The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-31 00:00:00

L.

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THE FIRE at RAGGETT-S HO !---) 71
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--- - - ' RESUMED INQUEST. 'J'- - *,, .., -
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The inquest upon the bodies of the sufferers, namely, lir, I : - . •
Round, aged 56 ; Mr. Ramett, aged 62; Miss Raggett, aged 3-T ;Id 1 (ISM 1
Mrs.' Jones,' aged 23, and Mrs. Barnes, aged 40, was yestentay
afternoon resumed before Mr. Bedford, the Coroner fur 'West-
minster, at the Rising Sun, Citries.street, Grosvenor-L:l,4lst,
WhEn the 'following evidence was adduced :

Mr. Henry Davies, surgeon, of Brook street, Manchester-square,
said that he attended Mrs. Round in his professional capacity. He
had seen the' body which had been found that day, but he was
unable to identify it. His opinion, however, was, that it was not
the,botly of Mrs. Round. He was led to that conclusion from the
fact of the features being larger than those of Mrs. Hold. He
understood that a gentleman was present who would produce a
portion of the jaw-bone of the body foutid that day, the formation
of which clearly expres,ed that the body was not Mrs. Round's, but
in all probability it was that of Mrs; Barnes, the servant.
Mr: Smith, a surgeon, produced the portion of the jaw-bone al-
lu'cled to, from an inspectton of which it certainly appeared that
the deceased heal very large and prominent teeth, which was not the
case with Mrs. Round.

Rich, a servant to Mr. King, a merchant of Bristol,
was next examined. He said, I was in Itaggett's Hotel on Monty
night last, and went to bed about half-past eleven o'clock. I came
with my master on Friday afternoon. I was awoke by hearing an
alarm of fire, between twelve and ona o'clock, when I looked nest
Of window. I saw six or nine pawns in the street at the time,
who were shouting fire. I went to my bed-room door, but
as soon as I opened it, I found smoke and flames coming up stairs,
and then went back to the window and got out of it. I hung fur
some time•by the window frames and sill. I then dropped down
into the balcony, andescaped from thence into the street. I heza
on the windows as long as possible. I did list let go my hold until
my hands were badly burned. I saw Miss }Liggett and Miss Round,
and another party, at the next window, whilst I was banging at the
sill. Miss Haggett said—" Oh, for God's sake, Rich, save us, or we
shall be all burned to death." I saw Miss Raggett attempt to get
upon the esespb ; 1n attempting to put her foot upon the same she
slipped, and fell down into the street.
•

A Juror—How low was Miss Itaggett waitingfor the fire-escape?
Witness—Four or fire minutes. The escape was not placed mad*
opposite the window, but in the middle of the two.
Auogier Juror-How long was it before the fire. escape arrived
Witness—Twenty minutes.

•-• Frederick Wm. Raggett re-examined—My opinion is, that the
body found today was that of Mrs. Barnes, one of our servants.
The. body was found in the ruins, near to where my father ws-6
sleeping. My impression therefore is, that she went into his roc=
to.arouse him, and that, being overpowered with the smoke, she
:01 down. The floor having given way will account for tt body
heing found in the position it was. Mrs. Round, I should say, was
al:At 5 feet S inches, and more corpulent, but not so large Coned
as Mrs. Barnes.

A Juror—What was the width between the two windows on the
second.floor p Witness—About four feet.

• Henry Raggctt examined—l am a clerk in the service of Mr..
,Scaltzwick, a civil engineer. On the night of Monday last I was
sltting up With my brother, who was waiting for the return of t.o
parties from the French play. Aboattlialf-fasst tweive.e'cloa, 3. ties
companied my brother to Mrs. Round's apartments, on the seertul.
flour. On my descending, and reaching the first-floor, I heard some
one cry out; " fire." I then saw !lames issuing from the bed-reora on
the first floor, I afterwards went with my brothel' to fetch my
mother, who was confined- to her bed With a' broken 'leg.
ing brought rig mother down, I waited in the street for- nearly
20 minutes, ,when the fire-e Stare ..t last arrived., ..Istssv a Mali
cend two or three Steps and then come, back again. I ascended We-
ladder m}telf, aril , while going ; up I sass female fall into the
street. I then got up, and succeeded in saving 511. Round anti her
maid-servatit., Itto not think it IvsPiassiblefilr there to havereached
th raachine without assistance, in"asMiteli as I was - obliged to
'teach out-in order to get them into the escape. If a man had
been with the escape,-it would have beenhis duty to have ascended.
the same before I couldtaye,got ue. The men whOnri^saw go a
few steps up the machine, sind then descend again 4icipot appear
to me to belong to it; he was dressed, in a plain coat. , If there
had been sonic of the ladders which are - gr;tierally placed against
the church .ivalls, and they iiiiyageneplacted .first to the balcony,
and thence.to. the roof,. Lthirtic the imnates_Might have been raved.
I attribute the death of nay sister entirely to tine escape not. having '
been placed near °nought.? her.
Charles R.ibinson *as next examined—l urn a waiter at the
hotel termed Raggett's in.flover,sLreet. , On-the night of Monday
last I was in the house *henthe cry of tire was raised. I Iv
and informed Colonel Bonverie and other:partiei. I met Mrs. _
Round or the landillg ',:nffr the staircase; and told her to come
down, expecting that she,would. liweut,to "r'oese the other parties,
in the house. On ny_rtinning up-stairs-l.met the- Exrl.of -Hew
tingdon, who requested me to save Lerd Hastings, his infant sou.
The flames were so stiting. that I could not get through them, and
I then went to arouse the porter. A man who went ler ladders at
the Gloucester_mews was refused, and tol,i that he. must. get his
horses out first. , •
Mr. Joseph Wm. Welborn, of -38, Albemarle-street, was next
examined—He said, on Tuesday- morning, about till'minutes be-
lore one, I waapatsing along Payer-street,: when my attention was,
arrested by hearing clic: bteakiegof.glass. On looking round I
saw that the glass fell fr-dni the first window on the first floor
nearest the southern portico. There were three ladies at
the same window„_ and, the room appeared full of smoke.
One of the ladies attempted to get out, but was prevented
by the others. -At that time -a policeman 'came up
and sprung his rattle. Almost simultaneously a cabman
came along, and persuaded' ltim to drive to the St. Jainee's
station for the escape. He 'appeared . not to :know whore the
station was, and, I gOt upon *the box, and the man drove as fast
as he could to the station.,} On arriving there I found a man yt
charge of the machine,-- and, also a policeman. One of thorn saM
the machine waslocked4 I, spoke very severely to him, and told
him to give me the keys.,,,Ptold him that the loss of life would
be dreadful -if -,7aiirs more time were lest: •He appeared Ite
be quite , unconscious of ;what lie was about. On my going
near the box he thiettlened knock me down. The- politic_
man said it was nolood'lminiling what.' he had said," .as htenits,
drunk. -. At ,last we got- the :escape away,. but on -my going to
assist-- he tried to push- me- away. Upwards' of fourThillutes
elapsed, owing to the conduct of. the .man at -the machine„
before the escape was gotdown. -.l'should say that not snore than a.
quarter of an hour wis,lost before the, arrival bf the'rnschine.i. The
young ,woman (Itaggett) got out of.one of the wirnknys,andiilacinq•
her hand on the uarapct,,she appeatid as if'slie was g,in; to lower
herself down, but suddenly 'she s4rang forward, Litt missed the
machine and fell into the street.
The Chairman of the St. James's Fire-escape Society said, a f ter
what had fallen from .thelast witness, the man who israkehatge et .
the escape on the night in question would be discharged lame-
, diktelv.

~:

Mr. Sampson Low, of the Royal Society for the Protection of
Life from Fire, said that on the night in question a messenger ar—
rived at the Society's station, in South Moltomstreet, and told the
condnctor to bring the escape to Dover-street. On arriving at
Berkeley.square he was met by a man, who told him to take the
escape down the mews, adding that there was one already at the
front. The conductor did as he was requested, and it was not
until after it was tco late to render any assistance that the mistake
was found out. A meeting will be held at Willis's Rooms neat
week, in order that the matter might be further investigated.
Mr. Braidwood, superintendent of the Brigade, said that ciria
engine always carried two lengths of scaling-ladders, each six and
a half feet in length. They were so constructed as to forma an
escape of great length by being connected together.
Mr. Superintendent Beresford, in answer to a question from a
juror, said that the instructions of the police were to call the
engines, turncocks, and fire•escapes, but the first object was to do
all they can to save life.

This being the whole of the evidence, the jury returned a verdict
of " Accidental Death," in each case, adding, " they request that
the Coroner will write to Sir James Graham, her Majesty's Seore.
tary of State for the Home Department, for the purpose of calling
attention to the evidence given at this ifiquest, in order that the
Government may take some means of preventing, in future, such,
an awful sacrifice of human life."

THE CASE OF JAMES DEAN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUA'.
7, Upper Belgrave.street, May 30, 11845.
Ste,—Seeing in the Times of to-day a letter from Mr. Weston
and an editorial article, both of which are calculated to mislead
the public as to the liberation of poor James Dean from Reading
gaol, I think it my duty to mention the real circumstances of
the case.

In consequence of a letter written by myself on Saturday last,
of which I annex. to you a copy, his daughter.in.law came to my
house on Monday evening, and she having in its worst features
confirmed the report of the case in the Times, my servant, en
Tuesday, went down with her to Reading gaol, where he found
poor Dean in solitary confinement, in a felon's dress, pumping
water and picking •oakum, and dieted upon gruel, which in dis-
gust he had poured down a sink in the earlier part of his
prilonment.

My servant paid the fine of 10/. I Is, to the governor of the
gaol, and having given poor Dean 21. for himself, returned with
him to Windsor, therefore the statement "that he (Mr. Simmons)
and Captain Bulkeley went to the prison, the Berke county gaol,
and liberated poor Dean forthwith," is totally at variance with
truth, neither of these gentlemen having been present, or having
bad anything whatever to do in the matter ; in fact Dean was at
'Windsor long before they could have become acquainted with his
liberation.

I am told that Dean is a very intelligent, well-informed person,
and likely to be able to give some useful evidence as to the crimes
occasioned by them, if summoned as a witness by the Committee
now sitting upon the game-laws; it is therefore my intention to
speak to Mr. Bright on the subject.
I shall feel obliged by the insertion of these letters in your paper
al.
875
of to-morrow (Saturday).--I am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
"7, Upper Belgrave-street, LonjdOil
otl, yNCO 0
4,
"Sir,—l observe by the Times of to.day that you have been sent
to prison and to hard labour for four months, at the suit of Prince
Albert, for having offered to sell some pheasants and some phea.
sants' eggs.

" As I disapprove of game-laws, and of all proceedings under
them, I will release you by paying the fine of IN. 1 Is , if you will
let me know how I can forward it to the proper quarter.
" Deeply commiserating NOW I consider an act of tyranny and
injustice inflicted upon a poor man, I am, Sir, your very obedient

servant,

" JOHN COLLETT, M.P. for Athlone,

" Mr. James Dean, shoemaker, Easthanmstead,
near Bracknell, Berks."

lIRST REPORT from the SELECT
COMMITTEE ON PROCEEDINGS IN THE
ACTION OF HOWARD v. GOSSETT.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the proceedings
of the action of rfoward r. Gossett, and to report their observa-
tions and opinion thereon to the house, have apreed to the Nilo w-
ing report:— _ _

in the course of the consideration which your Committee has
apprised
dth:tt.
given to the I
.8 utbhjee ct
progressreferr referred toih them,e ato nthisetywhhaivceheieteiist
proceedingsthe House should be informed without delay. The plaintiff, on
Tuesday last, executed his writ of inquiry, and his damages were
assessed by the jury at '2OO/. ; and upon the judgment for that
amount he will be enabled to levy his execution on Monday, the
2,1 of June.
" Your Committee will at an early period present a more de,-
tailed report than they are at present prepared to make ; but they
feel it to be their duty to submit their opinion tint it is advisa'jle
that a writ of error should be brought on the judgment of the
Court of Queen's Bench; and as the levying of the plaintiff',, exe-
cution will in no respect prejcdiee the proceedings in the %nit of
urror, your Committee do not deem it expedient to ad vise the
House to interpuse to prevent the levy.
" May 2tl,

IS-15."

THE LATE DUEL NLAR GOSPORT
cospoßT.FmAr._....mr. Seton, the gentleman who was wounded
in the late duel at lirnwo's.down by Lieutenr.:;t Hawkey, was so
snitch improved in health on Wednesday, Vint hcpes were enter-
tained of a speedy rcinova! to his own resldence at Soutlpea, but
we regret to announce that all hope has since vanished. On
Thursday the wounded Eentlentan worst:, and in the
course or the day it was evidenl 'erne unfavonrable alteration
had taken place. These symptoani have increaned to-day to such
a tearful degree that •the recovery or the patient is now pronounced
hopeless.

Mr. Liston has been sent for from London will all dispatch, and:
is expected to arrive at Portsmouth this evening, to see if there i 4
any chance of prolonging the life of the sufferer by an ep,ration,
the success of which, however, even in the minds of the medical
gentlemen, is not looked upon as probable. Drs. Stewart, Mor-
timer, and Jenkins attend very regularly, and consult twice a day
upon their patient

- -
Neither Lieutenant Hawkey nor the seconds have been heard of
since the warrants for their apprehension have been issued. It i 4
repotted and believed they arc all on the Continent.
Mrs, Hawkey has left Portsmouth for London, with the inter j;
tiGn, it is believed, of proceeding to the Continent, and joining
husband.