The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-27 00:00:00

ACCIDENT IN EXETER-STREET.

The ruins of the houses arc now cleared away,
and it is asmrtained that no other person hassuffere4.
by this digtidful accident. Preparations are also
making to pull down the adjoining houses, which at
present appear in a very tottering condition. The
bricks seem only heaped together without any ce-
ment whatever, and a number of them are occa-
sionally falling down, to the great terror of the poor
labourers, who used an extraordinary share of exer-
tion on the occasion. The five persons who were
saved from the ruins are now pronounced to be out
of danger ; but the young woman, Elizabeth Stokes,
still complains of the great pain in her forehead.
During the entire of Thursday she was continually
making inquiries about her mother, exclaiming, " I
know-she was killed—l ant sure she is dead;" but
her mind was somewhat calmed by the assurance
that she was still living, and in the hospital. Yester-
day morning, however, she was informed of her
death, and became so agitated, that it was appre-
hended her excitation of mind would affect her
health, in consequence of the injury ,her head has
sustained.

RESUMED INQUEST.
Yesterday afternoon, at half-past three o'clock,
the Jury on Elizabeth Stokes and her infants assem-
bled' at the Bell 'in Exeterstreet, pursuant to ad-
journment. Before the inquiry commenced,
Mr. Roche, who had a Morning Paper in • his
hand, rose, and addressing himself to the Coroner
said, he was not present at the lir4 part of the in-
vestigation at the White Bart yesterday; but he
perceived it said in the paper he held in his hand
that a person now present, who was very fond of
notoriety, had stated that it could be proved that the
houses in question had been condemned. He (Mr.
Roche) now wished to knew if that person was pre-
pared with proof, because he very much doubted it.
Mr., Forder, the Vestry Clerk said, he was the
person alluded to, and if the question had been put
in such a mariner as was due from one gentleman to
another he would , have answered it; but, as it was
not, he should decline Making any reply.
The CoitoEo—We have nothing to do with
Newspaper reports, though I believe the statement
is correct enough.. .
Mr. Roche—The declaration, that the fact of the
houses having been condemned could be proved was
made by a person -who has no other ambitiOn • than
Newspaper comment—who lives only upon News-
paper popularity7-and I wish to challenge him to
the proof. I defy him to prove any such thing.
Mr. Corder—lt is quite clear that there has been
gross neglect some where, and I am determined, as.
far as my power goes, to sift it to the bottom.
• The CORONER—We had better pursue the in-
quiry.

George Heath was morn, and stated that hel ived
at No. 15, Exeter-street, and was a Waterman and
lighterman. He had been 26 years a fireman in the
Phoenix fire-office, and was well acquainted with the
_ _

nature of buildings. In July last, seeing a- board out-
side the house that was the Blackmoor's Head, ad-
vertising that and the next house to be let, he
thought the premises might suit him, and he went
and examined them: He found Stokes occupying
the Blackmoor's Head. He -then saw that the pre-
mises were in a dreadful dilapidated state, and told

Stokes they were not safe. He went to Mr. Bell,
of -No. 10, Oxford-street, the gentleman re-
ferred to upon the board, and who was agent to the
great brewers, Meux and Co.
Mr. Roche—How do you know that fact ?

Heath—How do I know it ? why, because I was
afterwards at the brew-house, and they acknow-
ledged. it. But I shallnot answer your questions,
Sir. You have no right to question me. Witness
continued. He told Mr. Bell what a horrid state
the houses were in. Mr. Bell said the firm wished

,to let the two houses together for the term of the
lease yet unexpired (witness belleved.five years and
a half), at 601. per annum. He offered 301., and to
lay Out 1001. upon the premises, but the offer was
rejected.
• CoIiDNER—Do you mean to swear that the build-
ings- were at that time unsafe ? Witness—l
CORONER—Did you tell Mr. Bell your opinion of
the state of the houses ? Witness—l did at the
time.

Mr. Bell (the witness having signed his deposi-
tion) said, "Should you know Mr. Bell if you saw
?" Witness—lf lam not much mistaken, you
are the gentleman.
Mr. Bell—You are right there, but I wish you
Would confine yourself to the truth.
Witness—The truth, Sir ! I do. I never depart
from the truth, and .you have no right to say I do.
You are a greater man than I am, Sir • but I am as
square with the. world as you, thank God.
-Abraham 'Attwell lives in Burleigh-street,
and is a carpenter. If the houses had been properly.
attended to they would riot have -fallen. Witness
informed Mr. Roche of the state of the houses.
Juror—Did you go over the buildings ?
Witness—Yes, nine or ten months ago, and then
I went to Mr. Hands, and told him of the state of

the premises. When I examined the houses nine
months ago I said to a friend who accompanied me
" we had betttr get out of this as soon as rissible,
or the house may tumble down upon us.". By the
advice of Mr. Roche I called upon Mr. Stead, the
agent of the Marquis of Exeter, and he told me that
the houses were so old that that nobleman would
grant no fresh leases.
Mr: \Valford, the solicitor to the Marquis, begged
the attention of the Jury to this fact, as tending to
exonerate his noble employer from blame.
Mr. Sturr,.a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Lang-
ford and Wa'fords, solicitors to the Exeter estate,
deposed, that from Lady-day, 1821, until Lady-day,
1828, both inclusive, he received rent for the houses,
Nos. 4 and 5, Exeter-street, from the Messrs. Meux
and Co. He always considered Messrs. Meux and
Co. as the under lessees.

Mr. Latham—You never asked my title. Wit-
ness—No, certainly not ;4 deemed that unnecessary.
Mr. Latham was noW sworn.—He deposed. that
about the year 1820 the firm of Meux and Co. lent
to a man, named Chamberlain, a considerable sum
of money, to go into the home No. 5, Exeter-street.
It was then a respectable public-house, in good
business. As a security for this sum of money
(7504), the firm took the deeds, lease, assignments,
tcc„ under a warrant of attorney. • A year and a half
atterwards the license was taken away. They had
endeavoured:to get a renewal of the license, but in
vain. •

Elizabeth Stokes, the daughter, who was dug out
from the ruins, was here introduced. She is an
ciceedingly interesting looking young Woman, atid
Was nitwit affected. She merely deposed,proloima,
to the facts connected with the fall of the buildings,
which are already before the public. She is. in a
rapid state of recovery.
Mr..Wrettch, the comedian,
.was passing just at
the time the houses fell. He was much agitated at
the time. He, however, recollected seeing two
figtires, one of which he supposed.to be the unfortu-
nate carter who was crushed beneath the ruins. His
escape was most miraculous.
Mr. Bell, of Oxford-street, was not sworn, but he
stated that a good deal of what had been said in the
previous part of the inquiry relative to the premiies
was not strictly-correct.. He never asked the sum
stated,.and as to his Clerks, 64 knew nothing about
the matter whatever. He never gave all answer to
the witness Heath about the premises. He never
offered to let them. He could have done so to
females out of number.
The CORONER here observed that it had not been
proved, as he expected it would, that the premises
had'been condemned.

and after
s I eturned :
Stokes as called, stated nothing that has plot
already been given.
somerrh ecOt CI
s ou
rl
toantei or
"--7‘.‘ That the deceased Elizabeth Stokes and Francis
n,tlttiei
en
followingclar
g ed
verdict
i ej
tu?v•a,
StOkeS died &en) the two honks, Nos. 4 and' .5,
Exeter.:sired, hi%iing fallen, occasioned' by ir ie. want
of *pairs ; and that the materials of the two houses
so: fallen were-moving (a technical *llse),
,to the
respective deaths of the said Llizabeth and Frauds

stokes; and that the said materials are in the pool!,
sion of Messrs. Menai and Co: aforesaid, and of the'
asSignt:." •

The verdict on Neaves was similar. f
This verdict, in. law, makes the whole.
;0
materials R forfeit to the Crown in the nature °'
deodand.