The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-01 00:00:00

INQUEST.

MORRIS THOMAS, Esq. the Coroner, took his seat on
the Bench at twenty-five minutes before nine o'clock.
The Jury were then ordered to be sworn on the first
Inquest—that of Mr. iliturtee. The jury consisted of
Messrs. Buttler (foreman) Alice Williams, Robt. McCann,
Edward Tilson, Jao. Laidley, Wm. Masters, J. B. Hut-
chinson, ino. Sklinter, Joseph Williams, Geo. Davis, Wm.
Morgan, Jas. McCann, W. Henry Phipps, Claudius In-
ken, William Draper, Thomas Young, Jno. Church,
Richard Francis, John Mammon, Wm. Wright, and Jacob
Sklinter.
Before the oath was administered,

The CORONER said—Gentlemen, allow me to say, that,
if there be any one of you, who have directly or indirectly
a personal feeling on the subject now to be submitted to
you, that you will in justice to yourselves and to your
country, retire from the box, as the oath is presented to
you.
The following oath was then administered to the jury
ten several times, there being ten inquests to be takes,
in order that one view of the bodies might answer the
purpose of the law, and that the relations might be able
to remove them without farther delay.. " You shall dili-
gently inquire;' And true lireaentrnent make, of all such
matters and thiap, as shall be here given you in charge on
behalf of ou sorcreill Lord tbl Wig, touching

:he death of •7 -- (naming the deceased on

each occasion), now lying dead,- of whose body
you shall have the view. You shall present no man for
hatred, malice, or ill-will; nor spare any through fear,
affection, or favour, but a true verdict give, according to
the evidence and the best of your skill and knowledge, so
help you God."
CHARGE.
The ConoNEft then addressed the Jury in those terms
—Gentlemen, on the Inquest in the Court of this, the
King's Jurisdiction, in the Tower of London and its
Liberties, I collect from the regularity, and the great
respectability of your attendance, that your feelings areJn
sympathy with those every where manifested. You feel
as you ought, that a grave—that a solemn duty is cast
upon you, to he discharged to your King and to your
country. You now appear with the regularity of citizens,
determined to perform your duty at the call of the adminis-
trators of our laws. Gentlemen, knowing as I do your
great respectability, and the intelligence of your minds,
when brought to the consideration of subjects connected with
the administration of justice, it is quite needless for me to do
more than to ask you to dismiss from your minds every
rumour, every conversation, every suggestion which per.
haps malice, perhaps interest, perhaps affection, Nave sug-
gested ; dispel all from your sound judgment, and come
only- to that conclusion which your oarh and your duty
demand of your consciences. Gentlemen, the subject of
our meeting is sufficiently distressing ; it is a most exten-
sive devastation of human life; but when we contemplate
it, we have to congratulate each other that its extent
is not a hundred fold increased, for if it had pleased a wise
and all-seeing Being, that the accident had happened only
six hours later than it did, we should now have been assem-
bled to inquire into the cause of the death of 3,500 of the
King's subjects, instead of only ten. Gentlemen, I shall
cautiously abstain from doing more than merely asking in
the view of the bodies of those unhappy sufferers, whose
remains it is our duty to inspect, for the plain truth ;
and I ask this, and I suggest this, for the ends of jus-
tice ; it requires minds calm and exempt from all feeling
which causes irritation in our judgment or in our reason ;

it. is a sober inquiry under truth that is required, into
which we must enter with the greatest calmness, and
with the utmost desire to arrive at that temper. Gentle-
men, I have pointed at a circumstance on which I have
congratulated you, and I must now point to a circum-
stance on which I must praise others. I should be wanting
in a proper consideration to those who, in my hum-
ble judgment, have preserved the peace of these
precincts, and preserved the lives and properties of its resi-
dents. If I did not express that feeling, I should not dis-
charge my duty towards his Majesty's Forces in the Tower
of LondoN, because:to Colonel Arhurthnot, his officers and
men, we owe a debt of gratitude no mind can express, and
no feeling of your's can overrate. Let us then, in that
enquiry in which we are embarked, emulate that sober
temperance with which we have seen that most merito-
rious offimr and his men conduct themselves on the

late occasion. It is known to you all that scenes
of calamity are the focus around which roguery and
depravity ever are found to muster to prey on the dis-
tresses of those who are its victims. Owing, however, to

the great order, owing to the temperance, owing to the
high state of discipline of those excellent and meritorious
officers and their men we are indebted for a fact unknown
perhaps in the annals of such scenes as this in this metro-
polis, that only 11 lives have as yet been known to have been
sacrificed. I do not speak this from the report of others, but
from my own personal knowledge, that but for the presence
of that officer and his men, not only would the property of
that building have fallen a prey to the bad and the design-
ing, but there would have been an additional number of
lives lost ; not only that property, but your property
would most likely have fallen a sacrifice to the general riot
that would have been the consequence, because, though we
had assistance from all the police-offices, without the aid
of the military, we know what the effect of flocking to
this focus of calamity would have been, when we consider
what the desire is of some that leads them there. I
am sure I should neither have spoken my own sen-
timents, nor uttered your feelings without say-
ing thus much. The order, Gentlemen, in which
I purpose to proceed on this melancholy occasion
is tbis--that we should first estimate the feelings of the
unhappy relatives of the deceased persons by our own, and
that we should not uselessly keep their remains in the state
they now lie, beyond what the administration of the law
instituted for the public good requires. Amongst the
wisest of the institutions of our ancestors this Court has
been erected. One of its objects is a view for the purpose
of eliciting the truth as to the causes that lead to the death
of a human being ; that view therefore is to be taken as near
as possible to the spot where the death has been occasioned,
where the circumstances can be best enquired into, and
where the truth can be best established. I therefore pro-
pose that we should walk from this Court into the Grand
Jury Room, where I have ordered the unfortunate bodies
to be brought, that we should view them, and that one
witness who can identify each body should attend us; but
that there shall be no public spectacle beyond what the law
requires. Constables shall be placed at the door to pre-
vent any person following us but the witnesses. Gentlemen,
I shall abstain, as I have said, from expressing any opinion
on any thing that falls from me, which may point any
given decision, as that which must be the result
of your inquiries: I apprehend that you shall
consider that your duty is to have a consci-
entious regard to your oath, which is without fear or
affection, malice or ill will, to find out the cause which
has led to the deaths we are assembled to enquire into. It
shall be my humble duty, as the officer appointed by the
Crown, to superintend your proceedings, and to give my
humble opinion, worthless as it may be, on any point of
law, as it may arise in the progress of the enquiry, but with
you rests the finding of the fact—with that I have nothing
to do. It will be my duty also, to see that the evi-
dence brought before you for the purpose of ascer-
taining the truth, shall be the best that can be
arrived at, and I therefore shall order to be summoned any
persons whom I know, and all who may be stated to me
most likely able to state the circumstances that have led to
the deaths which we all in common deplore. Why I ab-
stain at this time from calling your attention to any dis-
tinction between the verdicts which some Juries are com-
pelled, on occasions like this to give is, because I have been
night and day anxiously engaged to prevent further loss
of life, by making arrangements for the security of the
walls, and in doing other things, which are quite
incompatible with that sober state of mind which I
ought to be under before I give you any legal
opinion ; I therefore propose, before we proceed upon this
inquest, which I shall adjourn now to as early as day as I
can, not only that we shall have bad a view of the bodies,
but what in my judgment is of great consequence, that
we shall have had a view of this building.—(Hear, hear,
front several of the Jury, who were desired by the Coro-
ner to keep silence)--I for one, Gentlemen, have ven-
tured my life near to this building, but I shall not do it
again, unless the lives of others require it, because, with-
out that, why either you or I should be calla into that
dangerous state I have yet to learn. I shall also
request highly intelligent, highly respectable, and highly
disinterested surveyors, in no shape or way whatever con-
nected with these precincts, or the arrangements of this
building, to survey the building with the view of
giving evidence before you ; because you know
nothing at neesent, and you must know nothing, with the
view of giving evidence before you, as to the mode and
propilety of its erection, upon which at present I give no
opinion. I request you to preserve your minds in a state of
suspension, without coming to a conclusion, until that evi-
dence you shall hear. It is but justice to the builder of this
place, who is a perfect stranger to me, and whose Chris-
tian name I do not know—Mr. Whitvvell—to say that a
letter from him has been put into my hands, offering to
come forward, and give all the evidence in his power re-
specting the building: and that calls for this observation,
that Mr. Whitwell has done every thing which every
well-meaning man would wish to do,----expressed his wil-
lingness to submit his acts and conduct to the strictest
scrutiny. I therefore trust that both you and the public
will dismiss altogether, at this period of the in-
quiry, every scintilla of report which mediately or
immediately could be brought to bear on the fairness of
his conduct. He has not appeared before us to-day, and
for a very good reason, that thu public feeling which has
been suggested rather by the passions than by the prudent
calm feeling of the mind, is directed against him. I only
mention this in justice to the individual. I run not aware
that I need to point out any other subject connected with
this melancholy occasion, than to say, I think that we
ought certainly to pass the ensuing Sabbath, whisk
will give us all time to compose our minds in thanking God
for his mercies to 113 all, in entreating him that he will
enable us in the ensuing week to do justice between man
hl e tbhee rT theue period Tuesday
or
wtToe
dnorehsideahyl,
shall be adjournreg
u-
itaainitidesdibloyaunrt.itresohlplinions which I shall thank y ou to give me,
through your highly respectable and honourable foreman,
as I intend to apply to his Majesty's Surveyor-General that
an intelligent officer under his controul may be one of those
gentlemen who shall survey and be examined before you,
touching the building ; as I also intend to apply to the
Lord Mayor that the respectable Surveyor of that
Corporation should be one of those gentlemen whose evi-
dence I wish to be submitted to you. You will probably
see that, to a certain extent, we-should consider gentlemen
in their extensive avocations should not be called upon to
con forward tuddeuly 4140403 WI there it ;iv rofra Why

•
hObld burly the further investigation so soon as the feel-
ings are consulted which we are now willing to consult,
perhaps you would think that even Friday or Saturday
would be the best day on which to resume the

inquiry ; of that, however, I shall request von to talk
among yourselves, and inform me before I take your
recognizances for the further consideration of the sub-
ject, and adjourn this Court. Gentlemen, there is one sub-
ject connected with the peace of those liberties which I

s-- - -
should not permit opportunity to escape without calling
your attention to, it being entitled to the highest considera-
tion of the metropolis : it is that until the present public
ferment has subsided, you shall see that all the licensed
victuallers in this neighbourhood close their doors at ten
o'clock, and that they draw no liquor whatever after
eleven. I shall feel greatly indebted to you should you find
a single house that does not strictly attend to this
to inform me of it, that I may take the proper
notice of it at the next licensing day. I believe,
Gentlemen, that I have now called your attention to all
the topics we need advert to, with a wish to preserve the
peace—with a wish to preserve the lives of his Majesty',
subjects and their general safety, and to express our gratitude
to those excellent men, Col. Arbuthnot, his Officers, and
men. I think I have only further to say, their remains no-
thing which either my feelings, wishes, or duty ought to in-
duce me to address to you, except that there is a widow
deprived of her husband, a child left fatherless, and that,
as we are all fathers or husbands, we cannot help
feeling foe their condition, therefore, if my poor mite
shall be followed by yours to assist in alleviating their dis-
tresses, I cheerfullygive it.
The Coroner and Jury then proceeded up stairs, to view
the bodies. The persons present to identify the
unfortunate sufferers, were called up one by one,
There was for a short time a difficulty in procuring wit-
nesses competent to perform that sad but necessary task,
the relatives of some of the deceased persons being un-
able to leave their houses. No one could be
found able to identify the remains of Miss Fearon,
nntil at length a little girl who had been in her ser-
vice was brought into Court by the constable for that
purpose. The poor little girl wept bitterly on seeing the
corpse of her late young mistress.
Upon the return into Court, the following witnesses were
called :—Once or twice Jurors attempted to put a question,
but the Coroner informed them that the evidence now
given was only preliminary, and in part intended to enable
the living to form some estimate of what bodies might yet
be entombed. When the matter came on for further
investigation every': opportunity would he afforded to the
Jury of having all proper information extracted from
the witnesses, as to the cause of this deplorable event.
J. F. Clements, a police-officer, identified the body of
John Evans; I knew the deceased John Evans in his life-
time ; I have not seen him alive for sometime past; he
dined at my father's three weeks ago last Sunday ; he was
very well ; the body I have just seen is that of my uncle.
John Perry, 100, London Wall, St. Stephen's, Cole-
man-street, upholsterer, identified the body of David
Sampson Maurice. I knew the deceased in his lifetime.
I have known him for about fifteen years. I last saw him
alive this day five week at the funeral of his child. The
body of which the Jury and myself have had a view is the
body of Mr. Maurice.
Josh. Haynes, Cotton-street, in the parish of All Saints,
Poplar, recognised the body of Win. Leader. I have
known the deceased, Win. Leader, for twenty years. He
lived near Vauxhall Gardens. He was a carpenter. He
was often employed at Vauxhall Gardens; he was subse-
quently employed at Drury-lane Theatre, and latterly at
the Brunswick Theatre. A short time ago he removed
from. Vauxhall to a house near Waterloo Bridge, that he
might be more central as to the Theatres at which he
worked. I saw him last three weeks ago. He was a bro-
ther-in-law of mine. The body I have now seen is his.
John Miles, 3, James-street, Cannon-row,"St. Georges-
in-the-East, recognised his brother Jesse Miles. He was
a carpenter; he lived in Coburg-street, Commercial-road;
I have known him 27 years; the body I have seen is his.
This witness stated that his brother kad left a widow
and five children in very distressed circumstances.
. Sarah Davidson, No. 17, Marman-street, Commercial-
road, widow, identified the body of her son.—This poor
old woman was so much overcome by her feelings of grief,
that she could hardly give her evidence ; I am the mother
of Alexander Wm. Davidson ; he was an unmarried man.
He contributed to my support. I saw him last alive on
Wednesday night—the night before the accident happened.
The body I have just seen is that of my unfortunate son.
Geo. Richardson, 12, Upper East Smithfield, parish of
St. Botolph's Without, Aldgate, gas-fitter and mathema-
ical instrument maker, recognized the body of Edward

Gilbert. I knew the deceased. V I have known him about 14
years. I saw him about one minute or two before this dreadful
calamity happened. He then passed me on the stage. I
have no recollection of how many persons might be ;on
the stage when I saw him (pass. At the moment I saw
twenty or twenty-five people at the hack of the stage
Thera were several ladies standing near. My business was
to turn on the three different main cocks that supplied the
house with gas lights. I think at that moment there must
have been from twenty to twenty-five people at the hack
of the stage. This could not have been more than two
minutes before the crash took place.
A JUROR inquired if the witness could form an esti-
mate of the number of musicians that were at the moment
in the orchestra. He could not; but another gentleman
present said there could only have been one or two, proba-
bly Mr. Fearon the leader of the band, at the pianoeforte,
it having been at the time only a rehearsal.
Examination by the COURT resumed.—There were se-
veral females close to me. I was on the prompter's side,
which was on the right hand side of the stage, provided
an individual was to sit in the pit. Within five minutes
of the accident, I was up stairs in the car-
penter's shop, where there must have been at least a
dozen men at work. I think there must have been per-
sons in the house, diffused over the whole building. A
few minutes previous to the accident, I was round the
dress circle, where there were two or three old women
sweeping. I did not go into any other part of the house
that morning. Ido not know where Edward Gilbert
lived. He was a comedian. As near as I can recollect,
when I saw the deceased last alive, was, I think, very near
half-past 11 o'clock on Thursday morning last. I believe when
I saw him, he was running backwards and forwards, trying to
find some place of safety ; he ran apparently under the
stairs on the prompter's side; this was between the begin-
ning of the clattering together of the slates and roof and
when the same reached where the sufferers were. The
body I have seen is his ; lie was married ; I gin not sure
whether he has left a widow or not, but he has left chil-
dren. The noise of the coming down of the premises was
like a clap of thunder. Witness also recognized the body
of Robert Purdy, blacksmith, late of Walberg-street, Now-
road, St. George's in the East. The last time I saw him
alive, was on the morning before the accident; lie was
then engaged in fixing the hand railing of the geometrical
staircase, approaching to the dress circle. The body I
have now seen is that of the said Robert Purdy. Purdy's
father who was present, stated that his son had left a wife
and two children ; that he was 28 years of age.
Elizabeth Andrews recognized the body of Mary Ann
Fearon, her mistress. She was fourteen years old. She
was a dancer in the theatre. She lived in Wellclosee
square before the accident. Saw her last on Thursday
morning at eleven o'clock at home. She was then going to
the theatre. Witness also knew Mary Ann Freeman, and
saw her alive on Monday night. She was a dancer, and
aged fourteen. The body she had seen in the presence of
the Jury was Mary Ann Freeman. She believed that de-
ceased lived in Lemon-street. She let out Miss Fearon
when she was going to the theatre on Thursday.
The brother-in-law of Mary Ann Freeman here ap-
peared, and received the warrant to remove the body.
Mr. John Laidley, a Juryman, had known G. Penfold
as a foreman in the London Docks for about eight years
before he came to the theatre ; saw him alive at about a
quarter past eleven on the Thursday morning, at the en-
trance of the stage-door of the theatre. He was a door-
keeper. It was his body witness had seen with the Jury.
Did net know if he had any family.
The Jury were then sworn to take the inquest on Jo-
seph Levy, who had been killed.
Mr. Ballantine, Magistrate of the Thames Police-office,
hoped he did not tresspass unnecessarily on the time of the
Coroner and Jury, in noticing a public statement that had
been made relative to some persons under his management.
He alluded to a statement which he observed in an Even-
ing Paper of yesterday. When the unfortunate accident
occurred, lie ordered the Police under his authority to
repair to the spot, where lie met his friend, Mr. lox,
Mr. Ballard, and Mr. Welsh, who were the only n'ag's"
Crates trkesn he then o
f saw.
Katherine's
T hey
Docks,
soon procuredacting
assistancender oe e
abl
direction of Mr. Richards, but his object was not to state
that which lie saw, but that which he beard. He felt
deeply interested in the conduct of those under his im-
mediate authority. He felt a pleasure in urging them to the
proper exertion of their duties, and he should be exceed•
ingly sorry if their could be any truth in the statement,
udder
e
that they were either drunk on that occasion, or had other-
wise misbehaved themselves. Yet he saw in the Courier
of last night, the names of many persons who could
not have been there, or if they had, could not
have been near enough to have seen the facts. After a
great many nonsensical paragraphs, which he did not think
it worth his while to notice, it stated, for instance, things
muipg witleila the okriPrAtiALl a Kr. when