The Stockton Examiner, and South Durham and North Yorkshire Herald. — 1879-07-12 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT PLYMOUTH. his assistant, were also at the pit'e mouth very soon after the explosion occurred, and their experience was Plymouth was startled a day or two since, by a of considerable value to the colliery officials in the murder and suicide of a peculiarly shocking character. The facts for some hours remained obscure, but the work of exploring the mine and recovering the bodies. Mr. James Watson, manager of the colliery, coroner's inquest elicited them. llarriet Marker, the took command of the exploring party, and they were daughter of a Plymouth lithographer, twelve years joined subsequently by Mr. Thomas, the head mans- ago, being then eighteen, married a naval petty officer ger, and many other willing hands. They descended named La. rence. He went to sea for several years, the pit by way of No. 3 shaft, which was allowing her no maintenance. After the first few quite clear, and then gradually worked their months, she lived as a dresemaker at Manchester and nay to the scene of the explosion in No. Liverpool, and latterly at Chester. She had two 1 pit. This was a task of great difficulty, as the children, one by an officer, and the other is called by ventilation was entirely destroyed by the after-damp. her maiden name. For a year past she has lived at They had to take the air with them by means of Chester, and passed as 31re. Gregory, having formed bra:tieing-cloths. A large fall of roof also greatly connections with Alfred Gregory, of the Mews, retarded their progress, but the explorers continued Queen's Hotel, Chester. Lately her husband re' to work unceasingly, and to make the most gallant turned, came to Plymouth, and was reconciled to his efforts to reach those in the pit. Four of the men wife at her father's house, promising to support her. here were broti,;lit out alive, but terribly injured. Up Last week he returned to Portsmouth, his wife cc. to Friday twenty-one more of the victims had seaming at her father's house. On Sunday morning been recovered, but all dead. There still remains i Gregory, who left Chester the previous night, arrived six unaccounted for, but only the faintest hopes arc at Plymouth, went to her house, and she went with entertained that any of these can be alive. The him for the day. Monday morning she started for work of exploration is carried on without cessation. business es usual, but was met by Gregory, persuaded this tremendous exertion had a very ill effect on some to go with him to an hotel, and there, in a private uf the explorers, Mr. Watson, the manager, and one rosin, he cut her throat and his own. The noise of of the overseen being removed in an almost senseless her filling brought help, when Gregory was seen condition from the effect of the after-damp. A large I cutting his own throat, white he succeeded in chimg. erowd assembled at the pit's mouth, and the most The coroner's jury returned a verdict of "Wilful idistressing scenes were witnessed as the cast tidings murder" against Gregory, finding also that he cow' became generally known amongst the relations of mated suicide while of unsound mind. j those killed. All the bodies recovered e-ere removed The jury had just left the room when two elderly women, having with them a little boy with his head to the surface. One poor man, named Irvine, was bound up, presented themselves, and asked to speak ' still alive when found by the exploring party, but he to the coroner. One of them was a Mrs. Bolt, the „ died before he could be brought up. The damage to .-- other, Mrs. Jago, was the boy's mother, and he was the pit is not so great but that in a few days it will afflicted with King's evil. She had been told by an ,ram from Lloyd's agent at Lisbon states be in working order again. Since the explosion of i aptain and crew of the British brigantine 1877 the greatest careless been exercised in regard old woman that when the boy was touched by a per.son who had committed suicide he would be certainly Ali ia'number 66,330, from St. Übes to to the lamps used, only locked Davy and Clammy cured, and they now wished to make the trial. Tie a, have arrived at Lisbon, and report that lamps being provi led, \Vith the exception a one coroner, of course, explained the iffisurdity of the Wes, at 9 p.m., their vessel sprung a leak, day =viz Ma • 19—no after-damp has been seeu in • ~ ) and the applicants went away. ii,l. red on the followinz day. at 8 mom. oil this part of the eolliery for fully three mouths.