The Express. — 1867-03-11 (London, England)

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 1867.  CALAMITOUS FIRE AND SERIOUS LOSS OP LIFE.-( THIS DAY.,  A very calamitous fire occurred at the West-end this (Monday) morning at an early hour, in a large house numbered BA, Bryanstone-street, Edgware-road. The building was let out in tenements, and at the time of the outbreak contained five families. Within a minute after the fire was discovered by a policeman, Conductor Gill arrived from the Connaught-place station with the Royal Society's fire-escape. On turning into the street he saw the greater part of the house then on fire, and he noticed a female with a child in her arms at the second floor window. As he was wheeling his machine to the front of the house he observed the child fall back and the woman jump out of the window. He placed his machine against the windows in Quebec-street, but it appeared that they were only used for lighting the stiircase. He then raised the escape to the level of the third-floor in Bryaastone-street, and rescued an elderly gentleman and his wife who were clinging to the window-sill. Be afterwards returned and rescued a man from the fascia of the shop. Hearing that other persons were still in the building he attempted to enter a window to save them, but the flames were coming out of every window except the parlours. He that got his short ladder, placed it across the iron railing, and entered the room, but found no one therein. By that time the firemen were working intrepidly, and with plenty of water. but the flames could not be extinguished until the whole building was destroyed. Four human beings were afterwards found burnt to death in the ruins, and there are two others missing, who Lave no doubt also perished. The woman who jumped into the street has been removed to St. Mary's Hospital, where she remains in a very precarious state. The lower part of the premises was occupied by Mr. Mundin, a boot and shoemaker, who has lost everything except his books and vouchers. The origin of the fire is unknown.  THE DEATH OP A WIPE .IN GRAY'SINN-ROAD.  INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.) This morning Dr. Lankester resumed, at the Holborn union, the inquiry into the death of Mary Snelling. It will be recollected that the inquest was opened upon Tuesday last and adjourned for the purpose of the husband being present, and this morning he was brought up upon au order from the Right Hon. Horace Walpole, the Secretary of State, in the custody of Inspector Bryant, of the Reserve G Division.  Upon the arrival of the coroner the prisoner was brought in, and the coroner read over to him the evidence given at the examination.  The first witness called was Dr. Norton, who said that ho was called in on Saturday to see the deceased,: end found her dead, and much bruised. On a post marten' examination he found many bruises, some of them old ones. The cause of death was the fracture of the skull. The whole of the bruises on the bead could not have caused by falling down stairs. By Mr. Ricketts—The death arose from the facture of the skull. There was not any other bodily injury to account for death.  Sarah Wallis, of 12, Vernlam-street, stated that she was called in and found the deceased in a state of insensibility. She (witness) sent a little boy to tell the husband that she was dying, and he' refused to have a doctor, and he said " That he was the hest doctor," and added " Let the old die," and he then kicked her whilst she was senseless in her arms. The boy told her at the time that the husband had struck her head upon the stones. Charles Francis Hawkins, a child about 9 years of age. stated that he saw the deZased fall down the steps, and the husband took her shoulders and knocked her head on the stones. Dr. Norton was asked if the bruises which he found on the head would accelerate death. Dr. Norton—Most certainly it would. Hawkins was recalled and asked by Mr. Ricketts if he saw the husband strike her head on the stones.  Hawkins mid he did, and Tdielorea The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdicts of " Accidental death," and strongly censured the conduct of the husband. The coroner directed that the magistrate before whom the prisoner had been taken should be made acquainted with the censure of the jury.  SUICIDE OF A JUVENILE PRISONER IR STAFFORD (;AOL. 

Article type: NotIncident