The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1880-04-17 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT BEDWORTH.  RECKLESS DEALING WITH DYNAMITE  The adjourned inquiry touching the death of Frederick Dewis, a young man, who was killed on Monday week last by an explosion at the Hawkesbury Colliery, Bedworth, was resumed at the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, before Mr. T. Dewes, Coroner.—lt will be remembered that at the last inquiry the evidence adduced showed that deceased's death was occasioned by the explosion of dynamite, which it was alleged deceased obtained surreptitiously from the engine. house near to where some iron castings were being blown. The inquiry was then adjourned for the attendance of a Government Inspector. Major Ford, inspector of explosives, and Mr. Evans, inspector of mines, now attended, and watched the proceedings.— Mr. Cunliffe, the manager of the mine, was re-called and in answer to Major Ford, said no special method was adopted at the colliery for thawing dynamite. No warming-pan was used, although he knew they were recommended. The men were left to thaw dynamite as they might think best.—ln answer to the Coroner the witness said he used all precautions necessary for the protection of life.—John Shaw, the enginewright, re-examined by the Government Inspector, said ho thawed the, dynamite on the morning on which deceased met with his death. He did so by holding the cartridge in his hand in warm water. There was no other apparatus. He was not aware the nitro-glycerine ran out of the cartridge as soon as the latter touched the water.—Major Ford said he had visited the colliery, and from what he had seen and the evidence already adduced he had no doubt whatever as to the cause of the explosion. The jury had heard the method adopted of thawing the dynamite, and he must say a more reckless way he had never heard. Directly the dynamite was put in the warm water the nitro-glycerine contained in it ran out, and being heavier than water, went to the bottom of the bucket in which the warm water was placed. There could be no doubt whatever . _ .  that the water in the bucket contained nitroglycerine. The next thing they heard of the bucket containing the water was that it was taken to the hut. It was placed close to the fire, but the deceased, finding that the heat was insufficient to warm the water, which must at the time have been only chilled, took a few cinders from the grate, placed them on the stone floor, and put the bucket on top of them. The heat to the nitro-glycerine then became so intense that an explosion followed, and that explosion took place inside the bucket, and was not occasioned by the dynamite which was supposed to be missing.—After a few remarks from the Coroner the jury returned the following verdict: —" That the deceased was killed by an explosion of nitro-glycerine, the explosive component of dynamite: that the deceased was on the day in question employed at the Flawkesbury Colliery with other men in breaking up cast-iron beams, for which dyna:Lite was used, and that the explosion occurred in a bucket which had been used near to a fire for thawing dynamite."  Peter Conway was executed by Marwood in Omagh Gaol on Wednesday morning for the murder of his brother-in-law in July last. The 'prisoner made no confession.  EPPS'S GLYCIMINZ Juzusss CAUTI . These effective and agreeable confections are so dby most Chemists. By others, however, attempts are often made at substitution. We therefore deem it necessary to caution the public that they can only be obtained in boxes, Ga. and ; labelled Jegas Ens And Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, 48, Threadneedletreat, and 170, Piccadilly, London.