of the platform adjoining
Swinburne-place went down momentarily, with a
loud, sharp, and distinct crash. Its hundreds of
occupants sent forth a hollow wail, while from the
ladies' platform went up a keen and bitter yell, and
from the other parts of the grounds came forth screams
and shouts. The two ends of the platform remained firm,
but this only made matters worse, as all its occupants fell
into one heap in the centre. As soon as the momentary
consternation was over, the gentlemen who occupied
other parts of the ground rushed to the assistance
of their less fortunate brethren. At first great danger
seemed likely to result from struggling on the part of
those who have thus been thrown into a living heap. Cries
were therefore raised for them to "Seep quiet," "Don't
struggle too much," and the wisdom of these really well-
timed counsels was afterwards abundantly manifested.
Numerous volunteers were quickly at work rescuing the
people from their perilous positions. By laying hold
of umbrellas and walking - sticks stretched out to
them, those on the top were speedily. saved. The
work of rescue afterwards went on more speedily until all
were brought out of the place. Many seemed to have got
arms and legs more or less injured ; One man got his jaw
broken, large numbep had received bruises, two or three
women had sustained severe cuts on the head and
face ; but, so far as could be ascertained, no lives were
lost.

FATAL EFFECTS OF A PRACTICAL JOKE.

A coroner's jury has had to inquire into the circum-
stances attendant upon one of those dreadful occurrences
which so often are the result of practical joking with
loaded firearms. In the parish of Whitchurch Canoni-
corum stands Revelshay Farm, which is in the
occupation of a Mr. Honeyburn, a farmer, in whose
employ up till Tuesday last there was a little servant.
maid of 16, named Ann Lacey, and a lad named
Job Hussey, On that day the poor girl lost her life by
the foolish, and in this instance reprehensible conduct of
the boy. About three o'clock in the afternoon, Hussey,
who had been out to work on the farm, returned to the
house for his dinner, and afterwards took up a gun
which was standing in the kitchen against the clock, and
although the granddaughter of Mr. Hcneybum kept
telling him— to use her words—that it was loaded, he per.
sisted in saying it was not, and put a cap on. He snapped
the cap, but the gun did not go off, and then, according to
the dying statement of the girl, he put on another, which
he also snapped, and which likewise did not explode the
charge in the gun. A third time he put on a cap, and
then, pointing the gun at the girl, said, "Ann, I'll shoot
you." He pulled the trigger, and the charge entered the
deceased's shoulder. She immediately said, " Oh, dear !"
and the boy, when he saw what he had done, put his
hand to her shoulder, and withdrawing it, covered with
blood, started off. She lingered till about nine at night,
when she died. The jury returned a verdict of man-
slaughter against the boy, and he was committed for trial
at the next assizes. The granddaughter of Mr. Honey-
burn stated that the boy was on very good terms with the
girl, and that they had not had an angry word.