Star.
London, England, 1814-08-05 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST:

A Coroner's Inquest *ns held last ev:ming at fh,
King's Head publiehouse, York-street, iVestminsti r.
upon the bodies of Martin Foulkn and J )hn TAylor.
who hest their lives t the destruction of the Pagoda,
on the bridge over the Canal in St. Itmes's Park, on
Monday night last.
The Jury having been sworn, they proceeiled t"
take a view of the bodies, which yore ilepos;teti to
shells, at the Westminstet Infirmary.—' The heed of
Foulkes seemed to have been dreadf-illy slfattered—

he was a tall, stout, well-looking man.
Taylor also exhibited a shocking appearance, 'his
body, head, and legs, being severely burnt. this
melancholy task over, the Jury returned to the Kines
Head, when the Coroner commenced his inquiry re-

_ .
specting the fate of the unfortunate men.
An enquity was first made respecting Foulkes, who
was unknown, and who had not been in any way

connected with the works. The beadle said he had
been unable to gain any information respecting him,
bit referred to one of the Jury as being able to give
some particulars.
Mr. John Murphy, of Parliament-street, was then
sworn.—He deposed, that about twelve o'clock on
Mond4 night, as he was Upon the lawn in St.James's
Park, near to the circle which surrounded the bridge
over the Canal, on the west-side next Buckingham-
House, admiring the fire-works, he was surprised at
the extraordinary brilliancy with which they burnt.
The discharge seemed greater than it had appeared
at any former part of the evening, and burst from
every interstice of the pagoda above the second or
third circle. After the blaz# had subsided, he plainly
discovered that some of the wood-work had been set

on fire. At first it was a matter of doubt, wlieth,r

the tire had criginated from accident or design • but
from the shouts of the workmen on each side Of the
bridge it was soon ascertained that it was the effect of
accident. The assistance of the engines was imme-
diately called for, the building being completely en-
veloped in flames. Witness then discovered two men
at the top, in two different stories, apparently in great
distress; one of them ascended to the summit, as if to
avoid the flames, while the other appeared to make
his way towards the bottom. At that moment a
great noise arose from the falling of some of the tim-
bers, and the shouts of the workmen, and it was an-
nounced that the man who had astende.l to the top
had thrown himself over. He was afterwards taken
up from a floating stage placed close to the bridge,
on which he fell, and which had been prepared fur
the purpose of lighting the lamps over the arch.
Mr. John Watson, house-surgeon of the Westmin-
ster Infirmary, deposed, that soon after twelve o'clock
on
_ _

the night in question, the deceased was brought
to him by some persons, who said he had been hurt
by falling from the paglida, in St. Jtmes's Park; lie
was at that time quite in a state of insensibility ; he
bled Irom the nose, mouth, and ears, and exhibited
symptoms whith indicated injury on the brain. Wit-
ness saw it was impossinle for him to recover, butt he
used every means by opening the temple artery, and
otherwise, to save his life, without effect, as he died in
two hours afterwards. Examined t!ke blcly next day,
and found that the skull of the deceased had bees

fractured, whiel no doubt occasioned his death.

The Coroner having seunmed up thi 4 evidence,. the'
Jury returned a verdict of—Accidental Death.
The next siihject of inquiry was as to the circum-
stances attendaig the death of lain Taylor.
Alexander Ross, a carpenter fromWoolwich, stated,
that on Monday he was in the Pagoda at the time the
fire tuck place. He was on the third story from the
top, and had just refitted some fire-works on the 2d
story, the sparks from which tell on some fire-works,
whit;t were on the stairs, ready to be fixed on the third
story, and these immediately took fire, and set
building in a blaze. He ran don. stairs, and on
reaching the green saw John Taylor, ho vis also
a c 17.'1:tenter, coming down the steps, all on fire. As-
sistance eras immediately given to him, and oil rwred
on li;s burns, after which lie was conveyed to ti.e
yon a boa! d. lie was quite sensible, and d -
sired witness to let his wife know of the accident.—
Witness knew nothing of Foulkes, nor did he see him
is hen he was up in the Pagoda. Supposed curiosity,
or some other cause, had ied bin- to the top of the
building. The gas lights had not been turned on. The
deceased had a wile and four children at Woolwich.
Mr. John Watson, the surgeon examined before,
deposed, that the deceased was brought to the West-
minster Infirmary, soon after twelve o'clock. He
was much burnt, as he understood, at the Pagoda in
St. J trues's Park. He examined him, and found his
body in a shocking state, being burnt in different
parts. Ile applied the usual remedies, and gave him
a composing medicine, but without 'effect. He ex-
pired am ‘Vcdnesday afternoon. Had no doubt his
death was attributable to the burns on his body.
In this case, as in the former, the Jury returned a
verdict of—Accidental Death.
A. Foulkes was unknown to the diff..rent workmen
about the. bridge in the Park; a considerable time
el.spsed before any information could be obtained re-
specting him. At length, howeser, upon examining
his shirt, his name was ascertained, and in the course
of Wednesday a gentleman tame forward and recog.
nised him to have been a respectable hosier, who had
carried on business in- Wood street, Cheapside, but
who had recently become a bankrupt. It is supposed
that on the fire being first discovered, he rushed on
to the bridge among others who came to assist, and
ascending the steps of the Pagoda, in the hope of
being able so render assistance to any person who
might be there, passed through the flames, and finding
he could not return threw himself off. Taylor, before
he died, stated that he saw Foulkes pass him, and
say, 44 follow me, and you're safe." He preferred
rushing thrones the flames, however, and thus met
his fate. We learn that Foulkes was present at the late
tire in the Customhouse, and rendered great assist-
ance by his activity and daring
.bravery in rushing
through the flames on that occasion.
Only two other pet sons were injured, and these but
slightly.—The Jury, before they separated, expressed
a hope that provision would be made for the family
of Taylor, who had thus unhappily been left des-
titute.

At the Jubilee Fair in Hyde Park, on Wednesday
eveniag,a young Woman of genteel appearance was
thrown from a swing, and had her thigh broken ; and
at the same place a tradesman from the Strand, had
his pocket picked of his watch aed 050.