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Leader (1850-1860), 14th November 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1085

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      Untitled Article

      result which is not so favourable as those that have been recently obtained . —The births returned in the same week exceed tne deaths by 516 . "

      Untitled Article

      ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN" DEATHS . A kema . Rkabi , y large number of accidents occurred about the close of last week . On the Friday , three coroner's inquests were held at Paddiugton—viz .: on a boy killed by the machinery at Francis ' s saw-mills , Harrow-road ; on a man killed by a beam falling on his head by the breakage of a rope , while chaff-cutting for one of the omnibus companies ; and on a little girl accidentally burned to death . On the same day , two Westminster omnibuses came into collision at Charing Cross , and the conductor of one was thrown down , and severely injured on the head . Five persons were discovered last Saturday -morning dead in bed at the east end of London . They -were chiefly children , and had been . overlaid by their parents ¦ ¦ while . . ' asleep . Some of the deaths , however , were owing to the overcrowding of the rooms . In one instance , fourteen persons were found to be living ; - -working , and sleeping in one room , in a house in Slater-street , Brick-lane , Bethnal Green . The mother , father , and six children slept in one bed ; and the summoning officer was told that ' there was room , for a dozen in the bed . ' On the same day , four accidents occurred from falls . A workman on the London . Dock Improvements fell from an elevated place into an excavation , a distance of forty feet . He received a concussion of the brain and an injury of the spine , and died shortly afterwards . A man was leaning out of the window of a house in Cambenvell , when he overbalanced himself , fell on his skull , and was injured to an extent which is likely to prove fatal . Mrs . Jame 3 Coutes , of Rochester , the -wife of a naval officer , slipped on a piece of apple peel on the stairs of the Stroud Railway station , and , falling , broke her legs , and received otter injuries . A little boy at Mile End New Town was accidentally pushed by another child down stairs , and died from concussion of the brain . A bricklayer at Bermondsey has been dreadfully injured by an iron crane falling from a stack of chimneys and lacerating his skull . . ¦ ' . ¦ ¦' . . ¦ , ¦ •¦ : ¦ - . ¦ - . : ' ..: ¦ ¦ ' . ¦ ¦ . - . ¦ :.-: : . ; : •' - ¦ - ' An inquest has been held at Old Bromptori on the body of Charles Morell , a livery-stable keeper . A few evenings ago , on entering the stable , he found that one of the horses had gon « into a wrong stall , and was eating some provender belonging to another animal . He struck the horse , which immediately lashed out with its hind legs , and kicked Morell in the stomach . The blow ¦ was fatal , for , after lingering about four-and-twenty hours in great agony , the injured man died . The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death . A . frightful accident , resulting in the death of six persons and serious injury to two others , occurred on Friday week at the quarries of Cloddfa ' r Son , in the Vale of Nantlle , about nine miles from Carnarvon . A temporary cessation of work had taken place , owing to an accident to the piston rod of the engine , and the quarrymen , about fourteen in number , had congregated at the bottom of the deep hollow to pass the time in conversation . They had not been long there when they heard the cry of " Beware ! " upon which they instantly rau to the cabin constructed for the safety of those at work ¦ when danger is expected . This proved the worst spot they could have chosen . A huge rock , about thirty tons in weight , fell in one mass from a height of fifty yards , and , striking against the ledges of stone in its descent , broke into pieces , which bounded with tremendous force to the ground , killing three of the nven on the spot , and mortally injuring three others . One of the latter died almost immediately , another while being carried home , and the third in about eight hours after the catastrophe . One of the men , under the impression that the rock above his head was falling , rushed headlong into the danger , trying to drag with him another inau , who only escaped by leaving part of his waistcoat in hia hands . The accident is supposed to have arisen from the adhesiveness of the rock being affected by the lodgment of water in . a level joint , which runs to nn angular point at the bottom , thus making the mass top-heavy . The rode had been minutely examined only the day before . A great many sudden deaths , cither from apoplexy or heart disease , havo taken place within the last few days . A fourth victim haa been added to the catalogue of persons killed by th « collision of the passenger trains on tlxe . South Wales Kailway , near l ' ylo , on the 14 th ult . John Lawsou , tho driver of the down passenger train , Which was travelling at tho time upon the wrong lino of rails , under written orders from the Htationmastor at Stormy , is tho person just deceased , lie received Bevcre injuries , bolides haviny a leg broken , and died at Swansea , whither ho had been romoved aftor tho accident . An inquest wus hold on Tuesday at ltimpton , Somer-Betuhire , on tho bodies of George Cox , Silas . Tack , and Henry l ' urdy . The father of tho first named is a dairyman , and has on hia promises a largo tank for tho reception of whey , wliich is thence conveyed by a wooden shoot to tho pig troughs . This tank was emptied of its contents , that it might bo cleaned , and Georgo < Jox wont down into it for that purpose . When nt tho bottom , ho was observed to stagger and fall . Tack then , went down

      to his assistance , and also fell , as did Pardy , who followed him . One of the bystanders , when part of the way down the ladder , perceived strong fumes of carbonic acid gas , by which there is no doubt the men . were killed . They were all dead when taken out of the tank . A verdict was returned in accordance with these facts . A terrible explosion has occurred at lD « e , near "Wigan , Lancashire , at the house of Mr . James Moore , a chemist and driiggist . Two lads entered the shop , and , having purchased some tobacco , asked for a liglit . Mr . Moore handed them a lighted paper , a spark from which fell into some colliers' blasting powder , which was lying loose . An explosion resulted , by which the fronts of that and of the next house -were blown out , while the

      adjoining dwellings were also greatly damaged . A little girl , who was standing at the window , was instantlv killed ; another little girl had both her l « gs broken , and is not expected to recover ; and Mr . and Mrs . Moore were seriously injured . The last named was buried in the ruins , but was soon got out , and is expected to recover . A fatal occurrence took place on Tuesday morning , at Lady Sophia Hoare's , in Queen-square , Westminster . In the absence of the family , the butler , Edward Merry , invited his brother , John Merry , to spend the evening with him , together with some friends . Between two and three o ' clock in the morning , the party broke up , when John Merrv fell head foremost over the second floor

      banisters and down a well-staircase into the hall below . He was taken to Westminster Hospital , when it was found lie had received a dreadful scalp wound , with , concussion on the brain . The case was hopeless , and , after great suffering , the man expired the same afternoon . . , The inquest on the body of Mr . Asliman , who was killed ^ by the collision of two passenger trains on the South Wales Railway , near Pyle , on the 14 th ult ., was brought to a close on Tuesday evening . The jin-y returned a verdict of manslaughter against Edgar Evans , the clerk , and Henry Barney , the porter , at Port Talbot station , and against Charles White , the station-master at Stormy . They appended the following comments : — " The jury also wish to express their sentiments with

      reference to the highly blamable conduct of Mr . H . Turner , the station-master at Port Talbot , in having incautiously started the up-passenger train from Port Talbot before ascertaining whether any further telegraphic communication had taken place letweeii Stormy and that station , more particularly as to whether the message lie ordered to be sent to Stormy had been duly sent and acknowledged . The jury also desire to express censure upon the South Wales Railway Company for not employing persons at their station properly qualified and competent to work and duly understand the telegraph .: The jury also desire to suggest , in order to lessen the effects in case of any future collision , that a luggage van should be placed immediately after the tender of each train . "

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      THE ACCIDENT AT THE ATTEMPTED LAUNCH . John Donovan , one of the men hurt at the unsuccessfur attempt to launch the Leviathan , died in Poplar Hospital on the morning of yesterday -week . An inquest was held on the body on Monday . Tie chief and most important witness was Mr . I . K . Brunei , the engineer , who said that the only reason why the ship was launched sideways , and not stern on , was that " it would have been impossible to put so large a vessel on an angle sufficient to launch her in the ordinary manner . There is nothing new in tho operation . The American vessels are generally launched broadside on , and at Liverpool the large iron floating vessels are also launched in that manner . The machinery which was used on Tuesday , the 3 rd inst ., consisted principally of two hydraulic presses , one at each launching-way . One was a ten and the other a twelve inch press . I cannot tell what pressure was put on them at the time of the accident , but it could not havo exceeded one hundred tons at one and a hundred and fifty at another . £ do not think that so heavy a pressure was on at the time . The operations which I directed to take place , and which led to the ncculent , were as follows : —I directed a certain length from each chain to be eased out from each drum , and tho breaks to bo gently applied to the drums . A light strain was then put upon tho two presses , and a small strain brought on the tackle at tho stem and stern of the ship . As soon as the pressure from the presses came on the ship , she moved more freely than I had contemplated , and the pressure upon the breaks was barely sufficient . That on tho foremost drum was just sulliciont , mid checked the ship . But for tho uccident at the other end of the ship she would probably havo gone on slowly . As tho aftermost drum was at rather tho heaviest end ' of tho whip , the pressure upon the breaks was not sufficient , and tho sudden strain upon the chain moved tho big drum a little beyond the slack which had been given out , and by tho jerk made the handles revolve rapidly . Four men had hold of tho handles at tho time . Ten muu properly belonged to these handles , of whom tho deceased was not one , and tho bulk of them hud vo . ry properly withdrawn from the handles aa directed . Tho instant tho uccident occurred tho breaks wero put on tighter , and tho operations of the launch wero suspended for tho moment . "

      would have revolved so rapidly . " After the reception of some further evidence , the Coroner , in summing up , said it was clear that Donovan had no business at the breaks ; but he left it for the jury to decide whether there had been any want of care or caution on the part of Mr . Brunei , or of the persons in charge of the works . The . jury returned a verdict of ' Accidental Death , caused by- the deceased ' s own imprudence . '

      The Coroner : "Then you ascribe the accident to the snip havi ng moved more freely than you calculated upon ?» Mr . Brunei : « Yes , and also to the breaks not t ? Z $ -rt ! ° n ° firml - J } s we shillhave them another time . 1 he Coroner : " You mean when the launch is again attempted ? " Mr . Brunei : " Yes . The vessel is now held in chains . Two preventive chains have been put on , but they are not yet taut . " By a Juror " Three of the men at the handles were at their proper post . They ouyht to have withdrawn , but I cannot blame them for what they did , as 1 have a strong impression that , if I had been at the drum myself , I should have laid hold of a handle . 1 may say , perhaps , that 1 may blame myself , for I did not anticioate that the handles

      Untitled Article

      IRELAND . The Qk-vnge Lodge . —The Grand Lodge closed its proceedings on Thursday week , and on Saturday morning it issued a monster address in the columns of the Warder newspaper . An address to the Throne is contemplated , which , in the event of the Premier refusing to patronize it , will be presented by certain Irish Lords . Aninquiry , also , is to be demanded , when Parliament meets , iuto the circumstances connected with the Belfast Commission . Dr . Culi-en , it is reported , is about to put forth , a pasioial in which he is to substantiate the charges which have been brought against the administration of the Patriotic Fund , and to show that Roman Catholics iu the army . ' and navy are treated with great unfairness ; Touching the latter branch of the subject , the Kilkenny Journal says : — " ¦ With regard to the treatment of

      Catholic soldiers in India , we have seen letters recently from , priests in that country "which state that , instead of the Indian officials becoming more just or generous towards those \\ ho are shedding their blood in the cause of England , the Indian authorities are only becoming more persecuting every day . One of the letters to which we allude states that Lord Harris , Governor of Madras , has expressed it as his opinio > n , and written to the Govemoi-General recommending it , that all Catholic chaplains who protest a-aiiist the rule that the children of Catholic soldiers shall attend Protestant schools should be forthwith deprived of their miserable stipend and sent about their business ! But this is not all . Lord Harris has issued an order tliat all officers attending soldiers at mass shall , according to their own judgment , order the soldiers from t lie chapel if there be anything said by the priest to which objection can be taken . "

      Ihe Late Outrage in Meato . — -Fifteen men are 5 a custody under suspicion of being concerned in the attack on Mr . Connell winch yre related in our last issue . It is feared that Mr . Connell cannot survive . The Tea Frauds , — -The Customs have held a further investigation C » y 3 th . e Banner of Ulster ) to ascertain the ownership of two hundred and nineteen chests of tea bonded by J . J . Moore in his stores , Skipper-street , and su ^ equeiitly removed to other stores . The jury , after a full investigation , found that they were the property of different traders in town , some of whom had commercial transactions with JMoore . It is not generally known that several months ago a fraud was discovered by tlie

      orhcers of Customs prior to tho time when the stock of teas in Moore's store was taken by them . When the stock -was taken , tho officers did not pierce the chests , to discover whether they yrcrc filled with tea or brickbats . Two cliests of tea were wanting , but who removed them was a mystery . An investigation might have discovered the guilty party , but no investigation took place . Instead of this , as we have been credibly informed , tlie duty was demanded and a fine imposed , both of which Moore speedily paid . Wo are not a >\ are that any intimation of this irregularity was conveyed to the securities , to whom such a discovery was of so much importance .

      ritusKcimoN ov tub Mayo Pkiests , —The Government has determined on prosecuting the priests Conway and Ryan , who wero so disgracefully mixed up in the last election f . » r Mayo . Fatal Affray with the Polick . —Two policemon , a few evenings ago , arrested , on the road from Crcislough to Kilmacrcnun , tho driver of a cart which was conveying an illicit still . They at iirst handcuffed him , but afterwards yielded to his request , and took the hanrtcufls off " . Three men and a woman soon came up , attacked tho polico , and left them . so exhausted that they proposed to lot tho prisoner go . Ouo of the rescuing party then attempted to seizo tho carbine of ono of tin * constables , when the weapon went off , and the fellow woa . shot through the heart . Tho rest of tho party fled ; und the policemen , fearing a frouh attack by increased number .- ! , relouded , ami proceeded to KLilmnorenan .

      Tins CoNOLOUGU Will Cask . —Mr . Whitesido a ]> plied on Tuesday in the Irish Court of Chancery , on the part of tho plaintiff iu tho case of Boyao and Colclough ,

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      ISTo . 399 , Notkmber 14 , 1857 . ] T II E I , EIDE B . -no *

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 14, 1857, page 1085, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2217/page/5/