The Express. — 1867-07-10 (London, England)

THE CARBONIC ACID OAS ACCIDENT AT POPLAR.  INQUEST.-(THIS DAY.)  • • This forenoon Mr. Richards, the deputy coroner, resumed, at the Spotted Dog Tavern, High-street, Poplar, the inquiry respecting the deaths of Charles Cooper, 'pi 40, and Thomas Hoyrnay, aged 24 years, who were killed on last Tuesday week in • well 50 feet deep, at the W est India Dock, Poplar. The inquest had been adjourned for the attendance of— William Fletcher, who was in • very weak state, had to be seated while giving his evidence. He said that lie was the captain of the gang that had the sinking of the well. Last Monday week it was suspected that there Us foul air in the well, and it was tested with a " naked candle," and the light went out. Some water was then thrown down into the well to remove the foul air, and the men continued to work. None of the men at work complained of the foul air or refused to work. They talked about it on the Tuesday morning when they west to work at the well, and when ho arrived he found Hoymay descending the well shaft. He fell old the ladder and tumbled into the water. Cooper and witness followed because they thought that Hoymay had merely slipped into the water. They never thought of the foul air.  Coroner—What wu the sensation that you felt when you entered the well Witness—l felt none. I lost my senses at once, and I remember nothing more. I did not order the deceal;ed mm to go down into the well. While the men were at work s small pump was kept at work, and the drawing off the water created a draught, and that caused the carbonic acid gas to ascend, and the ventilation was by that means kept right The pump was not at work when the accident occurred. .  A juror mid that the men ought to have seen that tit pump was at work before they went down, and in futon it would be well if the works were not carried on unless is was first ascertained that the pumps were at work. Mr. Poland, barrister, who appeared for the contractor said that Fletcher was a sub-contractor, and that be es responsible for the way in which the miners did their wort at the welL . . .  The Coroner said that a party in court had stated that the deceased men had been murdered, but he thought thii if men ever had committed suicide they had done w They were aware that a poisonous gas was it the well, and yet they entered it. It Aimee looked like dogged obeUnacy. The case mi • very lamentable one, but it only showed the pm Cason of English working men, they will perform their work re matter how dangerous it is. The jury returned • verdict "That the deceased me were accidentally suffocated in • certain well shaft hrA which they had descended for the purpose of f01i0.% their occupations."  To-morrow Mr. Samuelson will ask the Secrets! of State for the Home Department, whether it is tie that Mr. Conolly, who watched the proceedings before to Trades' Union Commission on behalf of certain trade,. LA been forbidden by the commissioners to continue le attendance; whether he committed any offence sgoO the commission ; and, if so, what was the offence. 1%1 whether it is true that permission was offered to C 00,4 to continue his attendance on condition of signiti document which had no reference to the business of the commission.  Sir dolman O'Loghlen intends to call attennon to the state of Ireland and the legislation for that marl proposed this session by her Majesty's government ; sod to move a resolution on the 26th.  - - ----Mr. Lamont, to-morrow, will more an addn•rt for copies of all correspondence between the French Ba British governments previous to and relating to the inn^ sion of the Mexican Republic by the late Arch...ate RA.  The Select Committee on the Ecclesiastical Titles and Catholic Relief Acts met yesterday, and examined 31r. Jostles O'Hagan, one of the judges of the Cowmen Ilea in Ireland, and Mr. Hope-S.-a:Kt, (I.e.—both Ilmnan ra• tholics. The learned judge (the OW state.) described the act to be a dead letter, and the sole cline of the alien,t ion between the Roman catholic hierarchy in Ireland arid the executive government of that country. The ex: ,t of Mr. Hope-Scott is to bo resumed on and his evidence will be followed by that of Dr. Ullathonie.lli,hoP of Birmingham.  Mr. J. Vokes Mackey, conservative. was nom' noted yesterday as Lord Mayor of Dublin for 1,4:. The present Lord Mayor Joynt WWI proposed for reelection. On this amendment the numbers wens—for. ; aCkin't. 26. Dr. Carroll was then proposed as a catholic c4ndidate. To give time for his cancan, and prevent the election ti Mr. Mackey, eight or ten divisions took place oil the WAr tion of adjournment, which was ultimately earned. ILLEGITINIAeIi IN